Whether you’re in Gunners or Tuggers or somewhere in between like pollies on The Hill, Canberrans have their own dialect and the Australian National Dictionary wants your words.
Only locals in the ACT will understand the “Ken Behren” reference (from hilarious COVID times) or the “Yogi” label for Canberra drivers due to our number plates starting with Y.
Forget Duolingo, we’re fluent in two languages here.
After a quick whip-around Canberra Community Noticeboard on Facebook, we unearthed some exclusively Canberran vocab.
There’s Belcompton and Charny for our northside neighbours, and Quangers and Molongoloids for our NSW neighbours.
All affectionate terms of endearment.
At the footy, interstate visitors might need a translator for “Up the Milk!” or “bleed green” from our rowdy die-hard Canberra Raiders fans.
If a tourist is seeking directions, they may be alarmed/confused by landmarks dubbed “COC” (Canberra Outlet Centre, behind Iron Knob Street no less), or the “penis owl” in Belco.
Our terminology is not quite as poetic as the “Fremantle doctor”, a phrase used in WA to describe the cool afternoon sea breeze that blows through Perth on a hot summer’s day.
We just get the daily “Canberra tax”, the high prices slapped on our public service town, or the “Canberra bubble” insult ad nauseam.
Another example of Canberra dialect is “bugs bunny” or “Phallis in Blunderland” (Australian American Memorial at Russell).
So come on Canberra, the Australian National Dictionary wants to learn your slang
There’s “dardy” (“excellent”) in Western Australia, “cheerios” in Queensland, “Darwin rig” in the Top End and “turbo chook” in Tasmania.
Australia’s regional vocabulary is as diverse as the country itself.
The Australian National Dictionary Centre (ANDC) is calling on the public to submit regionalisms – words and expressions that are unique to a particular state, territory, town or region – for possible inclusion in the Australian National Dictionary.
Word nerd and ANDC Senior Researcher, Mark Gwynn, said there were more than 16,000 Australian words and phrases recorded in the dictionary, including about 350 that are identified as being specific to a particular state or territory.
“But we know there are many more waiting to be discovered,” he said. “Regional language tells us a great deal about Australia’s history, identity and local communities.
“Even something as ordinary as ordering a beer or buying a sausage can reveal where you’re from. Depending on where you live, you might ask for a schooner, handle, pot, middy, butcher or pony, or buy devon, fritz, polony or cheerios.”
The annual appeal helps researchers to identify emerging and overlooked Australian English, with public contributions playing a key role in documenting the nation’s evolving language.
Each submission will be considered for an entry in the Australian National Dictionary.
“Every word and phrase we receive helps build a richer picture of Australian English,” Mark said. “So whether you’re firmly in the potato scallop camp or you swear by potato cake, we want to know what words are unique to where you live.”
Submit regional words and phrases to the Australian National Dictionary Centre’s Word Box: anu.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3QUcFygSXfhUQLA
