**Before you take what I say for Gospel Truth, I've been corrected by Suzanne of Melbourne! In the photo, we've stopped for a "Smoko"...and once again, "Divided by a Common Language!"**
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OK, I still find it humorous the way "Aussies" shorten words! I'm really not laughing AT you; I'm simply fascinated that, along with what we visitors perceive as your accent, you add to that, so many colloquialisms! (OK, I know, WE have accents, too! Do you hear the very different accents Americans have from around our country? We have everything between a Twang and a Drawl!)
I'll share a favorite story! Friends, Enid & Gordon, hosted a Rotary Club student from northern Mexico. https://365project.org/Weezilou/365/2015-05-03 In this photo with Ilean, I explained her trip. What makes the story so funny is that Ilean's mother sent her to live with a family and learn to speak English! As she tells her own story, she returned to Mexico, and her English-speaking mother could hardly understand her!
I didn't expect the turn that this story would take, but "speaking" about our many differences!
And what's going on in this images? We were out on a sightseeing tour, and as we in the US would "stop for a break and a snack", they call these stops "Smokers" (CORRECTION! "Smoko") to have a cup of coffee and a cookie!
Sorry I have to correct the term: It's 'smoko' not 'smokers'. LOL. And we don't generally call them 'cookies', rather 'biscuits'. And, often, it's a Thermos of tea, or we make billy tea, if there's a fireplace and it's not total fire ban.
@ankers70 "Smoko"!!! Yes! I'd forgotten! But I do note that "your biscuits", or in the more local vernacular, "bikkies" ; ) are recognized...and delicious!...as what we call "cookies"! (And nowadays "cookies" are what we don't want piling up in our computer! So, what do you call THOSE things?!) I'm not a tea drinker, generally, and I do recall we were offered coffee (much to my delight!) (Maybe David had arranged for that; he's a coffee drinker...not worth his salt, that Aussie! ; ) And as I think about it, the word "smoker would sound right to our ear, but "smoko" wouldn't, so maybe in my mind I only thought I wasn't understanding him! I'm saving your Aussie slang article for morning reading & when I have a chance to see who else might join in this conversation! It, to me, gets more delightful by the day!
Ok, I'm going to add some language here ... a story told to me recently by an Irish lady, Josephine, living in Ballater. When she moved into her house, the (very local) lady living across the way popped over to invite her over for 'a fly' sometime. Then the man from up the way asked her if she needed any groceries because he was going to Tesco 'the morn's nicht' (tomorrow evening). Poor Josephine was flummoxed by both invitations! The Doric in this neck of the woods is quite interesting - we have a fly around 10-11am. It's just a cup of tea with possibly 'a fine piece' (snack, piece of cake ...) as well. I love language. I'd never have known what a smoko is, I'd have guessed it was a stop for a cigarette! Oh, and I love your daughter's jumper in this photo ... although you'd undoubtedly call it a sweater! :-) Loving your photo reminiscing and all the banter it is creating! x Having looked at Suzanne's link, I read that the smoko was in fact named after a smoking break. Figures.
@jamibann Oh my goodness, I should have turned in an hour ago, but this is too wonderful! I'd have had no idea about those colloquialisms of yours (!) and also would have been as "flummoxed" as Josephine! (Flummoxed is a fabulous word!) Living in the places you have, you've certainly had a go at a number of languages I'm sure! A favourite book of mine is "The Glamour of Grammar" by Roy Peter Clark (there's most likely a Google link...I like a book with pages I can turn! This one is a gem!) And I'll tell Heather (a good Scottish name, no?) that a Scottish Lass liked the jumper she wore in the photo! She'll know exactly what you mean and be appreciative...though all these years and several moves later, she probably no longer has it! (Did you just manage to add to your message as I was writing! I looked up and it went on beyond "x"! xx to you ...and goodnight !
Ah, bikkies is common in the UK. I also remember calling underwear grundies to my better half and he'd never heard of it, another fab Oz word :-) I'd grown up calling underwear grundies, so goodness knows where we'd heard it from.
Lol Louise and Ken - You are right about language being fascinating. And just to add a bit more - we do have "smokers" but they are usually fairly large and often owned by blokes who like to sit around their smoker, drinking beer, while they make sure their great slab of meat is smoking along just nicely.. :)
Without reading the narrative and just reading the title I scanned the photograph to see who was smoking a cigarette. Oh how I love how one word can have so many meanings. One that always amuses me is that I wear pants under my trousers. What do you wear under your pants?
Now we're getting really personal! I wear nickers under my pants and under my trakkydaks, although men may wear underdaks under their trousers. Or sometimes undies under their daks!!! @wakelys
Lovely shots and interesting story. Many years ago, as a Customs officer I came in contact with U.S. sailors as part of the 6th fleet (not sure) who used to come to the bonded warehouse to load spirits example whisky, and every few minutes one would shout 'smoko' and all the sailors would stop for a cigarette break .
So fun and so interesting. Your narrative points to the real value of travel, we learn so much about other countries’ customs and yes, language. I love the word “smoko”.
Beautiful collage of great photos and I really enjoyed your narrative. Languages and in particular idioms are so fascinating!
Thanks Louise, I appreciated your kind comments yesterday.
@merrelyn Oh swell! I've just been shopping the "merino and Possum store" and the exchange rate is nice! What might I be getting into now??? (Thanks?!)
Your narrative and all the wonderful comments has really made me laugh! Isn’t language brilliant! Travel and of course 365 help us to learn lots of differences.
@wakelys@ankers70@blightygal ROFL!!! I might have tailored trousers if I had a nice jacket to go with them, and, indeed am wearing just such an item (petting the kangaroos/first photo...) made for me when we were in Hong Kong! Though they've held up nicely, they're really no longer in style... Ken always had dress-trousers when he worked, but typically lives now in jeans. (Just recalled that sailors called their underwear "skivvies") Men wear "boxers" or "underwear". Women wear "undies", but seem to range from "Granny Pants" to barely-there "floss"... I might have that incorrect, but it never would have been my style! "Sweats" are either for going out for a run or for laying around the house. Ken just calls his garb "gym clothes"... I'm sure that dedicated women have a wardrobe for the gym exercises. That's my list for the day! Feel free to fill in more if you want to keep this going! @robz All this really is SO funny! In recent months we bought a "Ninja Grill Smoker" and we haven't returned to firing up the Webber since! However, I've never smoked, therefore, had to "step out for a smoke" as it's no longer allowed anywhere, and hardly a soul I know would know what a "smoko" was but would be thrilled to get an invitation for a smoked dinner! @sangwann How much fun it is to know more about you! I do believe you were entertaining Aussie or NS sailors if they called out for a "Smoko"! My dad was in the Navy and I dated a sailor in my teens, and neither would have known that word! Our Navy men all pretty much looked alike, so that word would be the give-away!
@pamknowler I'm so glad you're feeling well enough to check in! I *knew* you'd get a kick out of all of this! AND...How random is this...?! I came across that quote about being separated by a common language, and it was attributed to George Bernard Shaw!!!
January 21st, 2024
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More here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-06/its-time-for-smoko-australian-slang-history/101821684
I love these cultural exchanges. Thankyou for telling these wonderful stories.
Rob, you may have something to add???@robz
I am enjoying this!!!
The fur is also made into a fibre and used for all manner of clothing. https://animalskintanningservices.co.nz/collections/possum-skins https://mohairpossumstore.com/possum-merino/
Thanks Louise, I appreciated your kind comments yesterday.
@wakelys @Weezilou
@robz All this really is SO funny! In recent months we bought a "Ninja Grill Smoker" and we haven't returned to firing up the Webber since! However, I've never smoked, therefore, had to "step out for a smoke" as it's no longer allowed anywhere, and hardly a soul I know would know what a "smoko" was but would be thrilled to get an invitation for a smoked dinner!
@sangwann How much fun it is to know more about you! I do believe you were entertaining Aussie or NS sailors if they called out for a "Smoko"! My dad was in the Navy and I dated a sailor in my teens, and neither would have known that word! Our Navy men all pretty much looked alike, so that word would be the give-away!