TEEN SPEAK

Our language continues to change all the time. You are the people who change it the most.

Teenagers invent words so they have a language different than their parents. It is a part of growing up and asserting each generation's differences and identity.

Here are some words your parents used

cool

sick

wicked

grouse

ace

groovy

beaut

look up: http:// www.macquariedictionary.com.au/p/dictionary/kid.html

and find some of the latest words teens are using.

Add some of your own!

AUSTRALIA'S MULTICULTURAL LANGUAGE

Australia is a land of immigrants. Many of the sayings that are part of our language today had their origins from Irish or scottish dialects. However since then Australia's language has continued to grow from migrant arrivals all over the world.

can you guess the countries these words come from?

admiral

algebra

bazaar

bungalow

cappuccino

calico

cotton

dinghy

guru

jungle

lychee

mattress

monsoon

plaza

pyjamas

shampoo

sofa

zero

ABORIGINAL WORDS AND PHRASES

Aboriginal means 'original inhabitant'. Many words from Aboriginal countries and their languages have become common in English today.

The word kangaroo is the first and best known.

What do these Aboriginal words mean?

billabong corroboree

numbat witchetty

cooee dingo

waratah

Do you know any Aboriginal words?

AUSTRALIANS COLLOQUIALISMS

There are many expressions that are uniquely Australian. Some of these are referred to as colloquialisms.

Definition- a colloquialsim is a colourful expression that is understood by a group of people who use it in speech, but would consider it too casual for formal writing.

Comment on the meanings of these colloquialisms-

a stunned mullet buckley's chance

can't take a trick hard yakka

full as a boot fair dinkum

mad as a cut snake bald as a bandicoot

act like a galah