Nov

On the Subject of Australian Humour:

North Americans will find it abrasive coming to Australia given that Australians tend to “take the piss out” (mock) of everything. There is a history of humour between Australians and Australia’s Aboriginal Peoples (not that I purport to be an expert on history) that goes something like this:

“Hey, let’s have a festival.”

“Yeah, we’ll use one of those ever-popularising Aboriginal Words to name it”

“Don’t be so sceptical, mate. We should invite them, too. Let’s find out a word for ‘everyone get together and have fun’.”

Moomba was the word given. The translation, revealed years later, means something closer to “up your bum”. Look who’s having the last laugh.Three things I’m pointing out with this conversation.

Australia will feel like it is 30 years behind North America. It is. That’s just because of the 1950′s politics still operating until the Rudd Government came to power at the start of 2008 (YAY!). Seriously, you will notice the Women’s Liberation Movement went into the Bermuda Triangle on its way over here. Women’s Lib? Neeeeevvvvverrrrr happppennnnneeeddd.
Australians are horrible to their Aboriginal people. Possibly even worse than Canada. Sure, they hide behind the idea of “giving everyone a ‘fair go’” (proper English: ‘fair chance’), but this is only if you conform to their culture. Otherwise, they dismiss you, make fun of you and move on. There is a famous photo of an Essendom Bomber kicking a goal after getting bagged for being Aborigine and having black skin. He kicked the goal and ran around like a mad-man lifting his shirt and pointing to the color of his skin under his shirt. That’s the kind of thing that wins you respect in Australia (but only from some people). Historically, some less-influential Europeans had a definite comradity with some powerful-but-ignored Aboriginal people (as you do when you are isolated in a desert and trading whisky for their ‘growing secrets’). The friendship and joking are very special to Australians, and I seriously believe having heard this Moonba story that it was from this initial relationship that “taking the piss” out of someone originated.
Australian are never politically correct. In fact, it is not uncommon for racist, chauvinistic, homophobic, you-name-it-offensive-to-a North-American-because-of-all-the-lawsuits-we’ve-had (Australian’s haven’t) ‘joke’ to be made between friends. Of course, it is never really funny for the privy third person and takes either getting used to, or speaking out to educate others about why you don’t find it ‘FUNny, MAte’.

And Another thing About Aussie Speak:

Get used to the short-forms and use of acronyms. There are so many in teaching that I think I’ll have to do another post on them. A FINAL WORD: PS. to all my Aussie friends, I actually really love and respect you guys (and this country). I explain your idiosyncracies from an ignorant North American perspective, because that’s what we all think we when come over here.