australian-english lesson #2

here are some more wacky things that australians say.
1. do you know what a bubbler is? something that bubbles? sort of. it's a water/drinking fountain. they call it a bubbler.
me: you guys know where the fountain is?
oz friends: the what?
me: the fountain, you know the water fountain? where you drink water?
oz: you mean the bubbler?
me: huh??? >_<

2. stubbies: really SHORT shorts. i think they're referred to stubbies only if a guy is wearing them.

3. jumper - now back home, when someone says jumper the first thing that usually comes to one's mind is a really ugly track suit. perhaps of a fluorescent pink or a neon green in colour. but here it actually refers to any ol' long-sleeve shirt/thin jacket/thin sweater.

4. good on ya! - now aussies like to use this one a whole lot. it's used in a congratulatory sense and usually means something similar to "good for you".
custom's agent: first time in australia?
me: yes.
custom's agent: and what is the purpose of this visit?
me: i'm coming to study.
custom's agent: and what are you studying?
me: i'm starting medicine at UQ this month.
custom's agent: well, good on ya!

5. how would you pronounce this word: beetroot.
you know beet-root. it's reddish-purplish , you can eat it raw in your salad or pickled as a condiment? well these aussies love their beetroot. especially in their burgers.
BUT, it's not pronounced beeT-rooT. more like bEE-trOOT.

6. last one for today. now this is an expression. probably one that is used more by immature males than the general population. but i find it quite funny nontheless.
smugglin' tic tacs? - it's supposed to mean "are your nipples hard"?
;D let me give you an example.
me: brrr... it's cold in here.
oz friend: are you smugglin' tic tacs?
me: WHAT?!?!
oz friend: you know, smugglin' tic tacs?
me: no. i have no idea. what do tic tacs have anything to do with the cold?
oz friend: are your nipples hard from the cold?!?!

get it?
study those carefully. you may be tested on them at a later point in time.