Celebrating The Things That Make Australia Unique
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AUSTRALIAN SLANG
Clothing
Say "balaclava" 5 times in a row fast. Not hard to say, but I bet your jaw got quite a workout. Seriously, the balaclava has gotten a bad name unfortunately because crooks and now terrorists insist on wearing it.
The origin of the balaclava goes back to the 1850's in the Crimean War when the knitted head coverings were sent to the British troops to help protect them from the very harsh cold weather. The head covering was named after the town of
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| Brolly | umbrella |
| Akubra | famous Australian-made hat |
| Slouch Hat | famous hat worn by the Australian Army. Symbol of courage and pride to Aussies everywhere |
| Balaclava | tight woollen knitted covering for the entire head and neck with holes left for the eyes and mouth. Often used by robbers to hide their identity. (Ski mask in the USA) |
| Runners | tennis shoes, sneakers |
| Sandshoes | joggers, sneakers, trainers |
| Thongs | rubber sandals |
| Ugg | a generic Australian name for a fleece-lined boot with an untanned sheepskin upper. Ugg is short for ugly boot. Made in Australia for over 50 years. |
| Wellies | Wellington boots, gumboots. Knee-high boots worn to keep your feet dry. |
| Gumboots | knee-high waterproof boots made of rubber |
| Sunnies | sunglasses |
| Dillybag | bag for carrying things |
| Lippy | lipstick |
| Tats | tattoo |
| Fanny | female's private part (Fanny in the USA is a seldom used word for a woman's bottom. Yanks, when visiting us, make sure you remember the difference.) |
| Nick | nude, especially sleeping |
| Nuddy | naked |
| Bollocky | naked |
| Starkers | naked. Can also mean crazy, mad, insane |
| Press Studs | snaps |
| Hair Pins | bobby pins |
| Reel of Cotton | spool of thread |
Balaklava in Crimea. Although it was originally knitted of wool, today it's made from a variety of materials such as cotton, fleece, silk, and even polypropylene.
In case you were wondering, yes, there is also a town in Australia called Balaclava. Actually there's two: one in Victoria and one in New South Wales.
Tip ... mouse over words in table willturn on highlighting
