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If your Sheila thinks you're a bludger, buckle down and cut the macaroni."
It sounds like a food fight in the making, or a coded message meant for a secret agent. But, no, it is an example of Australia's way with words. Here's what an Australian mean:
Sheila: girlfriend
Bludger: a lazy-bones or a loser
Macaroni: nonsense
"You're a wimp if you're suss of bush tucker." Hey, same to you, pal! Actually, it is not such an unreasonable assertion, for those well-versed in Australian slang. Here's what an Australian mean:
Suss: Suspicious
Bush tucker: Native foods; home cookin'
"Everyone likes to find a partner who is fair dinkum." Those who succeed probably don't need a grasp of Aussie slang, or any other lexicon, for that matter. Here's what an Australian mean:
Fair dinkum: Good, true, honest, genuine
"The sudden appearance of a bunch of fives is usually a bad sign." In Australian slang, these fives aren't the kind you can spend or take to the bank. Here's what an Australian mean:
A bunch of fives: a fist
"Despite the carefully tended morsels on the barbie, a few guests ended up feeling crook." If you had no grasp of Australian slang, you might think they made off with the good silver. But here's what an Australian mean:
Crook: Ill
Barbie: a barbecue or grill a fist
"No proper kitchen is complete without a billy for those late-afternoon pick-me-ups." Heavens! It's not what you think! In Australian slang, such a statement is as innocent as pie. Here's what an Australian mean:
Billy: a small tin bucket with a handle, used for brewing tea.
"Life in the big smoke leads some to speculate that the planet is bound for the Black Stump." Especially during rush hour, you say - or those with a grasp of Aussie slang might say. Here's what an Australian mean:
Big smoke: big city
Black Stump: a mythical landmark emblematic of the end of civilization.
"A mate might be fair dinkum or just part of a conventional greeting." The trick is to know which is which in Australian slang. Here's what an Australian mean:
Mate: A truly good friend or the recipient of the widely used everyday greeting: "G'Day, mate"
Fair dinkum: Genuine, true, honest
"A doer will saddle up and then give it the herbs." It's not a recipe for seasoned horsemeat, but a slice of everyday Australian slang. Here's what an Australian mean:
Doer: A hard worker
Saddle up: Get ready for work
Give it the herbs: Go faster; accelerate
"After a prang, some workers might decide a sickie is in order." That's clear as a bell Down Under, where fluency in Australian slang is a must. Here's what an Australian mean:
Prang: a minor car accident; a fender-bender
Sickie: a day taken off from work, but not necessarily because of illness
"A bottler often receives lashings of praise, but still may become ropeable." What sounds like a reference to the rodeo scene actually is Australian slang applicable to a variety of arenas. Here's what an Australian mean:
Bottler: an excellent performer
Lashings: large quantities; plenty
Ropeable: angry or irritable
"The boomer oil might turn out to be no more than bull's wool." Easy for an Aussie to say! Australian slang is loaded with vivid expressions. Here's what an Australian mean:
Boomer: large or huge
Oil: news
Bull's wool: an unlikely story; baloney
"A dag might be likely to carry on and on about a bad trot." It sounds as if somebody picked the wrong racehorse. In Australian slang, however, the expression might be heard on or off the track. Here's what an Australian mean:
Dag: a boring or dull person. Bad trot: a run of bad luck
"The best time for some spine bashing might be right after frolicking with the kids on the slippery dip." It's not as bad as it sounds. This is a case in which it might be wise to make sure your audience understands Australian slang before dropping such a line. Here's what an Australian mean:
Spine bashing: resting
Slippery dip: a child's slide
"No esky should be without a supply of fixings for sangers, including those leftover snags." What sounds like a mouthful is actually a reasonable statement, spiced with Australian slang. Here's what an Australian mean:
Esky: A brand name for a portable portable icebox; often used generically
Sangers: Sandwiches
Snags: Sausages
"One way to avoid yakka is to wag it." Hint: All yakka and no play is no way to spend time in Australia. That's why some decide to wag it. Then again, Australians can appreciate the virtues of hard yakka; someone put in long yakka hours creating the colorful Aussie lingo. Here's what an Australian mean:
Yakka: hard or heavy work
Wag it: to be truant or play hooky
"A lair might end up like a shag on a rock." Then again, a lair could turn out to be the life of the party in Australia. It all depends on whether the lair puts on too many airs. Here's what an Australian mean:
Lair: A flashy dresser or a person who is behaving ostentatiously
Like a shag on a rock: totally alone
"Don't slam the boot with such force, or the bumper bars will fall off and the duco will peel." Australians can drive you crazy when they talk about their cars, because they traffic in some odd words. Here's what an Australian mean:
Boot: Car trunk
Bumper bars: Car fenders
Duco: Car paint
"Should a bluey start a blue with a bloke, anything could happen." In such an event, any reasonable Australian would prepare to stand clear, unless the "blue" happened to be the alternate definition in Australian slang. Here's what an Australian mean:
Blue: an argument or a mistake
Bluey: a nickname for any red-headed male
Bloke: a person, usually a male
source:Belo Interactive - Olympics
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How To Speak Australian - A Guide For Yanks and Canucks
