Australian word mysteries of slang, language, and habits, uncovered, with British and American equivalents

 

Australian (slang/coloquial) - British English

arvo - afternoon

barbie - barbecue/BBQ

bottlo - US liquor store - UK off licence

chocco - chocolate (food or drink)

durries - cigarettes

kiwi - New Zealander

lingo - language

napkins - cloth squares for protecting diners' clothes, often same fabric as the tablecloth - US napkins - UK table napkin 

outback - countryside / back of beyond

ozzie - Australian

sarnie - Sandwich

serviettes - paper in restaurants for protecting clothes and wiping hands - US napkins

servo (short for service station) - US petrol station - UK garage

Sheila - woman, female, girl

smoko - cigarette break

swag - rolled up blanket to carry possessions

swagman - hobo/tramp

thongs - flip-flops

tucker bag - hiker's hobo's or traveller's food storage bag, often a drawstring bag, possibly leather or oilskin

tucker box - food box or picnic box or brand name of a freezer

Whipper Snapper - US weed eater - UK strimmer

British English - Australian (slang, colloquial)

afternoon - arvo

Australian - ozzie

Barbecue/BBQ - barbie

chocolate - chocco

cigarette break/short break - smoko

ciggy/ciggies/fag(s)/cigarette(s) - durries

countryside/remote area/back of beyond/ backwoods/wilderness - outback 

flip-flops - thongs

girl - sheila

kiwi - New Zealander

language - lingo

off license (American liquor store) - bottlo

sandwich - sarnie

strimmer - Australian whipper snapper - USA weed eater

Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/real-life/article-10776633/Norwegian-expat-reveals-struggles-understand-Australian-boyfriends-text-messages.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed_article&ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Australian_slang

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English_regional_vocabulary