Long May She Reign

Mary, Queen of Scots. Portrait by Francois Clouet 1558.

 

Hello Lovelies,

Lately I’ve been trying to fill the void left by Outlander and Game of Thrones. In the last couple of months I’ve watched all available episodes of Vikings, Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife and now I’m halfway through the third season of Reign.

I know what you’re thinking, instead of binge watching all these shows, I really should be taking advantage of the long wait for Game of Thrones and Outlander and getting some serious writing done, but in case you didn’t already notice, I’m an extreme procrastinator as you can read about here, here and here.

Now, back to Reign. If you’ve never heard of this series, I’ll forgive you. I hadn’t heard of it either until I was on the search for something to fill the long months of “Droughtlander”. I thought the perfect way to fill the void would be with another Scot, Mary, Queen of Scots to be precise. The series is about the young queen and her early years at French court, it sounded like the perfect way to cope with “Droughtlander”

****The rest of this post may contain spoilers for Reign****

The series is categorised as an “Historical Drama” or “Period Drama”, I’d say the term “historical” is used rather loosely in this case. Now, I’m not expecting a fictionalised series to be 100% historically accurate, but it would be nice if it had resemblance to the historical events that apparently inspired the series in the first place. However it’s so historically inaccurate that the only resemblance to actual historic events is the names of some of the characters and perhaps a few of the key events, although even these are twisted and changed in order to convert them to the teenage angst and drama of the series.

The relationship between Mary and her first husband Francis the Dauphin of France is depicted as some great romantic story of two teenage (around the age of 18 I guess) royals who were betrothed as children for the sake of an alliance, but who were actually deeply in love with each other. This couldn’t be further from the truth, in fact Mary and Francis were married when Mary was 16 and Francis was only 14. Francis ascended the throne a year after their marriage.. Francis was always a sickly child and his constant ill health resulted in his death a year later at the age of 16. There is also doubt that their marriage was even consummated, so here we have a young queen, a widow at the age of 18, in troubling times for her country and her treaty with France hanging on by a tether. Definitely not the great story of love and loss as shown.

Next we have the costumes, with many of the female characters wearing sleeveless, sheer  and revealing dresses that were totally inappropriate for the time, Yes, I understand it was French court and many morally questionable things probably occurred there, but the ladies of the court would definitely not be wearing some of the dresses worn in Reign, that’s for sure!

Next we have the music, I wasn’t expecting Bear McCreary quality but I also wasn’t expecting to hear Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” either! It really hurts my brain to hear very recognisable modern music in what is supposed to be historical drama, especially when paired with the out of place costume choices.

Now let’s move on to the accents, everyone at French court seems to have these terrible English-sounding accents from the Italians, to the French to the Hungarian Lord Julien (for the record Juilien is NOT a Hungarian name and his accent is not even remotely Hungarian sounding). Now, even though the show is mainly set in French court, I was not exactly expecting everyone to be speaking French as they would have at the time, but I was at least expecting SOME sort of accent. Mary, Queen of Scots was Scottish, that is true, but she was raised in France from the age of 6, therefore I would have expected her to have a French accent, not a Scottish one, however, Australian actress, Adelaide Kane (who portrays Mary) instead employs this wishy-washy posh accent that is somewhat generically English-sounding, as do her ladies in waiting, her betrothed Francis the Dauphin of France, King Henry II of France and practically everyone else at court. Even the Queen of France, Italian Catherine de Medici, has the posh English-sounding accent, when you would expect her to have perhaps a slightly mixed Italian/French accent, having lived in France since the age of 14. Occasionally some Scottish visitor to French court may have a somewhat Scottish-sounding accent, but that’s as good as it gets. Don’t even get me started on the slight American accent of Mary, Queen of Scots’ mother, the French native Mary of Guise (Marie de Guise).

I’m beginning to think Diana Gabaldon, Ron Moore, Meryl Davis, Terry Dresbach, Bear McCreary and the entire Outlander cast and crew have ruined me for any other Historical Drama, their attention to detail and in keeping as historically accurate as possible in the world of fiction has caused me to notice these historical inaccuracies in other works of fiction even more than I would have before. I have always enjoyed historical fiction, whether it be in writing, film or television and have also enjoyed exploring the actual history that inspired such works. After reading Diana’s Outlander series though and watching the series come to life, I think I have become even more critical of works of fiction which are not historically accurate. However, Reign is possibly as historically inaccurate as they come.

Some of you may be aware that my own writing includes historical fiction, set in the 1910s and then in the 1930s. Now I am not saying that it is 100% accurate and true to history in this time, but a lot of time and research is done on my part to ensure that the events and details of the time are reflection in the telling of the story. Details such as clothing, key events, living conditions and so on are meticulously researched in order to attempt to reflect the times in which the story is set. Yes, my work is historical fiction, but if the historical aspect is not presented with at least some sort f accuracy, then you might as well just call it fiction.

The question is though, will I continue to watch Reign as a form of procrastination? My answer is yes, despite the inaccuracies of this “Historical” Drama, my inner angsty teenage drama queen will continue to revel in the dramas of French court, the rivalry between Mary, Queen of Scots and her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England and the romance and heartbreak of Mary and her ladies, no matter how far from historical fact it might be. I’ll enjoy Reign for what it is, a slightly trashy drama series, set in a time and place that it not my own.

 

Enjoy,

KK

 

© Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within, (2013-2016). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

 

We Are the Music Makers

Image courtesy of Flickr CC user Mac H (media601)

 

Hello Lovelies,

This week Facebook’s helpful “memories” notifications reminded me of one of my all-time favourite quotes:

“We are the music makers,

And we are the dreamers of dreams”

-Opening lines of the poem, “Ode” written by Arthur O’Shaughnessy

Many of you may recall these words being spoken by Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory, to Charlie just before Wilder’s character – Willy Wonka showed them the “lickable wallpaper”. However, these words were written down long before Wilder’s character ever spoke them.

When reminded of this quote, I began to wonder about the author, Arthur O’Shaughnessy and about the words of the rest of the poem this quote was taken from.

After a few minutes of googling, I discovered that O’Shaughnessy was quite an interesting man, not only was he a poet, but he was also a herpetologist. Don’t worry if you have no idea what herpetology is, neither did I, I had to look it up. Basically, herpetology is a branch of zoology, concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles. So not only was this man a published poet, but he was also a scientist!

Now back to the man himself. According to Wikipedia, Arthur William Edgar O’Shaughnessy was born in London on the 14th of March, 1844. At the age of seventeen he received the post of transcriber in the library of the British Museum, later becoming a herpetologist at the zoological department of the museum 2 years later, at the age of nineteen. Even though he had a successful career in herpetology, describing six new species of reptiles from 1874 until his death in 1881 and having 4 new species of lizards named in his honour after his passing, O’Shaughnessy’s true passion was literature.

O’Shaughnessy’s first collection of poetry was published in was published in 1870. He went on to publish 3 other collections of poetry (one published posthumously) and with his wife he published a collection of children’s stories. His most famous collection, “Music and Moonlight”, which contained his most famous poem “Ode”, was published in 1874 (although the poem itself was originally published in 1873).

O’Shaughnessy died aged only 36, from the effects of a “chill” after walking home from a London theatre at night, in the rain. Even though his published career was cut tragically short and his published works are few, O’Shaughnessy is regarded as one of the great “modern poets”, with anthologist Francis Turner Palgrave stating that O’Shaughnessy had a unique gift with “a haunting music all his own”.

O’Shaugnessy’s most famous poem, “Ode” has been popularised in many forms including song, cinema and in other writings. Interestingly, O’Shaughnessy was the one responsible for the now common phrase “movers and shakers”, he believed that poets would be the “movers and shakers”.

You can see the phrase in all its glory in the first stanza, as well as the often-quoted first two lines,

We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers
And sitting by desolate streams;—
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.

Instead of idiotic politicians declaring themselves as “movers and shakers”, let the writers, the dreamers, the poets, the artists and the creators declare,

We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,

…we are the movers and shakers…

Write, dream, create…

Enjoy,

KK

 *Information retrieved from Wikipedia

© Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within, (2013-2016). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

A Reason to Celebrate

Image copyright Katherine A. Kovács, The Writer Within 2016

 

Hello Lovelies,

Just over a week ago, Hungary celebrated St Stephen’s Day, one of the biggest celebrations in Hungary. To put it into perspective, think of New Years Eve combined with Australia Day and you’re getting closer to the scale of celebration that this day is in Hungary.

St Stephen was the first king of Hungary, the man responsible for uniting the seven Magyar tribes and bringing Christianity to the newly formed Kingdom of Hungary. I’m sure it wasn’t all smooth sailing in forging a kingdom and a new religion for a previously pagan population, but still a reason to celebrate.

Something that I have discovered while living in Hungary, is that most Hungarians are enthusiastically patriotic, especially when it comes to cheering on their fellow Hungarians in sports, and they also love a good celebration, whatever the reason might be -Hungarians love a reason to celebrate.

St Stephen’s Day was celebrated with a four day festival with many concerts, plenty of street food (of course), markets, a procession of St Stephen’s Holy right hand (his mummified hand is kept in St Stephens’ Basilica) and one of the biggest fireworks shows I’ve ever seen in person.

Yes Hungarians love a reason to celebrate and celebrate they do. This has reminded me that we should always find a reason to celebrate, no matter how small that reason may be.

In my latest WIP,, my characters go through some very difficult times. This makes them aware and appreciate the better days, finding even the smallest sources of happiness as a reason to celebrate.

Now I’m not sayin that we all need to go through hell in order to appreciate the good times. Sometimes this happens and it opens our eyes, but sometimes all we need is to be reminded that life itself should be a celebration. The gift of another day, the happiness and pride that fills you when you hear your child read their younger siblings a bedtime story or even when your three children are playing together WITHOUT ARGUING!

Yes, all these things and more are a reason to celebrate. So I encourage you all to find a reason to celebrate each day. I’m not saying your celebrating should always involve alcohol, because you might regret the expense and the constant hangover, but be happy and spend time with those you love and find your reason to celebrate.

Enjoy,
KK

 

© Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within, (2013-2016). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

 

Fan Fiction

Hello Lovelies,

Recently I’ve been thinking about the area of fan fiction and wondering whether it is a good or bad thing.

I’m sure all writers, whether they are published yet or not, would have mixed feelings about fan fiction based on their work. Ont he one hand, it would be nice that your audience felt so inspired by your characters that they decided to explore them further through their own writings. It would be great to have a fan base that felt so strongly about your characters and your writing that they felt compelled to do a little writing of their own.

On the other hand though, these are the characters you poured your heart, soul and countless hours into creating. You know your own characters intimately, better than anyone will ever know them, often better than you even know yourself. These characters are a piece of you, living out their days in the realms of your subconscious mind. You couldn’t help but feel a little… ripped off maybe? I’m not sure of the right emotion, but through fan fiction you would feel like they’re trying to steal pieces of you, making assumptions of the characters you know so well, the characters you created. You might even feel a little pissed that these people are trying to steal your ideas, world and characters, that you devoted countless hours to creating, no matter how much you value your fan base.

Then comes the legal issues, when the fan fiction is published and shared on blogs and other media. It’s not just your feelings about the matter of published fan fiction (yes, published does include blog posts etc.), it’s also a legal matter of copyright and plagiarism. Whilst it is nice that they feel so strongly and passionately about a writer’s work, legally published fan fiction is a huge issue.

Take the example of Fifty Shades of Grey, whilst it’s not exactly an example of great literature, it is still a published work selling millions of copies worldwide and a motion picture. Most people know that Fifty Shades began as a work of fan fiction, inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. This was openly admitted, Fifty Shades is Twilight fan fiction, it’s written all over the internet, pretty sure it was mentioned almost every time during any sort of interview or promotion about the book as well.

So how does Stephenie Meyer feel about E. L James making millions off the Fifty Shades Trilogy, a series that was admittedly started as fan fiction of her own Twilight series? I would say she would quite quickly get over the “nice” feelings of feeling honoured that a reader felt so inspired by her work and quickly move on to thoughts about how a publisher paid E. L James to rip off someone else’s work and turn it into a warped Mills and Boon novel with with a heavy dash of BDSM. If you google “Stepehenie Meyer’s opinion of Fifty Shades” you will see countless articles discussing Meyer’s not so favourable opinion. Whilst I don’t believe she actually has said in public, “How dare that b***ch turn my work into trash and make money off of it!”, it is obvious that Meyer does not approve of the adaption, by saying very little except she “refuses to read it”, it is obvious that she does not think much of E.L James and her “fan fiction”.

I know how difficult it is as a writer to come up with a truly original idea, we are influenced by everything around us, including what we read, however this is mostly subconsciously. Yet I feel there is something very wrong with someone who openly admits that their published work began as fan fiction of someone else’s writing that they spent countless hours developing and creating.

I am the type of person that gets very involved in the world of fiction, the characters, the setting and so on, both with what I read and my own writing. However, I could never in good conscience, publish a work of fan fiction, whether I earned money from it or not. As a writer, I would feel a little bit flattered, I suppose, that someone felt so drawn in by the characters I created, that they felt inspired to explore the characters further in their own writing. However I would be quite annoyed (putting it mildly) if they then chose to publish their fan fiction, in any form, either on a blog or as a paid piece of work.

If you do enjoy writing fan fiction, I suggest you keep it for your own enjoyment and not publish it in any form and definitely do not send a copy to the writer whose work inspired you. They don’t want to see the evidence of your “thievery” and like I said before, a writer knows their characters better than anyone ever will and your adaption may feel like a complete betrayal and butchering of their characters.

Outlander author Diana Gabaldon will give you a very straight forward opinion of fan fiction that perfectly sums up my own view:

Diana’s Fan Fiction Policy

You know, I’m very flattered that some of you enjoy the books so much that you feel inspired to engage with the writing in a more personal way than most readers do. Both for legal and personal reasons, though, I’m not comfortable with fan-fiction based on any of my work, and request that you do not write it, do not send it to me, and do not publish it, whether in print or on the web. Thank you very much for your consideration.

(Diana’s Fan Fiction Policy retireved from her official website: http://www.dianagabaldon.com/)

Of course this opinion may not reflect the opinion of all writers, but I would say the majority would feel similarly.

If you read a great book and feel so inspired by the story and the characters that you simply have to explore it further through your own writing, might I suggest that you keep this writing to yourself or perhaps only share it with a small circle of friends. Do not publish it on a blog, do not turn it into a novel and start pitching it to different publishers to make your millions and do not send a copy to the original writer whose work inspired you so. Whilst it is flattering for the writer that you enjoyed their work so much, these feelings do not outweigh the feeling of betrayal and thievery the writer may feel.

So if you feel inclined to write a bit of fan fiction, that’s fine. By all means, write to your heart’s content, but do not publish it in any form and definitely do not go about intending to make some money out of it, just keep it for yourself to further enhance your enjoyment of the original writer’s work.

I don’t mean to offend anyone who thinks fan fiction is amazing and should be shared on every fan blog int he blogosphere, I am simply offering one writer’s opinion on the issue.

One day when I publish my novels, I will be very flattered if my characters and their stories inspired others to write, but please keep it to yourselves.

Enjoy,

KK

© Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within, (2013-2016). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

 

 

 

True Blue Aussie Slang

Image courtesy of Flickr CC user audi-insperation

Hello Lovelies,

This week I’d like to take the opportunity to share some of my favourite Aussie slang terms and phrases. Being born in Australia to parents who migrated as children and growing up in the suburbs of Western Sydney, Aussie slang was something that was heard and used on a daily basis.

Some of my favourite terms and phrases might not be in popular use anymore and some may not have even originated in Australian, but was adopted by us nonetheless and used for so long that I guess it just became Aussie, sort of like pavlova I suppose.

A lot of times it can be hard to understand the meaning of certain Australian slang words or phrases, as they can have more than one meaning, so you need to carefully take note of the context it is used in to understand it’s meaning. Sometimes though, no matter how hard you try, Aussie slang makes no sense whatsoever to those who are not familiar with it. I guess that’s what makes it even more fun to use, especially around non-Aussies.

Before I get started though, never in my entire life have I “throw[n] another shrimp on the barbie”. Firstly, any true blue Aussie would never “throw” we would “chuck” and it would be a prawn we would “throw on the the barbie”. Plus, the average Australian household would not be affording the throw (or chuck) countless prawns on the barbie. Prawns are reserved for special occasions like Christmas lunch, most of us just chuck a few “snags” on the barbie and make a few “sangas” with tomato sauce.

So here it is, some of my favourite Aussie slang as well as a few favourites from my followers.

Enjoy…

• “Built like a brick shit house” – This phrase is used to describe a person’s physique, usually that of a man. If someone appears as large, muscular and strong they would be described as being “built like a brick shit house”, as we all know that a brick shit house is much more structurally sound than any other shit house in existence. This is absolutely one of my favourite sayings and was definitely a fun one to explain to my husband when I once attempted to compliment his physique by saying he was “built like a brick shit house”.

Example of usage: -“Did you see that big bloke Dazza move that ute with his bare                                                            hands?”

-“Yeah mate it was unreal, that bloke’s built like a brick shit                                                                house!”

• “Face like a dropped pie” – not a phrase that is used as a compliment, this phrase is used to emphasise a person’s “ugliness”.

Example of usage: – “Hey Shazza, why didn’t you let him buy you a drink?”

– “Get stuffed Kazza, next he’ll be expecting a root or somethin’                                                         and he had a face like a dropped pie!”

*In no way do I promote body shaming or bullying, I am simply including this one because…. well because it’s bloody funny

• “Bugger” or “Buggered” – a multi-functional term which can be used as an exclamation, a expression of disappointment or to describe the state of something or someone.

Examples of usage: – “Can it be fixed?”

– “Nah mate, it’s totally buggered.”

 

– “I got to the bottle-o as soon as they opened, but they were                                                                already sold out of VB.”

-“Bugger.”

 

– “Got on the cans last night, didn’t get home until this mornin’,                                                       now I’m totally buggered.”

• “Flat out like a lizard drinking!” – This is one of the more intriguing sayings where the meaning may not initially be clear to the non-Aussie and a favourite of the late Steve Irwin, best known as the Crocodile Hunter. Basically this saying is used to describe a state of being extremely busy, a bit of the twist on the phrase “flat out”

Examples of usage: -“Hey Gazza, you been gettin’ much work lately?”

-“Mate, I been flat out like a lizard drinking!”

• “Arvo” or “S’arvo” – This is one of the most common terms used in Aussie slang that is used by Australians from all generations and I’m sure will be used by many future generations of Australians. “Arvo” is an abbreviation of the word “afternoon” with “s’arvo” being used in place of the words “this afternoon”. Sometimes the word “arvo” is used to state the receiving of an after-school detention by high school students.

Examples of usage: -“Reckon we should pop to the pub s’arvo and have a few schooners.”

– “Bloody principal gave me an arvo for fightin’ again.”

– “Havin’ a barbie Sunday arvo is you wanna pop round.”

 

• “Barbie” -This particular term is a very popular one for all Australians, but has absolutely nothing to do with the Mattel doll with the same name. “Barbie” is a favourite past-time of many Australians and many gatherings of friends and family usually include this at some point, especially in the warmer months. Of course the word “barbie” is an abbreviation for the word “barbecue” the act of cooking outdoors, often involving throwing a few “snags” on.

Example of usage: -“Come round Sunday arvo, we chucking a few snags on the barbie.”

• “Chockers” – A term used to describe something (or someone) as full or overflowing.

Examples of usage: – “Fancy another snag sanga Bazza?”

– “Nah I’ll be right mate, I’m chockers!”

• “Fair Dinkum” -A phrase used to express truth, sincerity, fairness or authenticity in a statement.

Example of usage: – “Was Gazza bein’ fair dinkum when he said he was cutting down on                                                the cans?”

– “I was bein’ fair dinkum when I said I’d help ya out.”

 

• “Servo” – This term is also an abbreviation, if you hadn’t noticed already, Australians are very fond of abbreviating everything and anything they can in the English language. The term “servo” is used in place of “Service station” the place where fuel is purchased as well as a selection of products like that of a convenience store.

Example of usage: -“Just poppin’ to the servo to get some milk and petrol luv, be back in a                                          tick.”

• “She’ll be right”– A phrase used to state that everything will be OK and not to be concerned.

Example of usage: – “Ya reckon we should tie the furniture onto the roof rack pf the                                                         commodore or somethin?”

– “Nah mate, she’ll be right. Just stick ya hand out the window and                                                    keep it steady while I’m drivin’.”

• “Tell him he’s dreamin’!” -Not entirely an Aussie slang term, but actually a quote from the iconic Australian movie The Castle. This phrase has come into usage following the popularity of the film in Australia and is used in a similar fashion as “keep dreaming”. It is used as a statement of impossible achievement.

Example of usage: – “This bloke wants 200 bucks for a used barbie.”

– “200 bucks? Tell him he’s dreamin’!”

• “Onya” – Yet another abbreviation, this one for the phrase “good on you”. This one is a congratulatory term used to tell someone “well done” or “good job” etc.

Example of usage: – “Hey mum, I got into uni!”

– “Onya darl, I’m proud of ya!”

• “Hot as jam on a toasted jaffle!”– This one is used to describe temperature (obviously), usually in relation to the weather, which can often reach the high forties (degrees Celsius)  in an Australian summer. For those who don’t know, a jaffle is a toasted sandwich made in a sandwich press that moulds the bread into toasted triangles. The act of making a jam jaffle, causes the jam to be so hot that I reckon it could cause third degree burns.

Example of usage: – “Mate, it’s so bloody hot out there, I could really use a cold one.”

– “Yea I reckon! Hot as jam on a toasted jaffle!”

• “Chuck a sickie” – This phrase is used to describe the action of taking sick leave, when you’re not actually sick. This is not something done all the time, most Australians are honest and hardworking, but “chucking a sickie” does happen for many different reasons.

Example of usage: – “Bloody boss won’t even give me the mornin’ off to go to my                                                            daughter’s uni graduation.”

– “Stuff that! She’s the first person in our family to get a uni degree,                                                  just chuck a sickie.”

 

• “G’day” – This is probably one of best known Aussie slang terms throughout the world.  Often teamed with the word “mate” the phrase “G’day mate” was once a common greeting amongst Australians and whilst it is indeed still in use, its usage is not as common nowadays as many non-Aussies might be led to believe. The term “g’day” is of course another abbreviation, this time of the greeting “good day.”

Example of usage – “I popped in to say g’day to Shazza the other day, she’s lookin’ pretty                                            buggered lookin’ after 6 kids.”

• “Bloody oath!” – This phrase is used to emphasise a point or to indicate agreement. Sometimes used in a similar way to “too right” or “indeed”.

Example of usage: – “Dazza did you take my last beer outta the esky?”

– “Bloody oath I did! I was bloody parched. It’s bloody hot as jam on a                                                 toasted jaffle today!”

• “Sangas” – This one is a term used for “sandwiches”, sausage “sangas” or “snag sangas” are a popular and cost-effective way to feed a number of people at gatherings.

Example of usage: – “Don’t worry about all that catering crap, we’ll just chuck some snags                                           on the barbie and make a few sangas.”

• “Snags” – If you haven’t already figured it out, “snags” are sausages, which are often “chucked” on the barbie as a quick and easy meal when you have over a group of people.

Example of usage: – “How about some prawns to chuck on the barbie on Sunday?”

– “You right luv? What d’ya think this is Chrissy lunch or somethin’?                                                Just get some snags, no need to do anythin’ fancy it’s only Dazza and                                            the boys comin’ round.”

• “Chuck” – This term is used in the same way as the word “throw”. In Australia you don’t “throw” something, you “chuck” it.

Example of usage: -“Oi, Dazza, chuck me a cold one from the esky would ya?”

Of course this is no where near a complete list of Aussie slang terms and phrases, it’s just a selection of some of my favourites. As I mentioned before, much of Australian slang is  multi-functional and my description of meaning and usage might be different to your own.

I’d be interested to hear from you all, what are some of your favourite Aussie slang terms and phrases? Or even what are some of your favourite slang terms and phrases from across the globe?

Comment below or let me know on Facebook or Twitter!

Enjoy,

KK

© Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within, (2013-2016). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Katherine A. Kovács and The Writer Within with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.