[Dixielandjazz] Australian Slang

[Eric Holroyd]

After sending my post about ‘musos’  I Googled to see if there was an Australian Slang dictionary on the Internet.

Yes there is, and it’s at:

http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html

I saw many interesting slang words in the listing there, one of which was a combination of Rhyming Slang (which was probably brought to Australia by Cockney migrants) and the previously mentioned Australian penchant for an abbreviation of the original word, then adding an ‘o’.

The word I found was ‘Seppo’ which is defined as ‘An American’.

All of us Aussies would know instantly that the full title would be ‘Septic Tank’ (Rhymes with ‘Yank’ you see’), which in everyday conversation is often shortened to ‘Septic’.

And in the marvellously descriptive Aussie slang language that can be used in the context of being very fond of a particular American person, as in ‘Bloody Septic!’.

Conversely, it can be devilishly derogatory, as in ‘Bloody Septic!’.

You’d have to actually hear the conversation to divine the intended meaning.

But Bill Haesler and Jack Mitchell would divine it instantly! As I would myself.

Long story short: Septic Tank =  Septic = Seppo.

The dictionary link above offers many great Aussie slang words, especially Franger and Freckle.

Look ‘em up!

Eric Holroyd
Sydney, Australia