Strine: Australian Slang, Classic Poetry and Short Stories

Colloquial language shows how experience shapes language and also how language shapes identity.

The every-day language used by Australians is rich with slang that reflects experiences from the country's history. From borrowings of Aboriginal language words (e.g. 'kangaroo', through convict sources (e.g. 'muster'), the gold rushes (e.g. 'diggers') and bush-ranging (e.g. 'the bush telegraph'), words have emerged to describe key aspects of our national identity. 

You must 'decode' Australian slang terms used in the Colonial era, as well as learn more about A.B. Paterson and Henry Lawson - two of our best-known storytellers and poets.  

"Australian slang utilised humour, wit, rhymes, flash language, the bizarre experiences of the bush and the beach, the familiar and the personal to realise terms that could describe experiences that were often new or transforming. For example, 'having a bash' at something is similar to 'giving it a burl', and both phrases reflect a history of Australian improvisation and hard work as part of working in the bush." 

Learn more here - http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-humour

A. Read the information on the following website about the history of Australian slang and then complete the activity on the Google Form link you have been sent. 

http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-slang

B. Read this information about Banjo Paterson and then complete the quiz on the Google Form link you have been sent. 

http://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/paterson-a-b-banjo/

C. Read this information about Henry Lawson and then complete the quiz on the Google Form link you have been sent. 

http://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/lawson-henry