The Sounds of Australia

The Strayan Accent

Have you ever noticed that Australians all sound the same?

Or do we?

In fact, there are several regional differences, in both accent and vocabulary. I remember booking a ticket for the Gold Coast in December once, and the travel agent warned me that it would be “schoolies week” — I had no idea what she was talking about. That particular Queensland tradition was unheard of in little Tasmania down south.

Not to mention bathers, swimmers, swimsuit and trunks. Or trousers, pants, dacks or tracky-dacks.

I was also struck by my first trip to New South Wales where someone in Gosford outside of Sydney seemed intent on ending every other sentence with “but:” “It was a pretty hot day. I had plenty of beer, but.” Que? I have since been informed that it is more of a Queensland-ism, but no doubt it crops up here and there across our wide red land.

Others substitute “Aye?” for “But”. Why not, aye?

That’s the fun thing about language — it’s not totally quantifiable, you can’t put everyone into a nice neat little box, all New South Welshmen say this, all Queenslanders say that. Everyone speaks a unique version of their own language and no one can tell them (or should tell them?) that they are wrong.

If you think that Australians and New Zealanders sound the same, you might also be wise to keep the thought to yourself in both countries.

To profit from their unique vowel sounds, there is a cafe in Queenstown, New Zealand, with a sign outside it advertising “Fush and Chups” within. And several Australians I know pride themselves on spotting a Kiwi from a mile off. But they themselves might be interested (or intimidated) to learn that in certain regions of Australia, notably Victoria, young speakers are sounding more and more like they come from the Land of the Long White Cloud. This is a difference that has been noted by distinguished linguists and academics in recent studies.

Certainly, there are plenty of Kiwis on the mainland now (ooh, getting cheeky) so they may be attempting a stealth takeover. And why not, I say? I have a soft spot for the New Zealand accent, and besides, languages that don’t change end up in the extinct basket.

So, revel in your differences, Aussies! Don’t chuck a tantie, but.