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Usenet Posted 20 years ago
Usage
Road duplication
I just spent a week vacationing in Australia and enjoyed the experience thoroughly. I understood what everyone said about 95% of the time. 
One Aussie phrase that I'd never heard before was "road duplication." I had no idea what that meant but learned that it means "widening the road." (We were passing a road construction crew at the time.)
If you say "put another shrimp on the barbie," Aussies will just roll their eyes because they NEVER say that; it got started back in the '80s by Paul Hogan as part of an American advertising campaign for Australian travel. Australians say "prawns." Apparently Hogan changed the prhase to "shrimp" because it would be more palatable and understandable to Americans.
Another Aussie phrase is "Pizza with the lot." That means "a pizza with everything on it." (Yes, it comes with prawns, too.)
By the way did you know that Vegemite has an EXPIRATION DATE?
One Aussie phrase that I'd never heard before was "road duplication." I had no idea what that meant but learned that it means "widening the road." (We were passing a road construction crew at the time.)
If you say "put another shrimp on the barbie," Aussies will just roll their eyes because they NEVER say that; it got started back in the '80s by Paul Hogan as part of an American advertising campaign for Australian travel. Australians say "prawns." Apparently Hogan changed the prhase to "shrimp" because it would be more palatable and understandable to Americans.
Another Aussie phrase is "Pizza with the lot." That means "a pizza with everything on it." (Yes, it comes with prawns, too.)
By the way did you know that Vegemite has an EXPIRATION DATE?
Top answer
[nq:1]I just spent a week vacationing in Australia and enjoyed the experience thoroughly. I understood what everyone said about 95% ... )[/nq] It's new to me, but Google tells me it means to change single carriageway to dual carriageway.
- [nq:1]I just spent a week vacationing in Australia and enjoyed the experience thoroughly.
- I understood what everyone said about 95% ...
- )[/nq] It's new to me, but Google tells me it means to change single carriageway to dual carriageway.
- [nq:1]If you say "put another shrimp on the barbie," Aussies will just roll their eyes because they NEVER say that; ...
- [/nq] Exactly right.
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7 Answers
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[nq:1]I just spent a week vacationing in Australia and enjoyed the experience thoroughly. I understood what everyone said about 95% ... that meant but learned that it means "widening the road." (We were passing a road construction crew at the time.)[/nq]
It's new to me, but Google tells me it means to change single carriageway to dual carriageway.
[nq:1]If you say "put another shrimp on th
It's new to me, but Google tells me it means to change single carriageway to dual carriageway.
[nq:1]If you say "put another shrimp on th
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[nq:1]I just spent a week vacationing in Australia and enjoyed the experience thoroughly. I understood what everyone said about 95% ... phrase is "Pizza with the lot." That means "a pizza with everything on it." (Yes, it comes with prawns, too.)[/nq]
I was thrown by "lay by's" offered in Australian shops. Couldn't imagine how to carry one home.
But it means the shop holds the goods until y
I was thrown by "lay by's" offered in Australian shops. Couldn't imagine how to carry one home.
But it means the shop holds the goods until y
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[nq:1]I was thrown by "lay by's" offered in Australian shops. Couldn't imagine how to carry one home. But it means ... have had time to save up to buy it. (this was in the 1980's before credit cards took off).[/nq]
They still have them. Usually for clothes and other small ticket items. Generally you pay a deposit, the store keeps the goods for you and you have a month or so to pay the rest and
They still have them. Usually for clothes and other small ticket items. Generally you pay a deposit, the store keeps the goods for you and you have a month or so to pay the rest and
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[nq:2]I was thrown by "lay by's" offered in Australian shops. ... (this was in the 1980's before credit cards took off).[/nq]
[nq:1]They still have them. Usually for clothes and other small ticket items. Generally you pay a deposit, the store keeps the goods for you and you have a month or so to pay the rest and pick them up.[/nq]
Called "layaway" here in the US.
Tony Cooper
O
[nq:1]They still have them. Usually for clothes and other small ticket items. Generally you pay a deposit, the store keeps the goods for you and you have a month or so to pay the rest and pick them up.[/nq]
Called "layaway" here in the US.
Tony Cooper
O
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[nq:2]One Aussie phrase that I'd never heard before was "road ... (We were passing a road construction crew at the time.)[/nq]
[nq:1]It's new to me, but Google tells me it means to change single carriageway to dual carriageway.[/nq]
That would "twinning" in this part of the world.
Odysseus
[nq:1]It's new to me, but Google tells me it means to change single carriageway to dual carriageway.[/nq]
That would "twinning" in this part of the world.
Odysseus
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[nq:2]It's new to me, but Google tells me it means to change single carriageway to dual carriageway.[/nq]
[nq:1]That would "twinning" in this part of the world.[/nq]
"Dualling" in this part.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=road+duallin
[nq:1]That would "twinning" in this part of the world.[/nq]
"Dualling" in this part.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=road+duallin
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[nq:1]"Dualling" in this part. or [/nq]
Indeed, in relation to roads. For railways it would be "doubling" or "quadrupling". When one part of line was reduced from 4 tracks to 2 a few years back, the word used was "dequadrification". Ouch.
Regards
Jonathan
Indeed, in relation to roads. For railways it would be "doubling" or "quadrupling". When one part of line was reduced from 4 tracks to 2 a few years back, the word used was "dequadrification". Ouch.
Regards
Jonathan
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