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British English Vs Australian English… Who Says It Right?!

I think one of our favourite pastimes as expats in either country is debating the delectable nuances of the English language. For two countries singing from the same base ‘hymn sheet’, how can we have so many differences? When it comes to British English vs Australian English, I don’t know if either is necessarily right or wrong, but we sure do need a handy translation tool to bring us closer to understanding each other. Recently, I’ve been polling my followers on their favourite phrases that remind them of home. There’s a surprising amount of nostalgia that comes with our words, so I thought I’d share the best of the best with you here by category…

British English vs Australian English: Greetings

So there’s a lot of common ground here. Hi, hello, how’s it going? There are a multitude of dialectical differences across the sprawling counties of the United Kingdom, but the following is the primary signature greeting I’ve landed upon for each pond…

Feel free to add your own, too…

English vs Australian English: Food

Body: The myriad descriptors for food would have us here all day if we let it. I, for one, revel in the linguistic differences between my homeland and my adopted home. I’d go so far as to call the differences between British English vs Australian English quaint when it comes to our food. Ultimately, it all comes out delicious, so no matter what, we win…

Anyone getting hungry yet?

* Note from Jane - These are extremely similar, but each country tends to have a preference for its own when comparing the two.

British English vs Australian English: Places

Body: In the interests of international understanding, here are some of the fundamental variations (and their basic translation) to make sure you don’t get lost when travelling! Clearly, British English vs Australian English extends far beyond the pantry!

British English vs Australian English: Clothing

And where would we be without the nonsensical nuances of attire descriptions? British English vs Australian English can get incredibly pernickety - it’s a wonder any of us get dressed at all!!

* Note from Jane - Admittedly on this last one, there is hot debate on the correct terminology depending on which state of Australia you originate from

British English vs Australian English: Things

When I’m trying to translate myself from British to Australian, or vice versa, the following are some of the ones I get stuck on most often. I’ve been in Australia so long now, I often forget which direction I’m translating, and it all gets to be a bit of a muddle!

So there you have it. It’s not a comprehensive list, but it’s definitely a start! We’ve had many a debate in my household over the years about who’s ‘right’ in the British English vs Australian English language-off. I think ultimately it doesn’t matter, so long as we can all get a rough sense of what the other is saying, and enjoy the complete daftness of the fact that one language can have oh-so many iterations!

Any more suggestions for my list?! Send them to me via  the socials, or by email at: jane@rubyshomestore.com.au. 

Lots of love

Jane x