53. Why is Australia called "OZ" by some people?

This is something that I have often wondered about. Many times on travel forums, I see threads and posts in which the poster asks questions about Oz. Some even call it "Aussie" - as in "I'm going to Aussie". I mean Oz I can understand in a way, but Aussie? Who would call Australia "Aussie"? The word Aussie is used by some people in reference to Australians - One might say I am an Australian or I am an Aussie. Aussie is an adjective, not a noun.

The short version of a person from Australia is "Aussie" which is pronounced "Ozzie" and it's mostly British people who use "Oz". Kiwi's (New Zealanders) tend to call Australia "Aussie" - no idea why. Back until 1901, we were still a British colony - the Brits filed us under "the colonies" or "the antipodes" !

Anyway, I recently came upon this poem -

Is 'e an Aussie, is 'e Lizzy?
Is 'e an Aussie, is 'e eh?
Is it because 'e is an Aussie
That 'e makes you dizzy Lizzy
'as 'e jazzy ways an' does 'e
Make you go all fuzzy wuzzy?
Is 'e an Aussie, is 'e Lizzy?
Is 'e an Aussie eh?

Not having heard it before, a search was in order. It was sung by a duo called Flotsam and Jetsam. Mr Flotsam and Mr Jetsam were a comedy duo in the 1920's and 30's. Flotsam was Bentley Collingwood Hilliam, the songwriter, pianist and tenor voice, 1890–1968 and Jetsam was Malcolm McEachern, bass voice, 1883–1945 from New Zealand.

 

Above: Mr Flotsam & Mr Jetsam

I found the complete lyrics and the youtube video, you can sing along the the video - enjoy.

Is 'E an Aussie, Is 'E Lizzie?

Learn how Lizzie met an Aussie
Told her girlfriend Mary-Anne
"Mary-Anne I've met a man who says he's an Austray-ee-an"
"Falling for him have your Lizzie?"
Lizzie blushing shook her head
Said Mary-Anne "don't think you can fool me" and then she said:

"Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?
Is it 'cos he is an Aussie that he keeps you busy Lizzie?
'as he jazzy ways and does he make you go all fuzzy wuzzy?
Got you dizzy, 'as he Lizzie?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?"

Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?
Is it because he is an Aussie that he keeps you busy Lizzie?
Has he jazzy ways and does he make you go all fuzzy wuzzy?
Got you dizzy, 'as he Lizzie?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?"

"Seems this digger likes my figure"
Lizzie then told Mary-Anne
"Likes my ways and claims to think-U'm what these Aussies call fair-dinkum"
"Throws a fond eye, talks of Bondi
And he's tried to kiss me twice
When I said 'No' he said 'Good-oh'"
Said Mary-Anne "How nice"

Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?
Is it because he is an Aussie that he keeps you busy Lizzie?
Has he jazzy ways and does he make you go all fuzzy wuzzy?
Got you dizzy, 'as he Lizzie?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?"

Soon this wonder from Down Under
Got himself right down to biz
Lost no time in coaxing Liz
To promise that she would be his

He being well-born, lived in Mel-bourne
So they sailed at once for there
Poor Mary-Anne without a man
Repeats this maiden's prayer:

"Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?
Is it because he is an Aussie that he keeps you busy Lizzie?
Has he jazzy ways and does he make you go all fuzzy wuzzy?
Got you dizzy, 'as he Lizzie?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?"

(he's a bonza bloke)

Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?
Is it because he is an Aussie that he keeps you busy Lizzie?
Has he jazzy ways and does he make you go all fuzzy wuzzy?
Got you dizzy, 'as he Lizzie?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, eh?"

Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he?
Is he?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he?
Is he an Aussie, Lizzie, is he, eh?

13. Strine

What is Strine? Strine is what we call real "Aussie" speak. Mum would have called it slang, but somehow over the years these words have become known as Strine. The word as far as I can tell, derived from the word Australian. Many Aussies pronouce it Ostrayan, or Ostrine which then led to "Strine". You may hear Australia pronounced as Austraya.

So, lets' take a look at some "Strine". We do tend to shorten some words and add an 'o' at the end. Like arvo, decko garbo etc. Now unless you're an Australian or have lived here for a good many years, you probably won't know what on earth we're talking about and would look like a stunned mullet!

Ambo - Ambulance, or ambulance driver
Arvo - Afternoon
Bizzo - Business
Compo - Worker's Compensation pay
Decko - Have a look (at something)
Doco - Documentary
Garbo - Dustbin man, municipal garbage collector
Goodo - That's fine, alright
Gyno - Gynaecologist
Journo - Journalist
Metho - Methylated spirits
Refo - Refugee
Rego - Vehicle registration
Relo - Family relative
Righto - Alright, yes I agree
Servo - Petrol station
Smoko - Smoke or tea/coffee break
Thingo - Whatsit, wadjamacallit, thingummy
Yobbo - A lout or uncouth person

Note
If you look like a stunned mullet, it means you have an expression of disbelief or incomprehension on your face. In other words, the sort of expression when you don't understand something.

7. Aussie Slang

Australianisms

Most Australians will use the Aussie vernacular - in other words, slang. The most well-known is, of course fair dinkum. There's also dinky di, but fair dinkum is the most common. It means it's really true, honest to God. If you ask fair dinkum? that means you're asking if someone's on the level.

Footy is Football (Aussie Rules) - often sounds like foody, just like instead of saying twenty, some people say twenny.
If something's cactus it means it's had it, it's dead. We do have many colourful phrases, which I'll call "Australianisms"

Shot through like a Bondi tram
A stubby short of a six-pack
Not the full shilling
A sandwich short of a picnic
Not all there in the upper storey
The lights are on but nobody's home
Kangaroos in the top paddock
As useful as an ashtray on a motorbike
As useful as tits on a bull
As useful as a pork chop in a synagogue
Flash as a rat with a gold tooth
Dry as a dead dingo's donger
Mad as a cut snake
Bending the elbow
Freeze the brass balls off a monkey
You're like a wet week