Slang, colloquialisms, or "what did you just say?"

It can sometimes drive you crazy with the different dialects.

Question....When and how did the name for Australia become OZ?  It must have happened sometime when I was in Okinawa or not long thereafter.  I have asked some of the people I know but nobody seems to have any idea.  That's what I get for hanging around colonials I guess.

ikar01

It can sometimes drive you crazy with the different dialects.

Question....When and how did the name for Australia become OZ?  It must have happened sometime when I was in Okinawa or not long thereafter.  I have asked some of the people I know but nobody seems to have any idea.  That's what I get for hanging around colonials I guess.

 

Its more do with do how its pronounced. Aus or Aussie can sound like Oz or Ozzie. Then it get written like that.

Of course, i am sure they will tell you its because Oz is a magical place, but you can't believe a word they say.

Rob Gronovius

I'm from Vermont and went to college on Long Island, everyone there sounded like My Cousin Vinny and Marisa Tomei.

"Yous" short for "you guys" pronounced "use" is the New York version of "you all" or y'all.

In Chicago, "you guys" is pronounced youz. Such as, "Are youz goin' toda Jewel?" ( Are you guys going to the Jewel Food Store).  The g is always dropped in words ending in "ing". Obama does that all the time.

 Lt. Christopher Herrmann on Chicago Fire has a typical Chicago accent.

ikar01

Question....When and how did the name for Australia become OZ?

We Aussies have a tendency to abbreviate or contract almost every other word, sometimes tacking an "o" or "a" on the end.

Eg:

Woolworths (supermarket) - Woolies
Service (gas) station - Servo
Bottle (liquor) shop - Bottlo (pronounced "bottle-oh")
McDonalds - Maccas
Afternoon - Arvo

People's names get a similar treatment
Damien - Damo
David - Davo
John (or surname Johnson) - Johnno

One thing I did find that confused American shop assistants is the typical Aussie reply to the simple "Can I help you?". If you ask an Australian "Can I help you?", they may reply No, I'm right thanks. Right about what? Well nothing really, it's simply a contraction of alright. 

And don't even attempt to understand The Difference Between ‘Yeah, Nah’ and ‘Nah, Yeah’ (lifehacker.com.au) 

JohnnyK

Chicago folks have an interesting accent:

I'll meetcha inda frunchroom. (I'll meet you in the frontroom)

Howyadoin? (How are you doing?)

Gimme ma treewood. ( Give me my three wood)

I grew up in the Chicago area...but as a transplant from Cleveland, where the accent isn't quite so 'mixed' Midwestern.

The first time I had occasion to see a drop-dead, supermodel-beautiful woman...talking like 'da coach' D*ck Butkus...my mind was just sort of rudely crowbarred out of its happy place....

(Of course, I got over it.... )

And now I live in Bawl'mer...where everybody tocks normal, Hon, and we sometimes warsh our cloves in the zink...

ikar01

It can sometimes drive you crazy with the different dialects.

Question....When and how did the name for Australia become OZ?  It must have happened sometime when I was in Okinawa or not long thereafter.  I have asked some of the people I know but nobody seems to have any idea.  That's what I get for hanging around colonials I guess.

 

The reference to Oz started in the sixties if I remember correctly and came out of a radical student newsheet.

Now Bish, don't be like that. Next you'll be on about the cricket!