There was a book published back in the 60s called Let's Talk Strine by Afferbeck Lauder. (Say it out loud, you'll get the meaning.) It allegedly documented Australian language usage, at least in the broad Aussie accent. The following is an extract to give you the idea
Aorta: The english language contains many Greek, Latin, French, Italian and other foreign words, e.g. valet, vampire, vaudeville, vox-humana,
hippocrepiform, etc. Strine, similarly, is richly studded with words and phrases taken from other, older tongues. Many of these have, with
the passage of time, come to possess meanings different from their original ones. Two typical examples are the German words Eiche
(Pronounced i-ker; meaning oak-tree) and Ersatz (pronounced air-sats; meaning substitute). Both these are now Strine words, and are used in
the following manner: `Eiche nardly bleevit', and `Ersatz are trumps, dear, yegottny?
However, it is English which has contributed most to the Strine vocabulary. Strine is full of words which were originally English. Aorta is a typical example.
Aorta (pronounced A-orta) is the vessel through which courses the life-blood of Strine public opinion. Aorta is a composite but non-existant Authority which is held responsible for practically everything unpleasant in the Strine way of life; for the punishment of criminals; for the weather; for the Bomb and the Pill; for all public transport; and for all the manifold irritating trivia of everyday living. Aorta comprises the Federal and State legislatures; local government councils; all public services; and even, it is now thought, Parents' and Citizens' Associations and the CSIRO.
Aorta is, in fact, the personification of the benevolently paternal welfare State to which all Strines - being fiercly independant and individualistic - appeal for help and comfort in moments of frustration and anguish. The following are typical examples of such appeals. They reveal the innate reasonableness and sense of justice which all Strines possess to such a marked degree:
`Aorta build another arber bridge. An aorta stop half of these cars from cummer ninner the city - so a feller can get twirkon time.'
`Aorta mica laura genst all these prairlers and sleshers an pervs. Aorta puttem in jile an shootem.'
`Aorta stop all these transistors from cummer ninner the country. Look what they doone to the weather. All this rine! Doan tell me it's
not all these transistors - an all these hydrigen bombs too. Aorta stoppem!'
`Aorta have more buses. An aorta milkem smaller so they don't take up half the road. An aorta put more seats innem so you doan tefter stann all the time. An aorta have more room innem - you carn tardly move innem air so crairded. Aorta do something about it.'
