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Case study: Aboriginal AE in the media 2022 Part 2
We have already looked at some examples of Aboriginal Australian English in the media this year, but there seem to be more popping up...
Aug 14, 2022

Case study: Tradie Bamboo Undies
In 2022, former rugby player and star of 'The Bachelor Australia', Nick Cummins (also known as the 'Honey Badger') has partnered with...
Aug 10, 2022

Case study: Australian English in the media 2022
Below are several examples of Australian English from the media in 2022. Activity: For each example, discuss the social purpose. Above:...
Jul 19, 2022

Regional Variation Part 2
We have previously discussed some examples of regional variation in Australian English. Here are some more examples of regional variation...
Jul 19, 2022

Case study: Language from the 2022 election
The 2022 Australian federal election has come and gone in May this year, so let's look back at some examples of language use by and about...
Jul 9, 2022

Case study: EOFY word play
The 'end of financial year' is commonly known in financial circles by the acronym 'EOFY', and is a popular time of year for financial...
Jul 7, 2022

Case study: Honorifics in journalism
'Honorifics' are the titles we use to address people in formal language, including: Mr, Ms, Mrs, Dr, Sir, Your Honour, etc. They can be...
May 9, 2022

Case study: Bonza Airline
There's a new Aussie aviation company in town, and they're called Bonza Airline. Everything about this company is Aussie, right down to...
Mar 15, 2022


Case study: ScoMo's covid cricket catch-phrase
In January 2022, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was a guest commentator on the coverage of the Ashes Series, and caused some controversy...
Mar 15, 2022


Case study: RIP Warnie
In March 2022, legendary Aussie cricketer Shane 'Warnie' Warne passed away suddenly. Shortly following his death, Victorian Premier...
Mar 15, 2022


Case study: Is Dan Andrews still salty
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has a track record of using informal language to appeal to the younger voters in his audience and to craft...
Mar 15, 2022


Case study: Australians and swearing, 2022 edition
Hopefully you have already read our post about Australian culture, swearing and taboo language from 2021. Well, get ready for the 2022...
Mar 15, 2022

Taboo language; offensive but extremely useful
The Conversation - Swearing: attempts to ban it are a waste of time Activity: Read the article entitled ‘Swearing: attempts to ban it are...
Feb 8, 2022

Gen Z, full stops and tone
This article explores how Gen Z (those born between approximately 1997 and 2012) perceive the use of full stops to be 'angry' in texting...
Feb 1, 2022

The speed of language change
The English language can be understood by speakers who live centuries apart, suggesting that its core vocabulary and grammar has remained...
Jan 31, 2022

Case study: To Scomo or not to Scomo
We have previously discussed the purposes of nicknames in politics (see post here) and how they can be used to build rapport between...
Jan 31, 2022

The evolution of email etiquette
Consider the following questions before reading the resources below: a) What conventions* have you been taught to follow when composing...
Jan 25, 2022

Harry Potter and the Debatable 'Teenage Slang'
Activity: Read the Reddit post below featuring a 'Gen Z translation' of an excerpt from the first Harry Potter book. Discuss the lexical...
Jan 7, 2022

Case study: What is 'yassification'?
You may be familiar with the slang collocation 'glow up' (popular in 2020) meaning 'to undergo a physical transformation for the better'....
Dec 9, 2021

Case study: Word(s) of the Year 2021
Every year, many language-related organisations release their 'Word of the Year' selections. These choices generally reflect trends or...
Nov 18, 2021
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