You may already be familiar with some of the many stereotypes that exist about how Australians speak. However, we must be careful to differentiate between examples that are actually used by everyday Australians and those that seem to be perpetuated as a kind of cultural myth.
Sometimes, people from other countries might be familiar with Aussie slang that has simply gone out of fashion among Australians.
Like any form of language, Australian English is subject to generational changes. Remember to do your research and ask yourself whether an example is:
representative of how Australians currently speak in everyday life
now used only by older generations
not a realistic representation of Australian slang
Activity:
a) Read the articles below and see if you agree with the choices.
b) As a class, discuss how you think stereotypes about Australian English begin, and how they spread around the world.
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