Writing Aussie Accent

[Timben]

My secondary character in my newest Western story, "Man's Country," has an Australian accent. Only I have him sounding like a Southerner. Any suggestions? I know that I should look at how people talk to get an idea. I was just wondering if someone could provide an example of an accent, that's all. The story is set in 1870s Wyoming Territory. It starts in Australia.

 

[Stuart Dren]

I did this terribly in a terrible novella long ago.

I know they don't normally say shrimp. They saw prawn. I'll try to think of any novels that feature what you're going for.

Generally speaking, less is often a lot. It's better to convey whole dialect rather than focusing on accent. Manner of speaking can lead the reader to accenting the words in his head.

 

[JT Woody]

Nomads World has a list of Australian slang words and terms. I agree with Stuart about less is more. Maybe focus on sprinkling some common Australian phrases and words would suffice.

 

[Naomasa298]

G'day, mate, just slip ya thongs off and come join the barbie, ya Pommie bastard.

 

[DLC]

You came to the right bloke with that one, mate. Let me show ya how we toddle about on our heads down under. You seppos are always getting us back arsewards. But - 1870's? We all spoke like irish drunkards cause we were.

 

[Timben]

Everyone y'all, I appreciate your help.

 

[DLC]

Nomads World has a list of Australian slang words and terms. I agree with Stuart about less is more. Maybe focus on sprinkling some common Australian phrases and words would suffice.

That's not a bad list, but sadly none of it would be understandable to a bloke in 1870. Scotsmen, Irishmen and Englishmen oft had a hard time understanding one another.

 

[Timben]

I did this terribly in a terrible novella long ago.

I know they don't normally say shrimp. They saw prawn. I'll try to think of any novels that feature what you're going for.

Generally speaking, less is often a lot. It's better to convey whole dialect rather than focusing on accent. Manner of speaking can lead the reader to accenting the words in his head.

Could you explain this to me?

 

[Luxuria]

G'day, mate, just slip ya thongs off and come join the barbie, ya Pommie bastard.

As an American, this sentence made me blush. Thong?!!

 

[Naomasa298]

As an American, this sentence made me blush. Thong?!!

This is what thongs are to an Australian.

 

[Trish]

As an American, this sentence made me blush. Thong?!!

A lot of places in the southern US call them thongs too. At least the part of the south I'm from.

 

[Luxuria]

A lot of places in the southern US call them thongs too. At least the part of the south I'm from.

That's true, now that I am thinking about it. But I have always heard Flip-flops. Haha!

 

[JLT]

That's true, now that I am thinking about it. But I have always heard Flip-flops. Haha!

Or "zoris" which I think might have been the Japanese word.

In Robert Claiborne's Our Marvelous Native Tongue, he relates the story of an Australian boy who was asked to define the word "bison." He said, "It's a plyce to bythe yer fyce."

 

[Le gribouilleur]

(Old slang)

Glossary

Swagman: a man who travelled the country looking for work. The swagman's "swag" was a bed roll that bundled his belongings.

Billabong: an oxbow lake (a cut-off river bend) found alongside a meandering river.

Coolibah tree: a kind of eucalyptus tree which grows near billabongs.

Billy: also called billycan. Any container in which water may be carried and boiled over a campfire, ranging from a makeshift tin can to a special earthenware kettle; any pot or kettle in which tea is boiled over a campfire.

Waltzing Matilda: travelling on foot (waltzing) with one's belongings in a portable sleeping unit (matilda) slung over one's back.

Jumbuck: a sheep.

Squatter: Australian squatters started as early farmers who raised livestock on land which they did not have the legal title to use; in many cases they later gained legal use of the land even though they did not have full possession, and became wealthy thanks to these large land holdings. The squatter's claim to the land may be as unfounded as is the swagman's claim to the jumbuck.

Tucker bag: a bag used to carry food.

Troopers: mounted policemen

 

[Le gribouilleur]

 

[Rath Darkblade]

G'day, mate, just slip ya thongs off and come join the barbie, ya Pommie bastard.

*L* Nobody in Australia actually says that. Though we might call ya a Pommie bastard, ya Pommie bastard.

Speaking as an Aussie: Brisbane is in QLD (Queensland), which is up north. Only people in Queensland talk like that. The further north you go, the more nasal and twangy the accent becomes. But let's not complicate things.

For an introduction to "comedy Aussie", you can watch this video and skip to 30:54. (There is a link, so no worries).

Or, for an even better introduction to all things Aussie, listen to Nigel Planer read The Last Continent. (It's long, so bring a book. I recommend The Last Continent. And popcorn. Everyone likes popcorn).

WARNING: when I first read The Last Continent, I damn near pissed myself laughing.

 

[DLC]

He speaks a dialect known as 'Bogan'.

 

[defaux]

I agree with Stuart about less is more. Maybe focus on sprinkling some common Australian phrases and words would suffice.

On a serious note, that is likely your best approach. British English with a smattering of colloquialisms, rather than forcing phonetic pronuciation. Of course the simplest way to do that, if you must, is to remove all the R's ... ie: Car Park => Cah Pahk (That'll get you close enough).

You came to the right bloke with that one, mate. Let me show ya how we toddle about on our heads down under. You seppos are always getting us back arsewards

That actually reads more kiwi (New Zealand-er) to me. The only folks I've ever actually heard use words like "toddle".

Nobody in Australia actually says that. Though we might call ya a Pommie bastard, ya Pommie bastard

This. Please, oh dear lord, this. Besides, there are nowhere near enough swears in there to be native Aussie.

He speaks a dialect known as 'Bogan'.

As do we all to some degree, regrettably.

 

[DLC]

yeah nah

 

[Rath Darkblade]

An' speakin' of Australia -- good evenin', Shielas and Bruces! (Fair warnin' to ya - this contains lotsa swearin', cricket references, an' outdated attitudes.

So if that kinda stuff bothers ya, you can stick it up yer jumper, ya easily-insulted bastards!) =P

Howls of derisive laughter, Bruce!