My 'Merican to Aussie Dictionary Is Failing Me

[MrPixel]

What is the Australian familiar slang for "gorgeous ladies" in a casual and friendly setting? I knew about "shielas", but in usage confirmation I found the expression "bonza shielas". Doesn't sound quite right to me, and could use some advice from our resident Antipodes.

I have a walk-on character in a scene, an Australian MC paying a sincere compliment to the MMC as he approaches with the two FMCs in tow. Situation is sort of a roman à clef, although the IRL version of this character had a thick Canadian accent.

 

[AchtungNight]

I’d call such a lady a “Jodi Lee” in homage to Jodi & Kelly Lee Nichols, two hot Aussie ladies I flirted with a lot once upon a time. They were sisters and I ended up basing a character on them. But I’m just an American writing fanfic featuring Australian characters. Not the person you should be asking this question.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

What is the Australian familiar slang for "gorgeous ladies" in a casual and friendly setting? I knew about "shielas", but in usage confirmation I found the expression "bonza shielas". Doesn't sound quite right to me, and could use some advice from our resident Antipodes.

I have a walk-on character in a scene, an Australian MC paying a sincere compliment to the MMC as he approaches with the two FMCs in tow. Situation is sort of a roman à clef, although the IRL version of this character had a thick Canadian accent.

There are 3 or 4 Aussies that should be in here shortly. I think Bramblethorn and ElectricBlue are two of them.

 

[Rustyoznail]

"A Bonza Sheila" is archaic now.

Put down what you would say, and we can translate as it depends on the scenario.

If it was a party or a BBQ, it would go something like "Mate, you've arsed it with those lookers, haven't you?"

 

[ElectricBlue]

"A Bonza Sheila" is archaic now.

Put down what you would say, and we can translate as it depends on the scenario.

If it was a party or a BBQ, it would go something like "Mate, you've arsed it with those lookers, haven't you?"

Yep. Bonza sheilas died with Barry Crocker, Barry McKenzie and Paul Hogan, three or four decades ago.

Rusty's right - give us your ideas, we'll have a good laugh, and maybe put you right. I'm sitting here thinking, "What would my daughter say?" and to be honest, I'm not coming up with much special.

A "hot Aussie chick" is sort of universal, but usually turns up nowadays in sports-women and young actresses, which doesn't seem to be your scenario.

 

[MrPixel]

Yeah, that's why internet searches are so worthless for stuff like this. Too much old crap that isn't tagged as out-of-date.

Anyway... party scene in the US. MMC accompanied by two girlfriends inadvertently interrupts the Australian visitor putting the moves on a girl. MMC apologizes for the intrusion, and the gracious response is essentially, "Oh, no problem! You and your very lovely ladies are welcome to join us."

What I have so far is "No worries" or even "No worries, mate." The compliment about the pretty girlfriends is what I'm struggling with.

 

[Thefireflies]

We don't use slang all the time. It's just that when we do, no one else seems to understand us! So what you have is fine. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for an Aussie to say what you've written, something along the lines of, "No worries, you and your lovely lady friends are welcome to join us." In fact, I reckon it would be odd for someone to use slang in that situation.

 

[ElectricBlue]

We don't use slang all the time. It's just that when we do, no one else seems to understand us! So what you have is fine. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for an Aussie to say what you've written, something along the lines of, "No worries, you and your lovely lady friends are welcome to join us." In fact, I reckon it would be odd for someone to use slang in that situation.

Yes, I reckon that works okay. Even, "No worries" is a bit corny. I'd never use it in a story. The only person I know who uses that expression is a sister in law who goes into automatic when she's on the phone.

 

[Thefireflies]

Even, "No worries" is a bit corny. I'd never use it in a story.

I pretty much use "No worries" every day of my life!
But "No wuckas" could work too

 

[AchtungNight]

Quick clarification- Paul Hogan is not dead yet, per Wikipedia. He’s 83 but still not dead. Paul McCartney may have been replaced by an alternate dimension clone in the 1960s, but he’s not dead yet either, I think. I’m not familiar with Barry Crocker or McKenzie.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I pretty much use "No worries" every day of my life!
But "No wuckas" could work too

Well there ya go! Aussies and Aussies who move in different circles .

 

[ElectricBlue]

Quick clarification- Paul Hogan is not dead yet, per Wikipedia. He’s 83 but still not dead. Paul McCartney may have been replaced by an alternate dimension clone in the 1960s, but he’s not dead yet either, I think. I’m not familiar with Barry Crocker or McKenzie.

Not quite sure of the relevance to the OP's question.

Barry McKenzie was the quintessential ocker, first as a comic strip character (The Adventures of Barry McKenzie) then portrayed in two movies in the early seventies, played by Barry Crocker. He was ocker long before Paul Hogan.

 

[AchtungNight]

The celebrity Paul Hogan was mentioned as possibly dead. As his fan, I was concerned. That is the relevance. Sorry if it was confusing.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Anyway... party scene in the US. MMC accompanied by two girlfriends inadvertently interrupts the Australian visitor putting the moves on a girl. MMC apologizes for the intrusion, and the gracious response is essentially, "Oh, no problem! You and your very lovely ladies are welcome to join us."

What I have so far is "No worries" or even "No worries, mate." The compliment about the pretty girlfriends is what I'm struggling with.

When we got back into the office after two years , I listened to the conversations going on. "No worries" and "Yeah, nah, not a problem" were regular phrases.

So, Mr P... The issue is if he's trying to pick up another girl, he's not likely to comment about the two with the MMC.

MMC: "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to intrude. We'll find another table."

"Nah, all good mate. We're just having a bit of a chat. You and your friends are more than welcome to join us."

 

[ElectricBlue]

When we got back into the office after two years , I listened to the conversations going on. "No worries" and "Yeah, nah, not a problem" were regular phrases.

So, Mr P... The issue is if he's trying to pick up another girl, he's not likely to comment about the two with the MMC.

MMC: "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to intrude. We'll find another table."

"Nah, all good mate. We're just having a bit of a chat. You and your friends are more than welcome to join us."

Yep, I'd run with something like this. It's contemporary - all the other suggestions are very dated. Very. Dated.

 

[Cagivagurl]

Maybe go with.....
That bitch is hot as fuck.... She'd be a hot root."

Cagivagurl

 

[MrPixel]

So, Mr P... The issue is if he's trying to pick up another girl, he's not likely to comment about the two with the MMC.

Well... uh... mmmm... this is LitE. "Party" in this case was a euphemism. Our nude hot tub scene develops where the Aussie ends up with one of the MMC's ladies and the MMC "gets" the girl the Aussie was... uh... already "working". The third girl pairs up with the MMC's wingman. The scene is obviously of a very casual and very familiar nature. It would be natural for the visitor to more or less fall into his speech patterns from home as he shares the ladies with his new... I think you call it... "mates". He can be a little coarse without insulting anybody. Think "super friendly" and "we all know why we're here."

And fun was had by all.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Walkabout, expiry, footy (sort for Aussie Rules Football, Soccer also called football, and American football), over the road (across the street), no worries, Listen to me, Shelia, it's skittles and beer, Tell your mates this or that, set your arse down, no Aussie considers Foster beer, and dozens of other phrases and words my Mum used every day of my life with them.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

@oneagainst is Australian, right? That's the only explication I can imagine for this absolute nonsense that he sent me in a PM:

"Steady on, you're going off like a raw prawn, carrying on like a sack of cats, while I'm just trying to crack a tinny and settle in for the arvo with your convo on the doco I sent you."

I understood something like 80% of that, but it took quite a while for my uncultured American brain to translate it.

 

[Bramblethorn]

What is the Australian familiar slang for "gorgeous ladies" in a casual and friendly setting? I knew about "shielas", but in usage confirmation I found the expression "bonza shielas". Doesn't sound quite right to me, and could use some advice from our resident Antipodes.

"Bonza sheilas" is very very ocker, not sure anybody says that outside parody any more.

My first thought would just be "babes".

 

[oneagainst]

@oneagainst is Australian, right? That's the only explication I can imagine for this absolute nonsense that he sent me in a PM:

"Steady on, you're going off like a raw prawn, carrying on like a sack of cats, while I'm just trying to crack a tinny and settle in for the arvo with your convo on the doco I sent you."

I understood something like 80% of that, but it took quite a while for my uncultured American brain to translate it.

You still going off about that? Bugger me sideways.

 

[oneagainst]

If electricblue doesn't use no worries on a regular basis I'd have to assume they drive the Toorak Tractor to work.

 

[ElectricBlue]

If electricblue doesn't use no worries on a regular basis I'd have to assume they drive the Toorak Tractor to work.

Fair comment. I'm white collar, not blue. And definitely not Melbourne .

 

[Cagivagurl]

Just don't call her a bush pig....
That won't go well....
Australia has moved on from the 60's Now it's more likely to be babe... chick... Doll... Bird is still common in rural Australia...

Cagivagurl

 

[Rustyoznail]

Well... uh... mmmm... this is LitE. "Party" in this case was a euphemism. Our nude hot tub scene develops where the Aussie ends up with one of the MMC's ladies and the MMC "gets" the girl the Aussie was... uh... already "working". The third girl pairs up with the MMC's wingman. The scene is obviously of a very casual and very familiar nature. It would be natural for the visitor to more or less fall into his speech patterns from home as he shares the ladies with his new... I think you call it... "mates". He can be a little coarse without insulting anybody. Think "super friendly" and "we all know why we're here."

And fun was had by all.

Righto then, should have realised it was your story.

MMC: "Hi, how are you two?"

"Yeah, not too bad, thanks. Looks like you're doing ok, pulling a couple of lookers like that. You're gunna be flat out like a lizard drinking keeping up with them, I reckon."