101 different ways to say the same thing.

[Wombat]

Anyone know what a swag is???

it is aroll of material, usually canvas, and blankets that is carried on the back by a swaggie and used as a bedroll.

yep, especially good by a billabong, assuming there are no bunyips around.

Nev

[Kiwi]

Anyone know what a swag is???

bunyips .

Nev

I've Seen heaps of those wee fellers after a night on the rum...

[Trinity]

yep, especially good by a billabong, assuming there are no bunyips around.

Nev

whatsa one of them? Do you smoke it?

[Wombat]

A Billabong is a cut-off meander of a river, usually referred to in other, less enlightened countries as an ox-bow lake.

Nev

(I suppose you could smoke it, but you could wind up in a lot of trouble if there was a fire ban in force )

[Masco&Bongo]

Everybody now....

"Once a jolly swagman...."

[Trinity]

A Billabong is a cut-off meander of a river, usually referred to in other, less enlightened countries as an ox-bow lake.

Nev

I meant a bunyip

[Trinity]

Everybody now....

"Once a jolly swagman...."

Oh my word! Just googled the lyrics! I remember singing this song. Sounds like it could be quite rude


Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Up rode the squatter mounted on his thorough-bred
Down came the troopers One Two Three
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Up jumped the swagman sprang in to the billabong
You'll never catch me alive said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

[Muddypause]

I sincerely hope this thread isn't going to degenerate into one about Rolf Harris' greatest hits.

And it's still a puzzle why a song about waltzing is in 2/4 time. Maybe Trin's right - perhaps it's not actually about waltzing at all.

Now, altogether:

"Two little boys had two little toys..."

[Wombat]

Ahem, I shall try and ignore the previous musical interlude.

A bunyip is a creature, reported by the aboriginals that lives in billabongs and eats people. They are supposed to be quite large and somewhat ferocious.

While I have never seen one myself, I did get chased by one once. (long story).

Nev

[Jack]

Gidday

Ah! That sounds like a Tanewha to me.

I got caught by a Tanewha once. Bloody painful where he grabbed me too, but he dived under the bed and disappeared when my father came in with a lit candle.

Another long story.

[Andy Hamilton]

Ok back to words

Snap tin = lunch box (uk northern and coal mining areas)
Lunch box = a mans tackle - (U.S English I think)
Tackle - what you go fishing with or lunchbox (see above)

Now to talk Shakespearian English I could never get the hang of the word Base as in -

My mind as generous, and my shape as true,
As honest madam's issue?
Why brand they us
With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base?

[Wombat]

I thought base meant low........

[Thomzo]

Well of course if we're delving into Shakespeare:

Nunnery (Shakespeare) = brothel (modern)

A few from my Scottish friend:

Burrelling (Scot) = turning
Messages (Scot) = shopping

Others:

Mash (as in to mash tea oop north) = brew

Zoe

[Andy Hamilton]

Or a lesser known Shakespearian one (in Hamlet)

Fish monger - Pimp.

[Magpie]

How interesting that so many of the Northern or Scottish words are ones that we use here - we are the Edinburgh of the south though!

How 'bout - piece = sandwich

Oh, and to extend one
Candy Floss (UK +NZ) = Cotton candy (US) = Fairy Floss (Aust)