ਔਜ਼ੀ ਕੰਮਕਾਜ਼ੀ ਥਾਵਾਂ ਦੀ ਗੁਪਤ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ | Ep 4

ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਦੇ ਕੰਮਕਾਜ਼ੀ ਥਾਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਲੈਂਗ ਸੁਣਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਮ ਲੱਗਦਾ ਹੈ, ਪਰ ਇਹ ਨਿਰਪੱਖਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਇਤਿਹਾਸ ਨਾਲ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਹੈ। ਡਾ. ਹਾਓਵੀ ਮੈਨਜ਼ ਦੱਸਦੇ ਹਨ ਕਿ ਅਸੀਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਦੇ ਵਿਲੱਖਣ ਤਰੀਕਿਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਗੱਲ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਇਕੱਠੇ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ।

Weird and Wonderful Aussie Punjabi ਇਹ 5-ਭਾਗਾਂ ਵਾਲੀ ਵੀਡੀਓ ਲੜੀ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਦੇ ਸਲੈਂਗ ਦੇ ਇਤਿਹਾਸ, ਅਰਥ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਦੀ ਪੜਚੋਲ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ।

Links:
  • ਇੱਥੇ teaching resources ਲਈ ਜਾਂਚ ਕਰੋ
  • SBS On Demand 'ਤੇ Weird and Wonderful Aussie English ਨੂੰ ਦੇਖੋ।

    ਪ੍ਰਤੀਲਿਪੀ

“I am so great!”
“Tall poppy! Get down here!”

Howie: Have you ever worked in an Aussie office and noticed something… different?

The boss has a nickname.
Meetings feel more like casual chats.
And sometimes… swearing is totally fine.

If you’re new to Australia, you might ask:
“How should I speak at work?”

Let’s explore how Aussie attitudes shape the way people communicate at work — and what that says about the culture.

Check for teaching resources

Teaching Aussie slang and idioms

The Aussie ideal: a fair go

One of the most important Aussie values is a fair go —
the idea that everyone deserves an equal chance in life and at work.

This value shows up everywhere: in sport, in school, and in the workplace.

But Aussie culture is full of contradictions.
We take fairness seriously, but we also love not taking ourselves too seriously.

Language in the workplace

From construction sites to corporate offices,
Aussies use slang, give nicknames, joke around — and yes, often swear.

This casual tone reflects an older cultural fascination with folk heroes and the rough-and-tumble spirit.

It’s part of a long tradition of pushing back against authority — and laughing while doing it.

From diggers to the modern office

Our modern idea of the Australian worker was shaped by WWI soldiers, known as diggers.

While fighting overseas, diggers developed a strong national identity.
They embraced the Aussie traits of mateship, humour, and equality.

They loved bush poetry, chanted in slang, and didn’t show much respect for generals or hierarchy.

Mateship, swearing, and meaning

“Mate” is a deeply positive word in Australia — but it can also be used in a not-so-friendly tone:
“Maaaate…” (when someone’s annoyed).

Aussies are famous for using “bad” words in creative, often affectionate, ways.

Swearing has long been part of jobs like soldiering, shearing, and cattle-driving.
But even back then, people knew when to tone it down — especially around women or the boss.

So yes, swearing happens — but Aussies also know when to keep it clean.
Bloody oath.

Politicians, the pub test, and fairness

“Fair go” is so sacred, even politicians use it.
But not always successfully.

Sometimes Aussies don’t buy it — especially if the message doesn’t pass the pub test.

That means:
“Would a regular group of people at the pub believe this?”

If not, it fails.

Tall poppies and cultural cringe

Aussies also have terms for people who don’t seem fair.

One of the worst things you can do?
Be arrogant. Be a tall poppy.

Originally, “tall poppy” was about cutting down those who were too successful or full of themselves.

By the mid-20th century, it also reflected a deeper insecurity —
A sense that standing out made people cringe or feel like Australia wasn’t good enough.
That feeling is known as cultural cringe.

Today, tall poppy syndrome still pops up — especially when someone is seen as “too big for their boots.”

Bludgers and pulling your weight

While Aussies dislike arrogance, they also can’t stand laziness.

The term “bludger” refers to someone who doesn’t pull their weight.
It’s one of the most hated labels in Australian English.

To be called a bludger is deeply insulting — and it reflects how much Aussies value hard work and contribution.

What Aussie work culture tells us

Aussies have always loved folk heroes — and it shows in how we talk about work.

We believe in equality, fairness, and calling things as they are.
Even casual talk and swearing can be signs of inclusion — a way to say, “We’re all equals here.”

As one saying goes:
“I talk to the Prime Minister the same way I talk to my mate at the pub.”

Language is a work in progress

Aussie English is still evolving.
Sometimes we get the balance wrong.

But we can always start by welcoming people from around the world,
valuing their voices, and learning from the words they bring.

That’s what helps Aussie English grow — and what makes the workplace a fairer, more inclusive place for everyone.


Credits

Video production company: New Mac Video Agency


    Share

    Published

    Updated

    Presented by Howard Manns
    Source: SBS

    Share this with family and friends


    Follow SBS Punjabi

    Download our apps
    SBS Audio
    SBS On Demand

    Listen to our podcasts
    Independent news and stories connecting you to life in Australia and Punjabi-speaking Australians.
    Understand the quirky parts of Aussie life.
    Get the latest with our exclusive in-language podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

    Watch on SBS
    Punjabi News

    Punjabi News

    Watch in onDemand