A couple weeks ago, my "cousin" was here on holiday from New Zealand. (The quotes around the word cousin need a lot of explanation, which I won't impose upon you.) I love learning about new cultures, and very much learning cool foreign jargon. So, of course, when I saw these word magnets on my nana's fridge, I made Meredith (my "cousin") explain each of them to me. And it's taken me this long to remember that I was going to tell all of YOU about them as well!
sparrow fart: very early in the morning, the crack of dawn
"Crikey - I gotta get up at sparrow fart tomorrow!"
hokey pokey: 'sea foam' candy (sounds interesting..)
hokey pokey: 'sea foam' candy (sounds interesting..)
"Can I have some of that hokey pokey?"
gum-boots: rubber boots, wellingtons, wellies
gum-boots: rubber boots, wellingtons, wellies
"Put on your gum-boots and let's go puddle jumping."
jandals: thongs, flip-flops, sandals
jandals: thongs, flip-flops, sandals
"Those jandals are adorable."
wop wops: out of the way location, boonies
wop wops: out of the way location, boonies
"He lives out in the wop wops."
tiki tour: roundabout way to get somewhere, scenic route
tiki tour: roundabout way to get somewhere, scenic route
"Let's do the tiki tour on the way home today."
carked it: died, kicked the bucket
carked it: died, kicked the bucket
"Old Mr. Porter finally carked it, poor bloke."
L&P: fizzy soda water, Lemon & Paeroa
L&P: fizzy soda water, Lemon & Paeroa
"I don't much like L&P, but thanks for the offer."
hoon: young troublemaker, punk, hoodlum
hoon: young troublemaker, punk, hoodlum
"Wait till I get my hands on that hoon!"
boy racer: hoon in fast car with an unbelievably loud stereo
boy racer: hoon in fast car with an unbelievably loud stereo
"Don't you think that boy racer we saw the other day was cute?"
scull: drink beer rapidly, chug
scull: drink beer rapidly, chug
"I can't scull to save my life."
pack a sad: become morose, ill-humoured, moody
pack a sad: become morose, ill-humoured, moody
"Missy sure packed a sad at the family reunion."
piker: one who easily gives up or a party-pooper
piker: one who easily gives up or a party-pooper
"Don't be such a piker, you git!"
suck the kumara: to die or stop
suck the kumara: to die or stop
"You want to suck the kumara, dude?"
smoko: break, rest period, cigarette break
smoko: break, rest period, cigarette break
"She took heaps of smokos today. Wouldn't you say?"
suss: to figure something out
suss: to figure something out
"Why don't we talk and suss this thing, once and for all?"
puckeroo: something that is broken or dysfunctional
puckeroo: something that is broken or dysfunctional
"That fridge is puckerooed for sure!"
yonks: forever, a long time ago, ages
yonks: forever, a long time ago, ages
"I haven't read that book in yonks and yonks."
rattle your dags: hurry up!
rattle your dags: hurry up!
"Rattle your dags, Steph. We're late!"
choc-a-block: (I used this one as much as I could while she was here) very full of food, stuffed
choc-a-block: (I used this one as much as I could while she was here) very full of food, stuffed
"I am choc-a-block."
togs: swimsuit, bathing suit
togs: swimsuit, bathing suit
"You may need new togs soon."
I skipped over the magnets I already knew, forgive me. If you want to see more (like I did) check out this website. Why don't you join me in bringing these words into US dialogue?
Tata, Darlings!
One Response to kiwi speak
this is absolutely glorious!!! i will start implementing them in my vocab asap! ha!
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