Speak Strine
In this activity your students have to read the text below and work out the meaning of the words in italics from the context (they are all examples of Australian slang which is often called Strine). When they have had a few minutes, give them the British English synonyms so that they can check their answers.
Read
the title and text. Can you work out the meaning of the words in italics
from the context. Match the words with the definitions.
The Foster family live in a suburb of Sydney in Oz. Mr Foster works as a garbo. He wants to win the lotto. Mrs Foster is the old cheese. She spends all her time watching soapies like "Home and Away" on the idiot box. They both like drinking tinnies. Mr and Mrs Foster are Jason's oldies. Jason wants to ride waves sarvo, so he gets on the blower to his mates. Jason thinks riding waves is beaut.
Write the words from the text that match the words below.
| 1. telephone 2. parents 3. fantastic 4. TV serials 5. refuse collector 6. friends 7. mother 8. surf 9. lottery 10. this afternoon 11. cans of beer 12. television 13. Australia 14. Australian slang |
a. ______________________ b. ______________________ c. ______________________ d. ______________________ e. ______________________ f. ______________________ g. ______________________ h. ______________________ i. ______________________ j. ______________________ k. ______________________ l. ______________________ m. ______________________ n. ______________________ |
Answers: 1. blower; 2. oldies; 3. beaut; 4. soapies; 5. garbo; 6. mates; 7. old cheese; 8. ride waves; 9. lotto; 10. sarvo; 11. tubes; 12. the idiot box; 13. Oz; 14. Strine