Wednesday 29 October 2008

Patriotic criteria

My Melbin mate, Sue, sent me this test:

You know you're Australian if....

You know the meaning of 'girt'

You believe that stubbies can either be worn or drunk

You think it is normal to have a Prime Minister called Kevin

You waddle when you walk due to the 53 expired petrol discount vouchers stuffed in your wallet or purse

You've made a bong out of your garden hose rather than use it for something illegal such as watering the garden

You understand that the phrase 'a group of women wearing black thongs' refers to footwear and may be less alluring than it sounds

You pronounce Melbourne as 'Mel-bin'

You pronounce Penrith as 'Pen-riff'

You believe the 'L' in the word ' Australia ' is optional

You can translate: 'Dazza and Shazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Maccas'

You believe it makes perfect sense for a nation to decorate its highways with large fibreglass bananas, prawns and sheep

You think 'Woolloomooloo' is a perfectly reasonable name for a place

You believe is makes sense for a country to have a $1 coin that's twice as big as its $2 coin

You understand that 'Wagga Wagga' can be abbreviated to 'Wagga' but 'Woy Woy' can't be called 'Woy'

You believe that cooked-down axlegrease makes a good breakfast spread

You believe all famous Kiwis are actually Australian, until they stuff up, at which point they again become Kiwis

You know, whatever the tourist books say, that no one says 'cobber'

You know that certain words must, by law, be shouted out during any rendition of the Angels' song 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again'

You believe, as an article of faith, that the confectionery known as the Wagon Wheel has become smaller with every passing year

You still don't get why the 'Labor' in 'Australian Labor Party' is not spelt with a 'U

You wear ugh boots outside the house

You believe that the more you shorten someone's name the more you like them

Whatever your linguistic skills, you find yourself able to order takeaway fluently in every Asian language

You understand that 'excuse me' can sound rude, while 'scuse me' is always polite

You know what it's like to swallow a fly, on occasions via your nose

You understand that 'you' has a plural and that it's 'youse'

You know it's not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle

You biggest family argument over the summer concerned the rules of beach cricket

You shake your head in horror when companies try to market what they call 'Anzac cookies'

You still think of Kylie as 'that girl off Neighbours'

When returning home from overseas, you expect to be brutally strip-searched by Customs - just in case you're trying to sneak in fruit

You believe the phrase 'smart casual' refers to a pair of black tracky-daks, suitably laundered

You understand that all train timetables are works of fiction

You get choked up with emotion by the first verse of the national anthem and then have trouble remembering the second

You find yourself ignorant of nearly all the facts deemed essential in the government's new test for migrants.

You will immediately forward this list to other Australians, here and overseas, realising that only they will understand!

8 comments:

Jennifer said...

I loved reading this, and knowing all the jokes I wasn't getting (if you know what I mean). It is wonderful to have a sense of belonging to a place, to be forever part of a community no matter where you go. The stuff you only ever know if you live someplace and that you can laugh about forever.

Anonymous said...

I'm usually not entertained by What it is to be Australian lists, but this one made me laugh, so thanks!

Anonymous said...

You believe that the more you shorten someone's name the more you like them

except if there name is already short - then you'll add an 'o' to the end.

Laura Jane said...

Bewdy Les!

I've got that song stuck in my head now (No way, get F*****, F*** off).

Priceless

M said...

We all know that not only is the 'L' in Australia optional but the "AU" is as well.

And I promise not to be too familiar by dropping the "ley" from your name and adding "o" despite that being the classic Aussie thing to do. On so many levels... :)

Karen said...

Ha! I can pick a Melburnian - they say Malbin, and drive Felcons. Weird but true!

Lesley said...

There are more to add, too ... like
* You realise no right-minded Australian drinks Fosters.

Jennifer: I'll happily explain any of 'em to you!

Fairlie - www.feetonforeignlands.com said...

But Kylie is that girl off Neighbours...isn't she?