Upscale suggested a what is it? type competition on the meaning of Aussie
slang, so I thought I'd give it a go. The winner gets a years supply of hens
teeth.

......... a bit of a preamble.
The origins of Australian slang are much argued about. Some would have it
that it is a direct offshoot from cockney rhyming slang, others say it
developed here around the beginning of last century. Much of it is vulgar
and deliberately so. The English landed gentry were greatly offended by much
of it, which pleased the Aussies no end. The word ******* is probably the
most common and confusing. Depending on context and inflection, it can have
many different meanings. Most are not intended to be offensive. The English
however, found it's use highly offensive in any context, which suited us
just fine.
An example of a an exchange that famously occurred during a test cricket
match between England and Australia in the 1930's: The English captain
walked into the Australian dressing rooms after the match and complained
that one of the Australians had called him a *******.
The Australian captain turned to his players and said "all right, which one
of you *******s called this ******* a *******?"
It's used all over Australia, but just to make it more confusing, it's usage
can differ state by state. My good wife hails from NSW, I'm a Western
Australian and she has never heard some expressions that were commonly used
here in W.A. To make it nearly impossible, some words which are spelled and
pronounced the same, can have entirely different meanings. It's also
continuously added to, so some of it arose in recent times. Slang was seldom
used by women.


Try this on for size. What is the conversation all about?

"The missus says she saw a Joe Blake. Thought I'd go take a captain."
"Do you need a hand?"
"Nah. I've got me bowyangs and I'll give it a burl with the bluey. She'll be
apples"

diggerop : )