Say What?

Australians, I’ve found, love to shorten words in everyday usage. For example: brekkie or brekky instead of breakfast. And Simon’s mom has said that if you have a short name they give you a longer nickname and if you have a long name, you get a shortened nickname. When it comes to the words, this can sometimes be confusing, but I think I am starting to learn and be able to keep up.

Let’s see if you can guess what the follow mean:
arvo
cozzie
copper (pronouced “cop-pa”)
garbos
Maccas
bikies
cuppa
mozzies

Any guesses?

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Answers below

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arvo = afternoon
cozzie = suimsuit (as in your swim costume, and also, swimmers)
copper (pronouced “cop-pa”) = friend, buddy, mate (this one has a long history that I heard on the TV the other day but can’t quite remember, but they use it in the Wiggles so I’ve heard it before and just thought they were talking about police)
garbos = garbagemen, or refuse removal technicians
Maccas = McDonalds
bikies = bikers, of the motorcycle-riding variety
cuppa = cup of, as in, “Would you like a cuppa [tea/coffee]?”
mozzies = mosquitoes

Also, fries are called chips, or hot chips.
And potato chips are called cold chips or (more commonly) crisps.
Cookies are biscuits, or bikkies.
Sprite is called Lemonade.
Diapers are nappies.
The counter is the bench.
The trashcan is the bin.

Even when we all speak English, things are a little different.