Australian English

The privileges and challenges of a ‘first language’ English speaker and language learner

23/04/2025 by Claire French

Today Lingoblog celebrates English Language Day with this post by Claire French.

In the lead-up to English Language Day this year, I have been thinking through the privileges and challenges of existing in the world, and in new languages, as a ‘first language’ English speaker.

The concept of ‘first language’ is of course a troublesome notion because of how it suggests that I speak the language more ‘correctly,’ or hold further ‘fluency’ than those speaking it as a second language, which sociolinguists know to be unqualified and ideological. Yet, it is not my hold over the language that is most noticeable to the multi-bilingual/global majority when they first come into contact with me, but the sound of my variety.

As … ↪

Gatho, lippy, rego — why Australians love hypocoristics

09/03/2021 by Helen Bromhead

Australian English includes alternate, informal forms of words and expressions, for example barbie from barbecue, sunnies from sunglasses and arvo from afternoon. These are called hypocoristics, and they express particular feelings and attitudes, and have a range of functions in Australian English. Long noted as a feature of this variety of English, they have been documented in popular Australian slang books and wider Australian English dictionaries, including the Australian National Dictionary. Over the years, linguists and lexicographers have looked at what techniques Australians use to create these forms of words, and why speakers may choose to use a hypocoristic, like mozzies, instead of an original form, like mosquitoes.

Many languages, including English, have alternate forms of … ↪