Classic Aussie foods to be added to Oxford dictionary?
A team from ANU’s Australian National Dictionary Centre (ANDC) is making the case for the Oxford dictionary to include a range of Australian food slang such as parma, potato gems and HSP (halal snack pack for the uninitiated)
Dr Amanda Laugesen, ANDC director, says many new terms added reflect the multicultural nature of modern Australia.
“There is a much wider range of food choices available now – multicultural dishes, street food, ingredients from native plants and animals,” she says.
“All of these changes are reflected in the language we use, and we expect that there are many new Australian food-related terms that we have not recorded.”
In addition to the new terms some old favourites will also be added including honey joys, tank loaf, bushman brownie and smiley fritz.
“It might even finally settle the age-old debate over whether we should call it a potato cake or a scallop,” Dr Laugesen says.
Which Aussie food terms would you like to see in the dictionary?
bardi – witchetty grub
yongka – kangaroo
karda – goanna
djildjit – fish
wardan noorn – eel
yarkan – turtle
yurenburt – berries
yoorna – bobtail lizard
quardiny – wild carrot
None! Waste of time and money printing new dictionaries.