MovieChat Forums > Puberty Blues (1981) Discussion > How much of the 70's - 80's slang is sti...

How much of the 70's - 80's slang is still used in Australia?

posted 14 years ago by DogtownGirl
37 replies | jump to latest

I'm American. I enjoyed the film a lot, and the more I watched it. The slang and accents are a bit TOUGH to understand at first but the more one watches the film, the more the speech patters set in and can be understood by outsiders.

I have a question and it is this: HOW MUCH OF THE SLANG SPOKEN IN THE FILM, is still used today by teens from that neighborhood of Sydney?
Are fast and loose girls still called "Molls"?
Is the slang for F-able still the word, "rootable"?
Is the word "deadset" still used to mean Truth, or are you telling the truth?
Does the word, "dob" still mean snitch or tell on someone?

Thanks, for any helpful replies anyone can give to me.

Also, if you know what the lead actors (the folks who played Debbie, Sue, Gary, Cheryl, Tracy) in the film are doing nowadays, I would love to know that as well.

--

-- I admire celebrities who muck in & get dirt under their "sport" manicures. Charity rules!

[–] ohhsea 14 years ago

I live in Cronulla where the movie was filmed and a couple of the things you mentioned are still used. People still say 'dob' but it's mainly little kids, saying 'I'll dob on you' or 'I'll tell on you'. Deadset is sometimes used, but usually by more bogan people. I don't really know how to explain the word bogan to you because i can't think of the American equivalent. Sorry. People hardly ever use the word root, but sometimes it still comes out. Moll is never heard anymore.

And I don't know anything about any of the actors. Sorry.

[–] DogtownGirl 14 years ago

ohhsea:

Gotcha!

Slang comes and goes, doesn't it?

A bogan is what we'd call a "hick", or "hayseed". You know, like ... a nerd, who dresses all wrong, wears too much makeup, and looks hopeless, hahaha. Kind of country and not very posh, sophisticated or ... classy, really.

See here, for example: http://www.bogan.com.au/definition/index.php

Try not to gossip about who / what you don't know. Harsh words can be cruelly speculative.

[–] DogtownGirl 14 years ago

Also, I'm guessing that using "moll " now, where you are would be like our saying "groovy", or "dynamite" or slang that used to be around 40 years ago, or so.

Do people still say "unreal" as a positive superlative?

HERE we all say, "Awesome"!

Try not to gossip about who / what you don't know. Harsh words can be cruelly speculative.

[–] towelie2002 14 years ago

Another type of people you could compare bogans to are the "white trash" or "trailer trash" people in America, if that helps.

[–] DogtownGirl 14 years ago

towelie,

Oh yeah .. I've already figured out what a "Bogan" is, thanks.

I am really curious as to which words, SPECIFICS PLEASE, from the film are still used in Sydney, or in Surfie culture at all:

Moll?
Deadset?
Doll?
Perf?
Bludge?
Brickie (for bricklayer)?
How'd you go off with ....?
Reckon?
Heaps?
Dob?
Root? ( I reckon root is not used at all, eh?)

And, do girls still get 18K friendship rings from the guys?

And, are more girls surfing now?

Oh gosh, I can't think of all the slang right now ... But, tell me what words have gone out of favor, in Sydney and what words you all still hear being used, even if only from time to time (and not very often)

Thanks, HEAPS!

[–] BloodyNora 14 years ago

I don't know about Sydney, but in general words like bludge, brickie, dob, heaps and root are part of common parlance, depending on your social circles..

Actually, root probably isn't used much, but people are still aware of the Australian sense of the word relative to the American, because the Australian equivalent of 'root' is 'barrack'.

Things either exist or they don't. I am very clear about that. I have medicine.

[–] DogtownGirl 14 years ago

Actually, root probably isn't used much, but people are still aware of the Australian sense of the word relative to the American, because the Australian equivalent of 'root' is 'barrack'.

Hang on, I think you might be confused. "Root" is not an American slang term. It's Aussie -- was used in the film, to mean *F* (can't write it here, of course). So, there is no technical Aussie equivalent of "root" because it IS a strictly Aussie term. There are American equivalents to the slang for Eff, but not yours. Sorry, am I being confusing? I usually am.

Is "barrack" now used in place of root, eh?

Or, do you mean that "barrack" is the more modern-day slang for "root" which was used way back when?

Also, may I take it that you don't live in Sydney?

Also, do the girls still wear crocheted bikinis? (Hehe)

And, I just thought of this: In America we say "unreal" a lot indicating extreme like for something, or someone, but usually a something or piece of clothing. We also use "awesome", HEAPS! "Awesome and Unreal are terms kids or the younger set mainly use, and grownups of the usually lower social classes -- NOT bogans, per se, just any class lower than upper (at least where I live and came from ...)

[–] oska494 14 years ago

Just clarifying,

'Barrack' in australia, is used where 'root' is used in america.
So, someone would 'barrack' for their favourite footy team, while an american would 'root' for them. I'm sure you can see, given the other meaning of root, why it's not used in that context much here in oz.

Also, I use 'awesome' heaps too. Not unreal though, it sounds dated.

[–] DogtownGirl 14 years ago

Ohhh, I see oska494 . Thank you.

Yes, here we say that we root (or cheer for) our favorite sports teams for example, whereas you would not. Yes, I see. I thought the other poster was still talking about root meaning the vulgar slang for "to *F*" someone.

Many people still say "un-reaaaaal" here. Or, we say "surreal" too for something being ever so awesome that it is unbelievably so.

[–] amoc71 14 years ago

Most of your questions were answered, but the term moll was brought back a couple of years ago thanks to a contestant on Australian Big Brother, she was being picked on a bit and said "game on molls/moles" and it became big again including t-shirts and car stickers. It has since died down again.

As for girls surfing, yes, and it is not just for the young ones, where I surf the oldest lady is about 70. I myself am 39 and I usually go out with my teenage daughter. Also Layne Beachly was the #1 female surfer in world for 7 years straight and there are a lot more coming up on the world circuit.

Also from interest the book/movie is being made into a musical - keep in touch and i will let you know how it goes.

I'm livin in 80's & I don't want to come out

[–] DogtownGirl 14 years ago

amoc71,

Interesting to know. Thanks!

A musical? Huh .... seems odd to me.

The more Ken Loach films I see, the more I think they need English subtitles.

[–] natalietebbutt-1 13 years ago

Well I say moll alot when I see sluts and uglies around, if your still reading this "barrack" also means to "root" for a particular team, like football, baseball, soccar team, like you "barrack" for that team, we don't use root for f#$k anymore, not that I've heard of anyway.

SpongeBob SquarePants-Porno for kids.

[–] DogtownGirl 13 years ago

natalie,

So (just curious) what word do you use, nowadays, to mean fS#k then?

( Yeah, in America we say "Root" to mean cheer, as in 'I'm rooting for that team', or ... )

To us, root = cheer

The more Ken Loach films I see, the more I think they need English subtitles.

[–] Dead_Dude 13 years ago

I have to say this is one of the more curious threads on IMDB

[–] DogtownGirl 13 years ago

Dead,

Why thank you, I think ... ...

Not being Aussie, and wanting to be kept up to date on what's what down thatta-way in terms of the spoken argot, I thought I'd start this somewhat different thread, ...

If you can teach me a thing or two about Aussie slang, that is used now-a-days, please feel free to. KNOWLEDGE is welcomed.

PROUD member of PETA: People for the Eating of Tasty Animals

[–] lovelula 13 years ago

sorry, im australian and NONE of these sayings are used anymore where im from unless you're bogan and/or really working class (to put it bluntly). even people out in the country rarely talk like this anymore.

mole came back into fashion briefly after a contestant used it on one season on big brother. its quite a gross term anyway, not many people use it.

___________________
booyah.

[–] DogtownGirl 13 years ago

sorry, im australian and NONE of these sayings are used anymore where im from unless you're bogan and/or really working class (to put it bluntly).

No apology is necessary.
May I assume that "bogan" means Hick, Country Bumpkin or some such?

PROUD member of PETA: People for the Eating of Tasty Animals

[–] DaveHedgehog 12 years ago

I'm from Perth and wouldn't have a clue about Sydney or the surfer crowd, but:

I've never heard anyone say:
Perf?
How'd you go off with ....?
Deadset?

I hear these occasionally (mostly from the 'older' generation; like my mum, who is 40):
Moll?
Doll?
Brickie (for bricklayer)?

I hear these constantly:
Bludge?
Reckon?
Heaps?
Dob? - mostly said in primary school. I still say it sometimes, but mostly in a jokey sort of way.
Root?

Da der der da, a der der da, a der der da