Rob Pensalfini is a Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and Drama at the University of Queensland. I recently read an article bemoaning the “decline” of Australian slang, pointing out that the latest ...

Howie: Have you ever worked in an Aussie office and noticed something… different? The boss has a nickname. Meetings feel more like casual chats. And sometimes… swearing is totally fine. If you’re new ...

and then the moment you arrive in Australia, suddenly you don’t? Hi, I’m Dr. Howie Manns. I study language and the way people use it. I grew up in the US, so I thought I knew English really well. But ...

When I was a teacher, an unfamiliar student approached me in the schoolyard during play lunch, or the mid-morning break. “Is it true you read the dictionary for fun?” he enquired. His response to my ...

Dudes, dudines and dudettes of Australia, we need to talk about border security. Our long-time frenemies – the Americans (hey bae!) – seem to be taking over our English. For many Aussies, our ...