Lets Talk Strine

by Afferbeck Lauder

Strine is a term coined in 1964 and subsequently used to describe a joke or made-up "language" purportedly spoken by Australians whose accents frequently run words together in a type of liaison. The term is a syncope, derived from a shortened phonetic rendition of the pronunciation of the word "Australian" in an exaggerated Broad Australian accent.

Genres: Humor

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Afferbeck Lauder (a syncope for "Alphabetical Order") is a psudonym for Alastair Ardoch Morrison, an Australian writer who gave no clue as to his identity in any of his books.

Lauder's books include: Let Stalk Strine (1965), Nose Tone Unturned (1967), Fraffly Well Spoken (1968) and Fraffly Suite (1969)

In October 2009, Text Publishing Company, Mairlben re-published all four books in an omnibus edition.

Reviews

[Emma Glaisher]

Oh, does no one else remember this book? My parents had it, and its sequel 'Nose Tone Unturned'. I must have read them in late 60s/early 70s. Probably not all that funny but they seemed so to a 12 year old. Just popped back into my head. Will try and track down a copy...

[Valerie]

We were given a copy of this book when we moved to Australia, only partly in jest. I have to say I didn't find it very useful as a phrasebook. I found jokes the Aussies told more useful, as in the story of the man who walked into a pub with a galah on his shoulder. "Where'd you get the galah?" one of the regulars asks, and the galah replies "Oh, I picked him up in an auction."

If you're planning to go to Australia, you won't find this book leaves you much the wiser. You're still likely to undergo major culture shock, probably starting the first time a shopkeeper addresses you with the question "Are you right?" At least that was where it started with me. Probably you'd be better off to read it in reflection after about six months, as by then it would serve to explain some things you couldn't fully comprehend at the time.

[Josephine Waite · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is as old as I am, but it still has some gags that kill. I reccommend it to anyone who finds Australians hard to understand.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very amusing, but maybe best not to use as a phrase book in Oz.