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Popular Kiwi Sayings

Popular Kiwi Sayings

Old Jul 4th 2008, 7:55 am
  #16  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

Here's another - what about going "tramping" I have no desire to dress up as a hobo but love a nice long walk in the countryside!!!

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Old Jul 4th 2008, 8:22 am
  #17  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

I thought a dag also meant someone who was very confident, a bit daring, charasmatic, very entrepreneurial (sp?), an affection term

One that confused us was 'don't leave that there someone will flog it'. We wondered why someone would pick said item up and start to auction it off (sell it) - but flog apparently means steal
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Old Jul 8th 2008, 11:55 pm
  #18  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

Originally Posted by Kiwiprincess
2. Never actually noticed 'park' was different. What did you call it in the UK? I can't even recall what I used but am wondering about confused looks....
Did you find a parking space? Did you get parked ok? Did you manage to park ok?
A park (noun) is a green open space often with swings and roundabouts for small children to play on.
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 12:03 am
  #19  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

Originally Posted by TeamEmbo
I thought a dag also meant someone who was very confident, a bit daring, charasmatic, very entrepreneurial (sp?), an affection term
One of the 2007 Wow winning costumes was 'Rattle your dags'....it was made out of woolsacks and translated as 'Get a move on'.....
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 1:16 am
  #20  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

oh dag is an affectionate term, don't worry. It just also means the scuzzy poo part of the sheep.

But it is otherwise a nice thing to say.

Rattle ya dags is closer to sheep behaviour though. If you think about a sheep running you can often see the dags.
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 1:23 am
  #21  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

Grr - flicking emails!! - pronounced more like fluck though.

Other things I hear a lot at work - let's get our ducks in a row (What?!?)

A projector is called a datashow (and data is pronounced darta)

And instead of saying you've done something you say you've "covered it off"

Bulls*t bingo or what?!

And as for routers - pronounce it roo-ter and be ready to get laughed at.

If something's broken it's rooted, meaning f***ed.
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 1:41 am
  #22  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

Originally Posted by RobClubley
..... Other things I hear a lot at work - let's get our ducks in a row (What?!?)
Similar to the American saying "Reading from the same page" as opposed to the book which can also have problems.
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 1:48 am
  #23  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

Originally Posted by Ted Logan
Similar to the American saying "Reading from the same page" as opposed to the book which can also have problems.
It's still a stupid phrase.

Singing from the same hymn sheet.
Standing on the same step.

etc etc.

Business bollox.

And using "leverage" to mean "use" Grr.

Anyway, getting off the kiwi topic.

Choice eh bro?
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 4:55 am
  #24  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

'unco as' which is short for 'As uncoordinated as....' something that is never actually explained because the phrase is used on it's own e.g. 'I'm unco as at typing today'.

Nutters

Wee - meaning Scottishly small. Everything is wee. A wee coffee, wait a wee while, a wee bit upset, a cute wee dog etc etc

Spunk is a popular one. Nope - not man fluid , if someone is 'a spunk' then we are talking attractive, just like they use it on Home & Away and Neighbours that we all laughed at when we were teenagers
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 5:01 am
  #25  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

Originally Posted by Wiz'n'Ton
'unco as' which is short for 'As uncoordinated as....' something that is never actually explained because the phrase is used on it's own e.g. 'I'm unco as at typing today'.

Nutters

Wee - meaning Scottishly small. Everything is wee. A wee coffee, wait a wee while, a wee bit upset, a cute wee dog etc etc

Spunk is a popular one. Nope - not man fluid , if someone is 'a spunk' then we are talking attractive, just like they use it on Home & Away and Neighbours that we all laughed at when we were teenagers
My lordy, please tell me these charming people who say spunk are being ironic?
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 10:03 am
  #26  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

I used to be a bit concerned when someone was described as a "hard case", as in "Yeah he's a bloody hard case", I would picture a skinhead with tattoos etc, when in fact a "hard case" in NZ is someone who would be described as a "good laugh" in pommy-land!!
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 10:23 pm
  #27  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

I've only heard a couple so far, but I guess it's early days!

'As good as gold'........ e.g. great, cool

And a jug is a kettle

Gonna have to try and remember all these others!
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Old Jul 9th 2008, 10:38 pm
  #28  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

Chippies (crisps) and kiwi dip?

And of course "manchester" to mean towels and bedclothes etc.
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Old Jul 14th 2008, 7:59 am
  #29  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

not really a kiwi saying......but anytime I'm explaining something or talking to someone they say "Oh!.... ok!" or " Aw!.....ok!"

when they could just as easily have only said "ok".

Loadsa people do it and I found myself saying it last week.
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Old Jul 14th 2008, 8:58 am
  #30  
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Default Re: Popular Kiwi Sayings

You reminded me of 'yeah, no....', it is so commonplace that I hardly notice it anymore. It's like saying 'Yes, but.... no but' The yeah, is like an acknowledgment of your point, BUT no you are wrong, or I don't agree.

These things do gradually creep into your language and I find myself saying too, report and airport in a very strange way. I never thoughtI would use the word 'cool' quite so much as I do, because I always thought it was a naff expression coming from a forty something, but heck if 60 year old pensioners can say it so can I.

Morning tea or smoko anyone?

OH has picked up that god awful, budder, modor, modorway thing too. :curse:

I am still flatly refusing to say pro-ject, darta, dartabase, or yo-gurt, even though it is very hard when you are faced with those words day in and day out at work. However I have noticed a change there; more people have reverted to using the correct pronounciation of data and project when they talk to me.
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