Setanta - The language is called Strine. I regret I can do little about your inability to accept a bald contention (or even a hairy one) other than laugh, long and hysterically. (Remember those wonderful cartoons in MAD Magazine?)
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edgarblythe wrote:Slogging on alone . . . (Where's a real Outback man, like Gus, when you need him?)
If you are interested edgar, herewith some comments which may, or may not be helpful:
edgarblythe wrote:
Can a ruddy cobber see
'ruddy' was used mainly as a euphemism for 'bloody' when Mum and the kids were in earshot way, way back. It is much more commonly used by the Poms (British).
'cobber' was a long while back too. (Probably pre-WWII.) It has been replaced by 'mate' for quite some time.
edgarblythe wrote:
On a fair dinkum morn
'fair dinkum' means 'true, the real thing, honest-to-God, you have my oath on it'.
edgarblythe wrote:
What we jolly well saw
Terribly British, old chap!
edgarblythe wrote:
As we waited the billy boil
it would have to be 'waited for the billy to boil'
edgarblythe wrote:
And the bloody red glare
'red bloody glare' sounds more like it.
edgarblythe wrote:
Oer the jumbuck's short hair
'jumbuck'. Apart from growing up knowing that a jolly jumbuck was a sheep because they were the words of 'Waltzing Matilda' I have never heard the word used by anyone that wasn't singing at the time.
'short hair'. Never, never, never would that phrase be used within a hundred miles of a sheep. WOOL.
edgarblythe wrote:
Made a jolly good show
Again purely British.
Sorry if I seem to be knocking your efforts, edgar. It is meant to be constructive and helpful. Actually, I rather like the Star Spangled Banner, as anthems go, although it is very awkward poetry. At least it is not wishy-washy like ours!
Of course, I admit to being very naive, and if your intention is just to take the mickey out of us, well, enjoy! That's precisely what mickeys were created for, isn't it?
