August 19, 2005

No mate, worries. Several Aussie pollies aggro about the ban of the word "mate" at Parliament House. Some piker complained that it wasn't posh enough, suddenly every man and his dog is in the blue sayin' banning "mate" is as un-Aussie as not getting sand in your cossie. Ban overturned by the next arvo, everyone's mates again, Bob's ya Uncle. D'ya reckon though it was worth spitting the dummy about?

Can a country really be summed up by the common use of one word? Most of the politicians who commented seemed to think that banning the word "mate" was undermining the entire social structure. I think it was a stupid ban - but then I'm not sure I agree with all the importance that has been attached to it in argument against banning it. Also - funnily enough that post took ages to write. Perhaps I've been out of the country too long?

posted by gomichild 19 years ago
  • This stupid affair was absolutely nothing at all until various equally slimy politicians (led by the slipperiest and slimiest of the lot) decided to escalate it into an embarassing, jingoistic opportunity to show what down to earth, folksy blokes they all are, and how out of touch and above all 'un-Australian' those lazy, cafe latte-sipping, overeducated, public servants are. The whole cringeworthy farce totally ignored the fact that the initial request for security personnel at the Victorian State Parliament to be a little more formal and professional in their dealings with the public was in fact entirely reasonable. Few things in my daily interactions with strangers irritate me much more than, say, the doofus who's searching my through my personal effects, writing my parking fine or checking my train ticket calling me 'mate'. You're not my mate, arsehole. Just do your goddamn job and then get out of my face.
  • yuh 'strain?
  • We don't say "mate" in South Australia. We leave that to the convicts.
  • My favourite part of the news article was the accompanying piccie actually. Gee Little Johnnie - overreact much? (Or some goose at news.com.au is having fun using pictures out of context.) I also think that the emphasis on the "regular bloke" aspect was a tad overkill.
  • And that fucking expression "un-Australian" can fuck right off.
  • I'll tell thi what pal, that's reet daft.
  • I'm so glad un-New Zealander is so hard to say that it won't happen.
  • Anti-antipodean?
  • Wolof, how's it goin' mate? I think mate surpasses '' duck'.
  • Good, mate.
  • when the silly season erupts Down Under mate calls to mate with scarcely a blunder to some this may seem a silly joke it's less so if you're a Serious Bloke
  • I don't really know what the FPP said, but I think I may agree. I dig the the verbal personality of Oz, and I'd talk that way on purpose if'n I could. (Tracicle, what about unkiwi?)
  • This was on the news tonight and the reporter, for unknown reasons, edited in a clip from Finding Nemo with the seagulls (you know, the ones inspired by Wallace and Gromit). Anyone who's seen that movie knows the seagulls say "Mine", not "Mate". /experienced mother of toddler causing possible derail
  • I'm generally one to shy away from nationalistic fervour or idolizing tropes or people but 'mate' is actually a wonderfully egalitarian expression. I don't say this in terms of praising Australia or comparing her to any other nation or anything. It's just that saying 'mate' in 99% of situations is so disarming and friendly and puts everyone on an equal pedestal. You can equally say "g'day mate" to the Prime Minister or your brother and in neither situation does it have any demeaning or irreverent context (save for sarcasm of course). But I also hate that nonsense about anti-Australian - it's a snippy attempt at constructing some condescending cultural paradigm, as though we have it all worked out, as though our cultural meltingpot is an unchanging, giltedged beacon for all to praise and revere. Pfft.
  • Chirpy convicts.
  • At least Oz security guards don't call you 'love' like bus drivers in Yorkshire do ...
  • So this means I'm allowed to mate with Aussies again? Yesssssss...
  • I have no idea what the OP said. I'm sorry, the only Aussie slang I know is what I've learned from Outback commercials. Hehe, salad....beer.
  • All in all though "mate" is a very versatile word. With the right inflection it can sound as insulting as "fuckwit".
  • In my cosmos, "mate" means "to attempt procreation."
  • In other words, "Pernicious Parliamentary Perjorative Pre-empted by Pols; Praised by Penfold." Can I please, please, be an Aussie?
  • I call everyone mate, all the time. I'm not australian, though
  • Anyone who's seen that movie knows the seagulls say "Mine", not "Mate". I wasn't sure - "mine" made more sense, but I'm so glad to have that cleared up, thanks! Only I was confused - how come the fish all have North American accents, when they live off of Australia (it is suposed to be the Great Barrier Reef, right)? Shouldn't they be Australian fish?
  • Everyone knows Sir Barry Humphries and Dame Edna Everage are the only actors in Australia, and they're both already in there.
  • You're right, that Cate Blanchett can't act worth a shite.
  • Neither can Terence Stamp.