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Case study: The rise of 'woke'
The story of woke's journey from African-American street slang to politically conservative catchcry is both long and complicated so, for...
Sep 12, 2021


Case study: 'Deadly' and 'mob' in Aboriginal English
Adjective 'deadly' and common noun 'mob' are both frequently used in Aboriginal Australian English and have become recognisable markers...
Sep 12, 2021


Case study: Nicknames in politics - friend or foe?
If you're an Australian politician, you haven't really made it until you've got a nickname. The examples below explore the purposes of...
Sep 12, 2021


Case study: 'Vaxx', 'jab' and the pandemic's enduring influence on our language
These articles both make reference to the rise in linguistic creativity among Australians when referring to the Covid-19 vaccination....
Sep 12, 2021


Case study: Adelaide footballer Cam Ellis-Yolmen and 'uncle'
In this tweet from August 2021, Adelaide footballer Cam Ellis-Yolmen congratulates fellow Indigenous player Eddie Betts on his 350th game...
Sep 12, 2021


Case study: 'Blak' - Australian Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe
Lidia Thorpe is a Senator for the Australian Greens political party, and is also an Aboriginal Gunnai-Gunditjmara woman. In this tweet...
Sep 12, 2021


Women and swearing
This article discusses the history of perceived differences in the use of swear words by men and women. The Conversation - From 'common...
Sep 11, 2021


Women and hedging
This article discusses whether women really are more likely than men to apologise unnecessarily. Allegedly, women are more likely to...
Sep 11, 2021


Activity: Australian slang
Read the examples of Australian slang on the website below: Koalanet.com.au - List of Australian slang a) Identify 5 examples that you...
Sep 11, 2021


Case study: Lollies, cheese, and PC language
In 2021, both Allen's Lollies and Coon Cheese decided to change the brand names of their products following criticism about potentially...
Sep 11, 2021


Ethnolects - Samoan slang
This article discusses the use of Samoan slang by those both within and outside of the Samoan-Australian community. In particular, the...
Sep 11, 2021


Case study: Arnott's Shapes and the parma/parmi debate
News.com.au - Spelling of Arnott's new chicken parmigiana-flavoured shapes causes heated debate In August 2020, Arnott's Shapes released...
Sep 11, 2021


Blak: Indigenous Australians, language, and identity
This article discusses the rise in the use of non-Standard orthography for the adjective 'blak' as a marker of identity among Indigenous...
Sep 11, 2021


The amazing linguistic flexibility of 'vibe'
Mel Magazine: Bro, do you even vibe? (published 2019) This article discusses the rise in popularity among teenagers of variations on the...
Sep 11, 2021


Internet slang and in-group membership
These websites contain discussion and examples of how innovative language use in internet forums can build in-group membership between...
Sep 11, 2021


Aboriginal Englishes
These articles discuss the cultural significance and provide examples of Aboriginal Australian English. Remember to differentiate...
Sep 11, 2021


Male and female gender differences in language
This website discusses some perceived differences in communication styles between men and women. Be extremely careful in discussing...
Sep 11, 2021


LGBTIQA+ communities and terminology - Australian government website
This website, created by the Australian government, aims to educate Australians on terminology used within the LGBTIQA+ community and by...
Sep 11, 2021


Teenage Slang 2021
This article contains lists of teenage slang examples from 2021. Bark.us: 2021 teen slang meanings every parent should know (published...
Sep 11, 2021


Pandemic slang in Australia
These articles discuss how Australians have developed their own slang related to the Covid-19 pandemic. While many pandemic slang terms...
Sep 11, 2021
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