Inpidginous Vocab

Do you find yourself lapsing into pidgin from time to time? God knows how long we've been here, trying to eat from the tree of knowledge and then falling from grace or from the Anglosphere. It may be time to consider a bit of a vocab overhaul and on the other hand some revision too. This month in the spirit of the Anzacs...


Revision:
WWI Anzac Slang
COBBER, A mate, a friend
If you’re like me, years ago you heard that the word cobber originates from the Anzac’s stay in Palestine and is a corruption of the Hebrew word chaver. It seemed to make sense so I just accepted it on face value. Contrary to the generally accepted consensus there are certain academics who date the origins of the word somewhat further back, and the word snuck into our slang thanks to an east London convict sent to Tasmania who used the Yiddish/Hebrew word for a mate/comrade/pal-chaver.

other words with middle eastern origins:
BINT A young woman. From Arabic bint, daughter
BUCKSHEE Free, spare From Arabic/Hindustani baksheesh gratuity.
IGGRY Hurry up. From Arabic. The Australians named one particular crossing in Bullecourt Iggry Corner.

words from other inspirational sources:
BILLJIM Any Australian. A composite word formed from two popular Australian forenames of the time
AUSSIE, (AN) or an Australia A sufficiently severe injury to be shipped back to Australia
AXLE GREASE butter
BON Good, fine When off duty, men would often be found having a 'bon time' at the local estaminet. The opposite was non bon.
BONZER very, very good , expressing a superlative quality of something.
GALLIPOLI GALLOP, THE diarrhea
BEFORE YOUR NUMBER WAS DRY Expression used by more experienced soldiers to rookies as a form of put-down: "I was killing Germans before your number was dry" - i.e. before the ink on the junior soldier's enlistment papers was dry.
SHORT ARM INSPECTION medical inspection of the OR's private parts to look for cases of VD
SWEET FANNY ADAMS, S.F.A. Nothing at all. Originally nineteenth century naval slang for tinned cooked meat, from the notorious murder and dismemberment of a girl so named. The initials S.F.A. were, by the time of the Great War, also allocated to the expression Sweet Fuck-All, and Sweet Fanny Adams was a bowdlerized version of this phrase.
CANTEEN MEDALS Beer or food stains on the breast of a tunic

New Words:
Australian Military Slang
TURRET-HEAD Member of the Armoured Corps.
TURPS Any form of alcoholic beverage drank to excess.
SKIPPY BADGE Hat or beret badge insignia for the Royal Australian Regiment (Regular Army Infantry organisation)Skippy for the kangaroo in the centre of it.
ROCK SHOW A poorly organised operation or plan. For example, "What a rock show".
MORALE VAMPIRE Usually refers to an officer who is highly focused on his own goals and needs, showing little or no care for the welfare or needs of the soldiers under his command.
MANGO Term for Army Reservist. Green on the outside, yellow on the inside and too many of them give you the shits.
LOBSTER Refers to a Physical Training Instructor, usually meaning "Hard on the outside and head full of sh-t"
KOALA BEAR Refers to somebody who is generally considered a protected species and useless in the greater scheme of things. Usually accompanied by the phrase "Not to be exported or shot at"
GIGGLE-HAT Bush head dress.
GIGGLE-SUIT Bush clothes
GINGER BEERS Term used to describe a member of the Royal Australian Engineers Corps.
FRUIT SALAD Medal ribbons.
EATING IRONS Cutlery (mainly known in the army as KFS - knife, fork and spoon).
BEASTING To 'Beast' means to stand over or 'monster' a subordinate. The expression is more commonly used by officers. For example He copped a beasting off the Sergeant Major.
WANKING SPANNER Your prominent hand. E.g. "Stick your wanking spanner in the air if you ...".