Americans Try Guessing New Zealand English Slang

[@hymertimesnz]

Lovely seeing you read from Louis's Yanky Kiwi dictionary. I worked with Louis for about 20 years while he worked as a doctor in Psychology Department in Dunedin at the same time as he wrote this book. He was forever picking up on sentences we said to add to his book and was passionate about the whole process. Louis ( Louie Leland ) as I pronounced his name, passed away about 10 years ago surrounded by a pile of books at his home. He would be proud to see you reading from his dictionary as I was. Thanks for the words but also the little reminder of a big American with a beautiful heart. Russell

[@AlexanderAyling]

Aww this is amazing. 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@chrisharris1522]

Doing a "Hollywood" was always like when a football player fakes an injury to try to get a penalty, basically it's the acting component that gives it that name.

[@bridiemcloughlin8326]

Yeah, I was about to say, it's generally used on the footy field.

[@jamessuhr9667]

Like, stacking on an act,.

[@roberthall7117]

Fake... lol

[@stevewolfe8536]

If you said “what’s the gen” to a kiwi they would say “what’s that” lol!

[@AlexanderAyling]

Hahah we thought that one might be a bit dated

[@TheHanani88]

I initially thought it was the 'genny' meaning the generator

[@MarkMcLT]

"What's the guts" might be more common in some parts.

[@BrendaAnderson]

Never heard this one! :)

[@annak8852]

@@MarkMcLT Totally have heard 'what's the guts plenty over the years.

[@ambermeyer9217]

'Lolly scramble' took me back to primary school when the teachers would chuck candy at us during assemblies

[@rollyrolly7729]

There was certainly some phrases in the book not used now. Hey bro if you guys are still in the wairarapa on 2nd January. Tauherenikau races is a great example of kiwi family holiday picnics. You will see a lolly scramble there for sure

[@PikachooUpYou]

As a Kiwi ‘earwagging’ I knew it as referring to listening in to someone’s conversation when you weren’t invited/included in it.

[@Hellknight27]

No, that is earwigging. Earwagging is talking someone's ear off as the book said.

[@laskinov]

Great vid. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't heard a lot since the eighties..

[@AlexanderAyling]

Haha thanks Sam. Yes the book is old but still some good ones in there

[@Kaz_NZ]

Hi guys! You can also have a westerly, an easterly, a south-easterly, a north-westerly etc etc. It's just the direction the wind is coming from 🙂👍 Never realised this terminology wasn't is general use in the states!

[@littlepearlsofrandomness]

“Oh diddums” could be used instead of “oh poor baby” when you don’t mean it. Also, when someone asks you to “bring a plate”, it means to bring a plate of food, not BYO plate. Super funny when that happens though 😄

[@brittanydombrowski5386]

So it’s southern US version of “bless your heart”😂

[@sunshinegorman3218]

It would be cool to see a collab with Kiwi KZbinrs like Daneger and Stacey.

[@TheEmzies]

Shandies are definitely still a thing. Love them on a hot day. Monteiths sell them as Radlers which is the German equivalent.

[@Nynke_K]

OMG - I was going to say that shandies are also a thing in the Netherlands (and the party drink of choice for 12-year-old boys when I grew up in the 80s), and I've only now realized that they've been rebranded as Radler, sold readymade to be drunk by sensible adults in summer! Wow.

[@MarkMcLT]

I think "have a squiz" is more common that "have a gink."

[@michaelheliotis5279]

My friends and I realised that most words for drunk have "ed" on the end (like hammered, hosed, sh!t-faced, and sloshed), and that you can stick it on the end of almost anything and it works well as a term for being drunk. Some of our favourites are car-parked, trolleyed, bum-bagged, Irished, tea-toweled, breaded, and indeed drenched. 😂

[@bellanas]

'Chur' = Cool, Sweet, Right On, cheers. 'nek minit' = the next minute/what happened next. 'wop wops' = Middle of nowhere.

[@MK-oc4gt]

Chur, sweet as, mean as, nek minute etc - all todays slangs! Cheers, wop wops - been around for a while. 😜

[@kimovenden7484]

I'm a brit living in NZ and one of my favourite kiwi slangs is 'yarns', meaning having a chat!

[@AlexanderAyling]

Yeah “Have a yarn” - have a chat. I like that one too

[@jesaminetehuia9098]

Or a chin wag lol Another one is when someone ear wigs on the chin waggers lol

[@TheAccidentalViking]

@@jesaminetehuia9098 that's my fav. 'having a chin-wag'. My son is growing up here in Norway with both American and Kiwi slang.

[@robbiejenkins4379]

What about. " Back Biting " means spreading gossip or lye about someone,

[@lorrelcherie2281]

Wow so 80s 😅 as a kiwi I haven't heard a lot of these. 'Pike out' is used now if you 'chicken out' of anything eg decide not to do something out of fear etc, not just used when drinking. You can also be a 'Piker', eg you piker, when you back out of something.

[@cadifan]

61 year Old Kiwi here, never heard ''what's the gen'' in my life! Never heard of ''gink'' either. Maybe they're southern words.

[@AlexanderAyling]

Hahaha 🤣

[@juneterry8487]

@@AlexanderAyling I remember my late parents often say they need to get the gen what's happening, meaning get the information on what's going on.

[@pianoman4967]

I still talk to my friends using "what's the gen" quite often. But l am a boomer!

[@Hellknight27]

Never heard either of them in my 42 years in the south.

[@hrep14]

Yeah, probably localised to certain areas.

[@cadifan]

You hear ''southerly'' more often because it's more common for the wind to blow up from the South as opposed to blowing down from the north.

[@annak8852]

Down here in Canterbury, we talk lots about the 'Nor Wester', as it'll blow your dog off its chain & your washing will end up on the ground, covered in fresh lawn clippings if your'e not careful!

[@inchbyinchart152]

I'm American living in NZ for 5 yrs now and haven't heard some of these at all yet so think that one may not be a term anymore. That being said i'm making my own book of kiwi-isms for visitors and am constantly adding more! And I think you've misremembered dogs breakfast in NZ with hair of the dog in the USA ;) Also, pretty sure you meant "Din-G" when you were saying dinghy.

[@terinarimene7444]

Yep you are right its dingy not dinghy which means tight arse these days 🤣

[@jsolfin185]

When you said "minge" it reminded me of the difference between "Bum bag" and "Fanny Pack" which is another Commonwealth/United states difference. My cousin went to the states and he kept his travelers checks in his bum bag but, he had to call it a Fanny pack because over there fanny means your arse.... not.... your minge.

[@effie-Toronto]

This was such a fun video ....a lot of laughs on my part you 2 are fantastic

[@juneterry8487]

A bit of a trip down memory lane. I remember pretty much all of these but most of them are not in common use nowadays and mostly replaced with something else.

[@cadifan]

"Ear wagging" is eavesdropping

[@alexphilip73]

Most of these are Scottish slang as well especially 'dogs breakfast', I think Alex was referring to 'hair of the dog' when he mentioned drinking in the morning which is maybe more common a phrase here then it should be haha

[@samanthac5872]

This was totally a trip back to my childhood in the 80's - of things we used to say!

[@charmaineczora8312]

The term 'big bickies' is also used when you are describing something expensive e.g. 'We want to buy a ride on lawn mower, but it's gonna cost big bickies'. (Bickies = bucks = dollars = $ *same thing). 'Doing a Hollywood' is also a way of saying someone is showing off for attention. 'Pull your finger out' is another very used phrase. It means to hurry up. This was fun!

[@AlexanderAyling]

Hahah the last one is hilarious

[@lynnerussell1647]

Shag could also mean wasting time eg "stop shagging around and do something "

[@teejaydiscombobulated2724]

That's so funny - as a Kiwi, I had NO idea what 'Gen' was, and I had it last night in a crossword. Thanks for the answer - it was frustrating me!! Lol Timing is everything.

[@CarrieRad]

Glad we could help 😍🥰

[@brendanlister883]

I've never said What's the Gen?" I still love this

[@AlexanderAyling]

It sounds like an 80s term haha

[@libbysevicke-jones3160]

What’s the goss has always been the term, never heard what’s the gen.

[@natbeuth3959]

Fortnight is one not used in the US, I believe. Meaning, once a fortnight - once every 2 weeks. Munted meaning ruined. Number 8 wire - sort of like DIY but more creative like you did with the chicken coop, you used wood from a fence to make the lid etc.

[@The2cookiez]

Please do a part 2 with an actual person I feel like that would be hilarious!!

[@AlexanderAyling]

Yes for sure. Need to do this with a kiwi KZbinr haha

[@brendanlister883]

@@AlexanderAyling I'm in

[@Tom_McMurtry]

@@AlexanderAyling contact how to dad. He's great

[@cadifan]

@@Tom_McMurtry How to dad is awesome! Jordan's a funny guy.

[@lk43wz]

@@AlexanderAyling I'm looking forward to seeing you collab with this kiwi kzbin.info 😍 Rosie lives in Wellington, so shouldn't be too far away from you guys 😊

[@bittersweet340]

Also there are the MAORI slang's as well... How old is that book? never herd any of these in today's generation.

[@krysaliyah]

Mingey = miserly “Stop being such a mingey.” This was fun, but yes, some definitely 80s stuff.Love u guys.

[@staceyryan834]

My family still uses diddums (in the sarcastic sense, especially when talking to the kids lol), Piker, gasbagged and earwagging. That's why my mum always took so long at the supermarket, she could always find someone to gasbag with.

[@rttheo7327]

Althought some of there slangs are dated or possibly localised, it was still a very entertaining watch. There are many more and you'll learn these eventually

[@brendanlister883]

Big Bikkies, not as common as it was, but still relevant

[@AlexanderAyling]

Hahaha I love that one!

[@MalOuston]

Check out Urban Dictionary online a lot of weird words and phrases used by teenagers mostly on social media, you mentioned 'pike out; another descriptive term for a person is 'piker' as in declining to participate in some form of activity be it silly or sensible. Loved your take on the Australian accent, my favourite is a 'mongrel bludger; the ultimate put down haha.

[@StaceWah]

Ummm, but CAN you do an Australian accent? LOL, you definitely get 100 points for enthusiasm in your delivery. Thanks for the LOLs in this one, Alex. From one of your Aussie viewers ^.^

[@akaCJ]

Agreed mate... My eyebrows raised and I did a wee shake of the head

[@StaceWah]

@@akaCJ I jest though. Alex and Carrie's energy and willingness to have a go with the unfamiliar is super endearing. They're gems!

[@aussiebird]

“Awww that’s Min-Gee” = mean ie small serving of cake. You “bloody dag” = you’re a character/funny. “Box of fluffy ducks” = I’m good, feeling great thanks.

[@lorrelcherie2281]

Box of fluffies! Love that one 😆 all these slangs we don't realize we say

[@alejandramorales6896]

I love to see the actual personalities coming out from you guys and the semi bickering lol its fun and its what real relationships are about. 👍👍👍👍 keep it up with these videos and hoping the romance stays strong and lasts forever

[@Natalie-ng5wt]

Hahahaha. This is mostly outdated, but how fun 🤣

[@linnea9017]

This was a lot of fun to watch. You two became a bit mingy when you didnt turn of the toby. :D

[@AlexanderAyling]

Lol

[@emuhlee16]

The cut to Carrie's "Oh, fuck....." moment LOL

[@AlexanderAyling]

Best moment of the year

[@jamielouise1836]

Never heard of "what's the gen?". That was new for me.

[@duncanupjohn1481]

Great vid guys. Remember the "Bring a plate", as it is used often still. Alex pronounced mingey correctly. Enjoy the summer.

[@erinshay2108]

As an Australian, I'm not sure you're as good at the Aussie accent as you think you are 🤣 love the enthusiasm with which it was delivered though!

[@cadifan]

As an Aucklander I thought it was spot on. 😂

[@erinwilliams4911]

I thought he nailed it 😂

[@erinshay2108]

@@erinwilliams4911oh no... Am I just not self aware and I sound like that?? 🤣

[@juliewilliams3579]

Oh my god I have that. Antiquated 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@patraic5241]

Southerly. Hmm. Sound specific to the weather patterns of NZ. It's like a Nor'Easter in New England USA. That's a dangerously strong gale that comes in off the Atlantic onto land from the North East.

[@stefanexplores]

Who was Toby anyway? 😂 Ahhhhh I miss New Zealand so much!

[@AlexanderAyling]

A man who works on a boat?!? Lol

[@annak8852]

Thanks for the laughs, its funny what phrases you grow up with, that seem totally incomprehensible to those new to NZ. Stingey is a common word, for when someone is not generous or 'that was a stingey piece of cake' a small piece. Gink I've never heard, but as kids we'd use gawk, like 'stop gawking at me' stop looking at me etc. Gasbagging, is anyone having a good yarn 'I had a good gasbag with Penny next door, had a good old laugh'. Piked is funny, I don't drink booze much, so I have 2-3 ciders & I'm a tad sozzled, so I pike & sneak off to bed. Piked as bro ;) Hahahaha, great episode!!

[@b20f08]

When Carrie said gen and used it in a sentence, I immediately thought goss. Lol.

[@johntepu1869]

Kia ora korua, new subscriber. No offence or disrespect intended and, I’m not saying you should learn Te Reo Maori however, pronunciation Te Reo is very important and shows that you care EVEN more about Aotearoa New Zealand than you already do. Although not everyone agrees, the Maori language and culture belongs to the entire country. The Maori community/population are the current guardians/caretaker’s of this unique treasure UNTIL the rest of the population are mature enough and care enough to help shoulder the workload. Imagine if the entire country could speak Maori and English. Currently ONLY 1-2% of the entire 5 million population are capable of doing this. Kudos to the government and mainstream media whom are currently role modelling what the future could possibly look like if we do this together… Noreira, nau te rourou, naku te rourou ka ora ai te iwi”, with your input and my input the closer and more united we will be as a nation, noho ora mai.

[@ktkrogstad]

I think the word Carrie was thinking of for "mingy" was "dingy" (like "a dark, dingy alley"). The word that came to my mind was "mangy", like a "mangy cat" or a "mangy, tattered sweater". But once you talked about it also meaning the female genitals, I thought of the drag race contestant Ginger Minge lol

[@mexi72]

I've been here 20 years and have never heard anybody say What's the Gen.

[@cadifan]

Been here my whole life (61) and I've never heard of it either.

[@davidtyree1842]

A lot of those were old when I was a kid in the 60s.

[@livpowell1315]

No one says Gink, but always geeze! maybe that's how geeze evolved. "I'll have to have a geeze in that shop" you hear that all the time

[@akaCJ]

She's too nice and he's too competitive... I think Carrie did really well... We have probably adapted a lot of these... Gink I've never heard, we say Geez "Sam have a geez at this"... Growing up in the army we used to have lollie scrambles out of an Iroquois helicopter... Epic

[@jesaminetehuia9098]

Yeah like - have a geezer at this. 👀

[@ulooklikemeow]

Crate day is awesome!!!

[@ladylaudanum8663]

Traditionally at school lollies were thrown up in the air. Diddums is sarcasm. You dont nomally use dogs breakfast like that, youd usually say, " your bedroom looks like a dogs breakfast ". Nobody uses Gen.

[@victoriousteex99-_]

I already discovered your channel since 2 days ....i become addicted on it 🤣 Peace from Algeria 🇩🇿

[@shadesofgray9]

We have the norwester come thru something wicked in the summer. Gets real hot and windy down here in the mainland. Goon to be specific (10pts if you find out where that is).

[@barrynichols2846]

Doing a Hollywood. Faking injury or diving for a penalty in a sports sense. Faking drama, upset, pretending to be more of something

[@johnberkley6942]

When my family and I first came to NZ (1960) we were 'just off the boat' -- literally. Mum received an invitation for us to go to an event, and it was 'ladies, bring a plate', so Mum did just that. Thinking it was some arcane New Zealand thing, she brought a plate. Our first two years in New Zealand were filled with amusing gaffes of this sort.

[@joannewinter7879]

My Aunty did this too 😁🤦‍♀️

[@charmaineczora8312]

An empty plate?

[@joannewinter7879]

@@charmaineczora8312 saying is Bring a plare, not bring a plate of food to share . 🌝

[@johnberkley6942]

@@charmaineczora8312 Yes. The Kiwis thought it adorable.

[@charmaineczora8312]

@@johnberkley6942 Naw!

[@lucy.loves.travel]

A shandy is usually enjoyed by more senior ladies where I'm from in Oz 🍺

[@stargazer5073]

Wow, it's already a year!!!! Blessings

[@BenCG]

26:19 I would have said it's pronounced as if you're rhyming it with springy! "Ming-ee" .... "minger" and "minging" were common slang in the early 2000s here in the UK to mean an ugly person or something that smelled or tasted bad.

[@ceramicnurse]

CUTE AS episode 🥳

[@doldo1181]

Ive never used these sayings in my entire life but I think these are more the European kiwi slangs from the 80s my teacher back in the day use to always say things I didn't understand.

[@escapereallife7128]

idk if anyone else was yelling out the answers, and yups, was 80's slang but had some classics. ♥

[@MikeM-js5ne]

This was Hilarious! Gasbag!

[@RubyDoobieScoo]

Lollies are the same as candies except "lolly" doesn't include chocolate.

[@GeorgieGirlxoxo1]

KJ Apa did a kiwi slang video with Vanity Fair, and it’s pretty good. A nice baseline for Kiwi slang... definitely check that out!

[@ros4645]

Big biccies / How's the makings? / gink /roman fingers / toby rarely used these days.

[@dianes4858]

This episode was “sweet as”!

[@cadifan]

It is mingy with a ''j'' sound

[@big_badaboom]

The lesson: a forty year old slang dictionary is about 50% useless. 😄

[@M_Ravinerakhalgot]

Exactly what I was thinking alex u have better chance of knowing more since your dad is kiwi and you grew up with it

[@cordeliastockwell1837]

I am so down to make "drenched" a thing hahah and I see "lolly scramble" akin to "shit show" (the adult version at least) also, Carrie, "dingy" is def a word! like a dingy dive bar (dark, sketch, not good, gloomy)

[@AlexanderAyling]

Haha Drenched!!!

[@srealnz]

I've heard people use big bikies in the past but a more common slang would be big bucks, for example, if I did a good job, I was the only one capable or qualified to do a job, I would say, "That's why I'm on the big bucks"

[@elahhale9057]

Very entertaining 😁. Poor Carrie though, even if she has a competitive streak hidden inside of her, Virgoness makes her naturally a giving person and therefore Alex, you will always have a head start on her 😔. I enjoyed this light hearted fun. 😊

[@mrpaisleyshirt]

Cop it- to get in trouble and suffer the consequences. "he really copped it for breaking that window" Grouse- really good. Sheila (also Aussie)-girl. "look at that grouse looking sheila" Mingy and Stingy (pronounced- minjee) usually means to be tight when spending money, basically a tight arse "what a mingy tight arse bastard that guy was" Of course you don't want to go calling someone that to their face, ha ha!

[@jackiesaunders3515]

Really outdated slang book there. Still funny as. Love your channel.

[@carolynclitheroe3588]

A lot of these are the same in the UK - or are related to UK slang. Biccies is UK slang for biscuits so it’s easier to work out that big biccies means money…

[@babyyodarules1341]

When I moved to Christchurch many years ago I had never heard of the NorWester....that's an amazing wind...super warm air very unique to Canterbury. I miss the cloud formation called the NorWest Arch...cantaburians...have I got these names right?

[@Hellknight27]

Yes, it is why we get such high summer temps. They are also good for giving you a headache!

[@erinwilliams4911]

We get nor-westers here in the Wairarapa where Alex and Carrie have moved

[@rhondapeace3957]

Way too olden days lol

[@carolynclitheroe3588]

I cannot believe you just said minge ha!!

[@RedDeadPandaGaming]

Never heard anyone say "What's the gen?"

[@eileenhildreth8355]

Gink....gander would be the English slang equivalent, ladies a plate is a classic, potluck would be a more modern equivalent, but most kiwis understand bring a plate ( no longer sexist). Lolly scrambles have largely died out due to 'health and safety ' regulations, mingey...soft g....miserly,

[@PheeFab]

A lot of those words are out of date and we’ve never heard of half those words

[@carmelopai4833]

the gen is...no we don't say that anymore...

[@helenover3381]

Fun vlog to watch 👍

[@mogsev1006]

I left NZ 1986 and I didn't use many of those. Diddims, yes

[@jodiehamilton597]

So many are used in the UK to

[@yvonnebroughton4303]

Jen no ...what's hap-nin or what's going on

[@AlexanderAyling]

Hahah yeah we thought that one was old school

[@babyyodarules1341]

Glad Alex was there with some knowledge or those pronnouciations would have been really mingy

[@GauravYadav-in5tt]

Why you both brothers are not making videos together.I miss them so bad

[@Frank-rx8ch]

What do you call a tongue twister? It's when your tang gets tonguegled up.

[@barryscott6222]

"Gen" is more a 'WW2 generation' saying. It comes from "intelliGENce". Meaning information from the authoritative source. i.e. secret/classified intelligence from the people in the know.

[@barryscott6222]

Roman fingers = Roaming hands/fingers. or Roam'n.

[@sharontihore1585]

slang are different now ive never heard those ones youve mention . sweet- means cool, mean as- well done , not the one bro- not good just a few slangs are around now and used