Bustin' caps in the asses of Newbs, Newbies and other un-Australianisms

[Ron Dunn]

I've been suffering through a period of tolerance, but now that I'm feeling better the old Ron is making a grumpy comeback.

Newb. Newbie. When did these become terms of Australian conversation? Every time I see them used in a post I cringe, wondering if the poster is actually some pre-adolescent American child.

Is our Australian vocabulary so restricted that we feel the need to use inane Americanisms for even the most simple of concepts?

[mjmjm]

Think they might be computer words more than American words.

Michael

[Gra]

Think they might be computer words more than American words.

Michael

I agree, newb or newby is a computer word, comes from the pre internet days

[Ron Dunn]

No, it isn't.

It may have been popularised by the internet, but it was an Americanism long before that.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/newbie

Let me turn it around ... did you ever hear this term used when you were a child? A teenager? A young man?

Harumph. Next thing we'll all be saying "nuc-u-lar" and declaring war on "trrrr".

At least "SWMBO" can lay claim to being a wholesome English expression.

[funkychicken]

I've been suffering through a period of tolerance, but now that I'm feeling better the old Ron is making a grumpy comeback.

Newb. Newbie. When did these become terms of Australian conversation? Every time I see them used in a post I cringe, wondering if the poster is actually some pre-adolescent American child.

Is our Australian vocabulary so restricted that we feel the need to use inane Americanisms for even the most simple of concepts?

Gotta agree, I hate it when people call themselves N00bs and such

[Ian Smith]

No, it isn't.
At least "SWMBO" can lay claim to being a wholesome English expression.

What's the difference? It's still not Australian, which I thought was the point of your original whinge

I think we can thank Horace Rumpole for popularising it

Ian

[Ron Dunn]

Good point, Ian I'm being selectively intolerant.

[weisyboy]

i get so anoyed when people speek american. i feal like giving tehm a smack in the mouth.

i really hate sayings with american town names in them.

we live in the land of aus not america

[watson]

I just found a wasp nest

[Rossluck]

i get so anoyed when people speek american. i feal like giving tehm a smack in the mouth.

i really hate sayings with american town names in them.

we live in the land of aus not america

I agree Carl. Let's get the SOB's.

[Ron Dunn]

And while we're at it ....

GO FIGURE !!!!
DO THE MATH !!!

I can't believe how often I'm hearing those ridiculous expressions in the media these days.

Just goes to show that the only qualification for broadcast media is a pretty face.

[weisyboy]

what about

"closure"
"gawd damit"

[funkychicken]

what about

"closure"

Yeah and "Desk" and "Loaf". What's wrong with closure?

[mjmjm]

Well I agree with Ron Dunn in that I hate to see any threat to our "Australian-ness".

But I gave up worrying about it when I was around funky's age.
Firstly because we can't stop change, and secondly because the change is never as bad as we think.

Funky is a good example -- for the last 16 years, presumably, he has been subjected to untold hours of American culture via TV, computer games, internet, etc.
But he still likes Australian ways rather than American ways.

At work I get the opportunity to see Asian families arrive for extended stays here.
The parents generally don't change that much, except for becoming more responsive to our relaxed approach to things -- they become more friendly.

But after a couple of months at school the children become "Australian" -- they become just like Australian kids. And after a couple of years here, I love to hear Australian accents from these kids.

My conclusion is that up close, our Australian "culture" is irresistable.

So other cultures might dent the surface sometimes, but they won't change Australians very much. We're all too much the way we are to let anyone change us.

Michael

[ubeaut]

Stone the bloody crows. If any of yous blokes 'n' sheila's feel the need to bust a cap go to this 'ere thread 'n' do it for the good of others.

did you ever hear this term used when you were a child? A teenager? A young man?

Come now.... did you ever hear the term wiktionary, wiki, etc or even world wide web. I'll bet not. Anyone under 20 need'nt answer. I'll also bet there's a lot who don't know what a zac, deena, or trey are yet they were used in Australia every day for many, many years.

Newb, Noob, Newbie, Troll, and a number of other terms are actually universally used in forums (bulletin boards)

Think you'll find that Newbie stems from New boy which was used whan I was a kid.