Just for Fun

by Rosalind James

  All Blacks: National rugby team. Members are selected for every series from amongst the five NZ Super 15 teams. The All Blacks play similarly selected teams from other nations.

  Aotearoa: New Zealand (the other official name, meaning “The Land of the Long White Cloud" in Maori)

  arvo, this arvo: afternoon

  Aussie, Oz: Australia. (An Australian is also an Aussie. Pronounced “Ozzie.”)

  bach: holiday home (pronounced like “bachelor”)

  backs: rugby players who aren't in the scrum and do more running, kicking, and ball-carrying—though all players do all jobs and play both offense and defense. Backs tend to be faster and leaner than forwards.

  bangers and mash: sausages and potatoes

  barrack for: cheer for

  bench: counter (kitchen bench)

  berko: berserk

  bikkies: cookies

  bit of a dag: a comedian, a funny guy

  bits and bobs: stuff (“be sure you get all your bits and bobs”)

  blood bin: players leaving field for injury

  Blues: Auckland's Super 15 team

  bollocks: rubbish, nonsense

  boofhead: fool, jerk

  booking: reservation

  boots and all: full tilt, no holding back

  bot, the bot: flu, a bug

  Boxing Day: December 26—a holiday

  brekkie: breakfast

  brilliant: fantastic

  bub: baby, small child

  buggered: messed up, exhausted

  bull's roar: close. “They never came within a bull's roar of winning.”

  bunk off: duck out, skip (bunk off school)

  bust a gut: do your utmost, make a supreme effort

  Cake Tin: Wellington's rugby stadium (not the official name, but it looks exactly like a springform pan)

  cardie: a cardigan sweater

  chat up: flirt with

  chilly bin: ice chest

  chocolate bits: chocolate chips

  choice: fantastic

  chokka: full

  Chrissy: Christmas

  chuck out: throw away

  chuffed: pleased

  collywobbles: nervous tummy, upset stomach

  come a greaser: take a bad fall

  costume, cossie: swimsuit (female only)

  cot: crib (for a baby)

  crook: ill

  cuddle: hug (give a cuddle)

  cuppa: a cup of tea (the universal remedy)

  CV: resumé

  cyclone : hurricane (Southern Hemisphere)

  dairy: corner shop (not just for milk!)

  dead: very; e.g., “dead sexy.”

  dill: fool

  do your block: lose your temper

  dob in: turn in; report to authorities. Frowned upon.

  doddle: easy. “That'll be a doddle.”

  dodgy: suspect, low-quality

  dogbox: The doghouse—in trouble

  Domain: a good-sized park; often the “official” park of the town.

  dressing gown: bathrobe

  drongo: fool (Australian, but used sometimes in NZ as well)

  drop your gear: take off your clothes

  duvet: comforter

  earbashing: talking-to, one-sided chat

  electric jug: electric teakettle to heat water. Every Kiwi kitchen has one.

  En Zed: Pronunciation of NZ. (“Z” is pronounced “Zed.”)

  ensuite: master bath (a bath in the bedroom).

  eye fillet: premium steak (filet mignon)

  fair go: a fair chance. Kiwi ideology: everyone deserves a fair go.

  fair wound me up: Got me very upset

  fantail: small, friendly native bird

  farewelled, he'll be farewelled: funeral; he’ll have his funeral.

  feed, have a feed: meal

  first-five, first five-eighths: rugby back—does most of the big kicking jobs and is the main director of the backs. Also called the No. 10.

  fixtures: playing schedule

  fizz, fizzie: soft drink

  fizzing: fired up

  flaked out: tired

  flash: fancy

  flat to the boards: at top speed

  flat white: most popular NZ coffee. An espresso with milk but no foam.

  flattie: roommate

  flicks: movies

  flying fox: zipline

  footpath: sidewalk

  footy, football: rugby

  forwards: rugby players who make up the scrum and do the most physical battling for position. Tend to be bigger and more heavily muscled than backs.

  fossick about: hunt around for something

  front up: face the music, show your mettle

  garden: yard

  get on the piss: get drunk

  get stuck in: commit to

  give way: yield

  giving him stick, give him some stick about it: teasing, needling

  glowworms: larvae of a fly found only in NZ. They shine a light to attract insects. Found in caves or other dark, moist places.

  go crook, be crook: go wrong, be ill

  go on the turps: get drunk

  gobsmacked: astounded

  good hiding: beating (“They gave us a good hiding in Dunedin.”)

  grotty: grungy, badly done up

  ground floor: what we call the first floor. The “first floor” is one floor up.

  gumboots, gummies: knee-high rubber boots. It rains a lot in New Zealand.

  gutted: thoroughly upset

  Haast's Eagle: (extinct). Huge native NZ eagle. Ate moa.

  haere mai: Maori greeting

  haka: ceremonial Maori challenge—done before every All Blacks game

  hang on a tick: wait a minute

  hard yakka: hard work (from Australian)

  harden up: toughen up. Standard NZ (male) response to (male) complaints: “Harden the f*** up!”

  have a bit on: I have placed a bet on [whatever]. Sports gambling and prostitution are both legal in New Zealand.

  have a go: try

  Have a nosy for…: look around for

  head: principal (headmaster)

  head down: or head down, bum up. Put your head down. Work hard.

  heaps: lots. “Give it heaps.”

  hei toki: pendant (Maori)

  holiday: vacation

  hooker: rugby position (forward)

  hooning around: driving fast, wannabe tough-guy behavior (typically young men)

  I'll see you right: I'll help you out

  in form: performing well (athletically)

  it's not on: It's not all right

  iwi: tribe (Maori)

  jabs: immunizations, shots

  jersey: a rugby shirt, or a pullover sweater

  journo: journalist

  jumper: a heavy pullover sweater

  ka pai: going smoothly (Maori).

  kapa haka: school singing group (Maori songs/performances. Any student can join, not just Maori.)

  karanga: Maori song of welcome (done by a woman)

  keeping his/your head down: working hard

  kia ora: welcome (Maori, but used commonly)

  kilojoules: like calories--measure of food energy

  kindy: kindergarten (this is 3- and 4-year-olds)

  kit, get your kit off: clothes, take off your clothes

  Kiwi: New Zealander OR the bird. If the person, it’s capitalized. Not the fruit.

  kiwifruit: the fruit. (never called simply a “kiwi.”)

  knackered: exhausted

  knockout rounds: playoff rounds (quarterfinals, semifinals, final)

  koru: ubiquitous spiral Maori symbol of new beginnings, hope

  kumara: Maori sweet potato.

  ladder: standings (rugby)

  littlies: young kids

  lock: rugby position (forward)

  lollies: candy

  lolly: candy or money

  lounge: living room

  mad as a meat axe: crazy

  maintenance: child support

 
major: “a major.” A big deal, a big event

  mana: prestige, earned respect, spiritual power

  Maori: native people of NZ—though even they arrived relatively recently from elsewhere in Polynesia

  marae: Maori meeting house

  Marmite: Savory Kiwi yeast-based spread for toast. An acquired taste.

  mate: friend

  metal road: gravel road

  Milo: coffee substitute; hot drink mix

  mind: take care of, babysit

  moa: (extinct) Any of several species of huge flightless NZ birds. All eaten by the Maori before Europeans arrived.

  moko: Maori tattoo

  motorway: freeway

  muesli: like granola, but unbaked

  munted: broken

  naff: stupid, unsuitable. “Did you get any naff Chrissy pressies this year?”

  nappy: diaper

  new caps: new All Blacks—those named to the side for the first time

  New World: One of the two major NZ supermarket chains

  nibbles: snacks

  nick, in good nick: doing well

  niggle, niggly: small injury, ache or soreness

  no worries: no problem. The Kiwi mantra.

  No. 8: rugby position. A forward

  not very flash: not feeling well

  nutted out: worked out

  OE: Overseas Experience—young people taking a year or two overseas, before or after University.

  offload: pass (rugby)

  oldies: older people. (or for the elderly, “wrinklies!”)

  on the front foot: Having the advantage. Vs. on the back foot—at a disadvantage. From rugby.

  Op Shop: charity shop, secondhand shop

  out on the razzle: out drinking too much, getting crazy

  paddock: field (often used for rugby—“out on the paddock”)

  Pakeha: European-ancestry people (as opposed to Polynesians)

  Panadol: over-the-counter painkiller

  partner: romantic partner, married or not

  paua, paua shell: NZ abalone

  pavement: sidewalk (generally on wider city streets)

  penny dropped: light dawned (figured it out)

  people mover: minivan

  perve: stare sexually

  phone's engaged: phone's busy

  piece of piss: easy

  pike out: give up, wimp out

  piss awful: very bad

  piss up: drinking (noun) a piss-up

  pissed: drunk

  play up: act up

  playing out of his skin: playing very well

  PMT: PMS

  Pom, Pommie: English person.

  pop: pop over, pop back, pop into the oven, pop out, pop in

  possie: position (rugby)

  postie: mail carrier

  poumanu: greenstone (jade)

  pressie: present

  puckaroo: broken (from Maori)

  pudding: dessert

  pull your head in: calm down, quit being rowdy

  Pumas: Argentina's national rugby team

  pushchair: baby stroller

  put your hand up: volunteer

  put your head down: work hard

  rapt: thrilled

  rattle your dags: hurry up. From the sound that dried excrement on a sheep's backside makes, when the sheep is running!

  rellies: relatives

  riding the pine: sitting on the bench (as a substitute in a match)

  Rippa: junior rugby

  root: have sex (you DON'T root for a team!)

  ropeable: very angry

  ropey: off, damaged (“a bit ropey”)

  rort: ripoff

  rough as guts: uncouth

  rubbish bin: garbage can

  rugby boots: rugby shoes with spikes (sprigs)

  Rugby Championship: Contest played each year in the Southern Hemisphere by the national teams of NZ, Australia, South Africa, and Argentina

  Rugby World Cup, RWC: World championship, played every four years amongst the top 20 teams in the world

  rugged up: dressed warmly

  ruru: native owl

  Safa: South Africa. Abbreviation only used in NZ.

  sammie: sandwich

  second-five, second five-eights: rugby back

  selectors: team of 3 (the head coach is one) who choose players for the All Blacks squad, for every series

  serviette: napkin

  shattered: exhausted

  sheds: locker room (rugby)

  she'll be right: See “no worries.” Everything will work out. The other Kiwi mantra.

  shift house: move (house)

  shonky: shady (person). “a bit shonky”

  shout, your shout, my shout, shout somebody a coffee: buy a round, treat somebody

  sickie, throw a sickie: call in sick

  sin bin: players sitting out 15-minute penalty in rugby

  sink the boot in: kick you when you're down

  skint: broke (poor)

  skipper: (team) captain. Also called “the Skip.”

  smack: spank. Smacking kids is illegal in NZ.

  smoko: coffee break

  sorted: taken care of

  spa, spa pool: hot tub

  speedo: Not the swimsuit! Speedometer. (the swimsuit is called a budgie smuggler—a budgie is a parakeet, LOL.)

  spew: vomit

  spit the dummy: have a tantrum. (A dummy is a pacifier)

  sportsman: athlete

  sporty: liking sports

  spot on: absolutely correct. “That’s spot on. You’re spot on.”

  Springboks, Boks: South African national rugby team

  squiz: look. “I was just having a squiz round.” “Giz a squiz.”

  stickybeak: nosy person, busybody

  stonkered: drunk—a bit stonkered—or exhausted

  stoush: bar fight, fight

  straight away: right away

  strength of it: the truth, the facts. “What's the strength of that?” = “What's the true story on that?”

  stroppy: prickly, taking offense easily

  stuffed up: messed up

  Super 15: Top rugby competition: five teams each from NZ, Australia, South Africa

  supporter: fan (Do NOT say “root for.” “To root” is to have (rude) sex!)

  suss out: figure out

  sweet: dessert

  sweet as: great. (also: choice as, angry as, lame as . . . Meaning “very” whatever. “Mum was angry as that we ate up all the pudding before tea with Nana.”)

  takahe: ground-dwelling native bird. Like a giant parrot.

  takeaway: takeout (food)

  tall poppy: arrogant person who puts himself forward or sets himself above others. It is every Kiwi's duty to cut down tall poppies, a job they undertake enthusiastically.

  Tangata Whenua: Maori (people of the land)

  tapu: sacred (Maori)

  Te Papa: the National Museum, in Wellington

  tea: dinner (casual meal at home)

  tea towel: dishtowel

  test match: international rugby match (e.g., an All Blacks game)

  throw a wobbly: have a tantrum

  tick off: cross off (tick off a list)

  ticker: heart. “The boys showed a lot of ticker out there today.”

  togs: swimsuit (male or female)

  torch: flashlight

  touch wood: knock on wood (for luck)

  track: trail

  trainers: athletic shoes

  tramping: hiking

  transtasman: Australia/New Zealand (the Bledisloe Cup is a transtasman rivalry)

  trolley: shopping cart

  tucker: food

  tui: Native bird

  turn to custard: go south, deteriorate

  turps, go on the turps: get drunk

  Uni: University—or school uniform

  up the duff: pregnant. A bit vulgar (like “knocked up”)

  ute: pickup or SUV

  vet: check out

  waiata: Maori song

  waka: canoe (Ma
ori)

  Wallabies: Australian national rugby team

  Warrant of Fitness: certificate of a car's fitness to drive

  Weet-Bix: ubiquitous breakfast cereal

  whaddarya?: I am dubious about your masculinity (meaning “Whaddarya . . . pussy?”)

  whakapapa: genealogy (Maori). A critical concept.

  whanau: family (Maori). Big whanau: extended family. Small whanau: nuclear family.

  wheelie bin: rubbish bin (garbage can) with wheels.

  whinge: whine. Contemptuous! Kiwis dislike whingeing. Harden up!

  White Ribbon: campaign against domestic violence

  wind up: upset (perhaps purposefully). “Their comments were bound to wind him up.”

  wing: rugby position (back)

  Yank: American. Not pejorative.

  yellow card: A penalty for dangerous play that sends a player off for 15 minutes to the sin bin. The team plays with 14 men during that time.

  yonks: ages. “It's been going on for yonks.”

  Links

  Listen to the songs, explore the places, watch funny and fascinating Kiwi videos, and find out what’s new at the Rosalind James website.

  The Escape to New Zealand series:

  Hannah and Drew’s story: JUST THIS ONCE

  Koti and Kate’s story: JUST GOOD FRIENDS

  Jenna and Finn’s story: JUST FOR NOW

  Emma and Nic’s story: JUST FOR FUN

  Cover design by Robin Ludwig Design Inc., http://www.gobookcoverdesign.com/