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info for foreign people!
Mar. 29th, 2011 02:06 pmIf, for some reason, you ever decide to write a story set in Australia, here are three useless facts to help you:
1) Our powerpoints have switches. You don't just plug an appliance in - you plug it in, switch the powerpoint on, and then you can turn on the appliance.
2) When catching a taxi, it is customary to sit in the front passenger seat, not in the back.
3) The phrase "yeah, nah..." is beloved by all Australians, and is used as follows:
It can be used to express agreement or disagreement, with no indication of which one you're going to mean. It's the perfect "I acknowledge that you have just said something, and I am about to reply" phrase.
And we use it all the time.
1) Our powerpoints have switches. You don't just plug an appliance in - you plug it in, switch the powerpoint on, and then you can turn on the appliance.
2) When catching a taxi, it is customary to sit in the front passenger seat, not in the back.
3) The phrase "yeah, nah..." is beloved by all Australians, and is used as follows:
"How was the footy?"
"Yeah, nah, it was fine."
"Do you think it's going to rain today?"
"Yeah, nah, it'll be okay."
"Are you driving yourself there?"
"Yeah, nah, I'm taking my car."
"Are you driving yourself there?"
"Yeah, nah, some friends are giving me a lift."
It can be used to express agreement or disagreement, with no indication of which one you're going to mean. It's the perfect "I acknowledge that you have just said something, and I am about to reply" phrase.
And we use it all the time.