
My wife and I have debated the origins of the Australian accent for a few years now. I say it is English spoken while squinting, but she says it鈥檚 English spoken while smiling. Maybe its their amusement at being able to speak a dialect in which firefighters are 鈥渇iries,鈥 electricians 鈥渟parkies,鈥 carpenters 鈥渃hippies,鈥 and hardbitten members of outlaw motorcycle gangs are known, even on the national news, as 鈥渂ikies.鈥 Hosers become 鈥渂ogans.鈥 And 鈥済etting shirty鈥 or 鈥渟pitting the dummy鈥 attenuates the intensity of getting angry, while dachshunds have to endure the indignities of being adored as 鈥渟ausage dogs鈥 鈥