Kiwi Slang: the Letter G

Somehow another week has passed and it's slang Saturday again!

Before we get too far into the letter G though, I’ve realized I forgot a very important letter F phrase. Normally, I’d just move on and let it go but I don’t want to leave this one out because I just find it so incredibly amusing.

Far out – So to me, this is the kind of phrase that would be one of those words used by your uncle who has an affinity for seventies lingo and also still says “groovy” on a daily basis. Not so here my friends, “far out” is used widely and by all ages here.

Okay, with that taken care of we now move on!

Kiwi Slang words and slang starting with the letter G

Get amongst it – In my frustration trying to define this phrase I turned to the ultimate authority on slang, UrbanDictionary, where I found a definition that far exceeds what I could come up with: “A command to participate unreservedly; to make use of something without restraint. Go for it!”

Get into it – Similar to get amongst it, but used most often when referring to food, it’s used the same way Americans might say “dig in.”

Give a fright – Every time I hear this I think of that line in Parent Trap when British Lindsay Lohan pretending to be American Lindsay Lohan accidentally blurts out, “You gave me a fright!” (It means “to scare.”)

Good on ya – An expression of approval or congratulations. Ex: “I just won the prize for gumboot throwing!” “Good on ya, mate!”

Gumboots – Rainboots/Wellies. BUT. Gumboots carry a lot more cultural significance here than rainboots or wellies would elsewhere. I couldn’t tell you why, but there’s an entire day of festivities devoted to the gumboot, capped off with the gumboot throwing competition. It is, as they say, world famous in New Zealand. If you don’t believe me click here.

And that's a wrap on G! We're going hard out on the letter H next week and who knows, we might even throw in the letter I while we're at it.