JOY Drive

4 Aug 2023

Bin chickens and maggies step into the spotlight with new word appeal

Society & Culture

Australia’s nicknames for its weird and wonderful animals have become almost as iconic as the creatures themselves.

Some are common – think bin chickens, maggies, chooks and mozzies. Others, such as Noah’s Arks (sharks) and brain-fever birds (pallid cuckoos) might leave most amateur Aussie wordsmiths scratching their heads.

Many colloquial names for flora and fauna are recorded already, but experts at The Australian National University (ANU) are hoping to collect more examples.

The Australian National Dictionary Centre (ANDC) is looking for new contributions, with a focus on plants and animals.

Guest:  Mark Gwynn – Senior Researcher, Australian National Dictionary Centre, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences

Presenter:  Warren Andrew

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:32 — 15.8MB)

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