Vocabulary Lesson #1

Friends have commented that I've used some words unfamiliar to the average American. So it's happening already -- assimilation! As a twentysomething in London, I used to send my parents "vocabulary lists" to help them get a feel for the culture. It worked well then, so I will try it in Perth also. Here's my first installment.
Flat
Apartment. Our flat is on the seventh floor of a 16-story building, overlooking the Swan River.

Lift
Elevator. "Vince, please hold the lift for me while I lock the front door of the flat.”

Queue
A line formed by people waiting for something, like the bus or at the grocery checkout. “The queue to buy tickets to the George Michael concert was wrapped around the block.”

Macca’s
McDonalds. “A commercial on a local radio station blares, 'Get your refreshing frozen Coke only at Macca’s!'”

Postbox
Mailbox belonging to the Postal Service. “Ma’am, you can drop your holiday cards in the postbox just outside.”

Petrol, Petrol Station
Gas, Gas Station. "There is a BP Petrol Station at the end of our street. You don't have to pay first, just pump your petrol and pay when you've finished."

In case the numbers are too small to read, the current price for unleaded (not premium) is about $1.13 per litre, or approx. $5 per gallon.


Long Black, Flat White
Styles of coffee. Long Black is a small black coffee akin to espresso. Flat white is the same coffee with a bit of milk in it. “At the sidewalk café, he ordered a long black and a flat white to go with their breakfast.”

Zebra (Pronounced zehbruh) Crossing
A specialized crosswalk, defined by wide black and white stripes (think Beatles Abbey Road LP). Drivers MUST stop immediately for pedestrians in this kind of crosswalk. “There is a zebra crossing in front of the Atomic Café, our favorite place to relax.”

Australian Wave
The waving motion people make when swatting the flies who invariably accompany hot weather. “He did the Australian wave for what seemed the hundredth time, and regretted not applying bug repellent before going for his morning walk.”

Fremantle Doctor
The name for the cool breeze off the Indian Ocean which blows into Perth every afternoon from the direction of Fremantle, a coastal town to the west. “On particularly hot summer days, I eagerly anticipate the arrival of the Fremantle Doctor, which occurs about 3:00pm and refreshes me.”

Until next time,
Anita & Vince