A Dad or mum’s Information to Widespread ‘Bluey’ Phrases

In the event you’re like most of the 60-something million American dad and mom, you’re in all probability already a Bluey tremendous fan. However in the event you’ve been tempted to show the subtitles on when Bluey chases a bin rooster or Bingo takes a bush wee, properly mate, you’re in good firm.

As an Australian expat elevating two babies overseas, there are fewer issues that make me extra homesick than an episode of Bluey. Full of lovable reference factors, Bluey celebrates the laid-back Aussie attraction and tradition I acknowledge from my childhood. 

Regardless of dwelling hundreds of miles away from Australia immediately, watching Bluey with my children has grow to be a technique to introduce them to our shared heritage. For example, I grew up with surf and sunshine in a spot the place sausage sizzles and fairy bread had been two of my five-a-day. I knew to not dob or say the phrase “dunny” and I anticipated a shorts-wearing Santa to climb into my home each summer season.

However, in the event you didn’t develop up in Australia, a few of what you see and listen to on Bluey would possibly really feel like a international language or an inside joke. Till now.

Though you don’t have to know Australian phrases to maintain up with the Heelers, generally it helps to have somewhat inside data. With new Bluey Minisodes freshly streaming this month, I’ve untangled a number of the Aussie jargon so that you don’t should. Now, as Bluey says, let’s do that!

Bilby

A bilby is a lesser-known Australian animal with a reasonably shady previous. For a while it tried to steal the limelight from the beloved Easter Bunny with campaigns celebrating the Easter Bilby as a technique to elevate consciousness for the endangered marsupial. Rising up, this was fairly the controversy (but I nonetheless devoured chocolate Easter Bilbies all the identical).

Half rabbit, half bandicoot, however undoubtedly not purple, we love our bilbies no matter their standing as an Easter rival. Bingo takes a brightly-coloured puppet bilby dwelling from Kindy to spend time with the Heelers within the episode “Bob Bilby.”

Bin Hen

A bin rooster is presumably essentially the most deceptive (and unflattering) nickname for an animal because the trash panda. However let’s be clear, it’s not precisely a rooster—it’s an Australian white ibis. As its moniker implies, bin chickens attempt to scavenge meals wherever they’ll, notably in and round bins (a “bin” is Australian for trash, by the best way). Bluey and Bingo discover it hilarious to chase one among these native birds in episode “Piggyback” and Bandit’s hand puppet, Shaun, scares one other within the episode “Shaun.”

Though they’ve earned a repute for being considerably of a neighborhood pest, bin chickens are additionally considerably on development, that includes on native merchandise and had been even touted as a possible mascot for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. (Enjoyable reality: Bluey is now additionally a scorching contender.)

Biscuits

Bandit’s favourite catchcry, “biscuits,” is a cute various to an expletive most of us like to make use of once we’re pissed off (and let’s be trustworthy, what dad or mum hasn’t needed to drop the “b” phrase infrequently).

Probably the most literal translation to what Australians name a “biscuit” is the American cookie, however Aussies don’t wish to preserve issues too straight ahead. A cracker you’ll layer with cheese is also a biscuit. A deal with you give your canine is also a biscuit. No matter your most popular etymology, biscuits finds its manner in all kinds of Australian conversations, and now because of Bandit presumably the vocabulary of many household households, as properly.

Bum Shuffler

Belief the Aussies to discover a funnier, shorter, and barely cruder technique to check with one thing. On this case, we’ve managed to invent a brand new technique to describe a backside shuffling or backside scooting child. As defined in “Child Race,” a bum shuffler is a child that, properly, shuffles on their bum to get round. That is often a substitute for crawling. Though it doesn’t look notably poised, in case your child is a bum shuffler it’s nothing to be alarmed about. Similar to Bluey, they’ll determine it out in their very own time.

Bush Wee

A bush wee is a handy technique to, um, relieve your self in public whenever you’re out and about. I’m unsure too many Australians would advocate this in the event you’re not an animated canine, nevertheless it has a time and a spot. As Bingo demonstrates within the episode, “Takeaway,” generally there’s merely no different selection. In case your youngster actually must go and there’s a possibility for discretion, a bush wee can put a cease to an in any other case pressing drawback. 

Dobbing

Dobbing means to tattletale, one thing that’s frowned upon in Australian playgrounds. Within the episode “Swim Faculty,” dobbing comes beneath the highlight when the Heelers “dob” on one another to win factors with their instructor. In the end, Bingo declares she doesn’t like dobbing on her household so it’s an incredible one for introducing children to the ideas of tact and loyalty. Ah, morals, another excuse we simply can’t get sufficient of Bluey. Aspect observe, generally it’s completely applicable to dob on wrongdoing, however calling somebody a “foolish previous watermelon head” in all probability isn’t justifiable grounds.

Duck Cake

Sticking with the occasion theme, the episode “Duck Cake” is a nod to the well-known Ladies’s Weekly Youngsters’s Birthday Cake Guide, which was a staple within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties (not displaying my age, simply saying). Probably the most common was the duck cake. Watching Bandit assemble the toughest of all truffles, within the episode “Duck Cake,” brings me proper again to my elementary faculty occasion circuit.

Little doubt these reminiscences are shared with different Australian dad and mom who blew out the candles on their dad and mom’ personal makes an attempt at a Ladies’s Weekly masterpiece. For Australian dad and mom immediately, that is nothing in need of iconic.

Dunny

One of many extra controversial additions to this record is the phrase “dunny.” A dunny is a bathroom, but it surely’s not a phrase royalty would use. Within the episode “Dunny,” Chili tries to discourage the children from utilizing the phrase which prompts a debate of its appropriateness. Many Aussies will discover this notably humorous as a result of we bear in mind our dad and mom having related discussions with us once we had been youngsters. As Chili says, “I simply need us to make use of good phrases so everybody thinks we’re a pleasant household.” From one dad or mum to a different, you’ll be able to’t argue with that.

Fairy Bread

I didn’t understand Australian youngsters’s events had their very own nationwide traditions till I left the nation however belief Bluey to convey again the nostalgia. Each Australian youngsters’s celebration served fairy bread and now that I’m an grownup I understand why—it’s the last word mother hack.

Fairy bread is sort of merely white bread lathered in thick butter from crust-to-crust and lined in lots of and hundreds sprinkles. The children like it! No surprise occasion dad and mom put out a plate within the episodes “Handstand” and “Cross the Parcel.”

Gray Nomads

A “gray nomad” is an endearing time period for a retired Australian who spends prolonged intervals touring on the street. Often they’re in a caravan or motorhome with comfy luxuries afforded to deserving retirees. However with all that additional time on their fingers, gray nomads are recognized for driving slower than, say, a household of Heelers would love them to. That’s why within the episode “Highway Journey” Bandit is eager to keep away from driving behind them.

Sausage Sizzle

Tim Tams, Vegemite, Chris Hemsworth—we’ve exported a mess of Australian icons over time, however arguably none is extra culturally vital than the sausage sizzle. The directions are fairly straight ahead: take a slice of bread, place the sausage on the diagonal, add a drizzle of tomato sauce (ketchup), and a beneficiant layer of grilled onions. Accomplished.

Not solely will we Aussies make certain they’re a staple on each BBQ (shrimps on barbies are so 1984) however you’ll discover them on sale beneath a charity marquee exterior our nationwide {hardware} chain, Bunnings, each weekend. And sure, generally that’s a purpose in itself to go.

Look out for Bluey and Bingo consuming a sausage sizzle at Bluey’s Bunnings equal, Hammerbarn, within the episode “Hammerbarn.” And in the event you’re recreation, give it a go at dwelling. You may additionally be giving a few of these phrases a go, too.

Whereas translating new phrases like these makes for attention-grabbing conversations with a toddler or toddler, Bluey’s success doesn’t hinge on an understanding of Australian language and tradition. As a mother, whatever the nation I name dwelling, Bluey is a reminder to remain current and playful and to not take ourselves too severely regardless of the challenges that unite us as dad and mom. 

That mentioned, I guess you’re glad you now know what a bin rooster and a bush wee is.