Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- From: Mike Lyle <mike_lyle_uk@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:29:25 -0700 (PDT)
On Mar 13, 5:50�am, Oleg Lego <r...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:39:50 +1100, Richard Bollard posted:
On Fri, 7 Mar 2008 19:14:43 -0000, "Mike Lyle"
<mike_lyle...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
tony cooper wrote:
[...]
There's also the meaning of "swag" being a bundle containing clothes
and something for shelter carried by someone. �Australia has the
"Jolly Swagman".
Though more typically the miserable bugger swagman. My grandfather once
stopped miles from anywhere to offer a swaggie a lift. The bluey-humper
regarded his would-be benefactor balefully and replied, "Open yer own
bloody gates!"
Your grandfather was the source of this old story?
I posted it many years back to see what cultures understood the joke.
I'd heard it at a course about differences in cultures.
Found it: September 2000 under a different nom-de-net.
===original===
I recently attended a seminar on cross-cultural communication. The
presenter used the following joke to illustrate the sorts of
differences that can be found between cultures.
She claimed that it contains words and sentiments that are either
misunderstood or complete puzzles for the non-Australians who have
been shown it.
<begins>
A grazier offered a swagman a ride in his Rolls Royce.
"No fear!" says the swaggie. "Open your own bloody gates!"
<ends>
I thought this group might be a good test of the joke.
Does everyone know what:
A *swagman* is?
A *swaggie*?
*No fear*?
Do we all get the joke?
The meanings of the words would not have been necessary for me to get
the joke.
A ferskle offered a strenbok a ride in his Rolls Royce.
"Pekya", says the strenbok, "Open your own bloody gates."
Ubja skwukkle --as the frippley said to the miplar!
In answer to Richard, on examination it certainly sounds like one of
those stories, though I hadn't heard it from anybody else. I suppose
Grandpa (who did have two cars, but neither was a Roller) could easily
have been appropriating part of the common stock to his own use; or
perhaps it's something that really has happened more than once; or,
which in the cold light of probability seems the least likely, my
grandfather really /was/ the one true source.
The gates-across-roads problem is also found on minor thoroughfares in
upland parts of Britain where there isn't thought to be enough traffic
to justify the expense of putting in a cattle grid.
"Grazier" doesn't carry the same force outside Australia: in Britain
it doesn't imply high status, even within the farming community.
--
Mike.
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- From: Richard Bollard
- Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- References:
- What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- From: LearningCat
- Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- From: Dan Leifker
- Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- From: HVS
- Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- From: Mike Lyle
- Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- From: Richard Bollard
- Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- From: Oleg Lego
- What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- Prev by Date: Re: Changing from AmE to BrE
- Next by Date: Re: Use of "Frame" by Sports Commentators
- Previous by thread: Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- Next by thread: Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
