Brokowski

Page #20

Added 2022-09-29 22:15:59 +0000 UTC

Slang, as it should be abundantly clear, to this day is a major part of Australian speech. There are of course, many reasons for this, but on in particular is the influence of flash speak, which was essentially a coded way of speaking common to the British underclasses which were inevitably the majority of transports. During this time, your average Brits speaking was so littered with bizarre terms that when brought to court, judges would require translators in their employ to make heads or tails of what defendants were saying.

Cue Mr James Hardy, Author of Australia's first dictionary "A New and Comprehensive Vocabulary of the Flash Language" (still available for purchase!). This book was so popular it immediately sold out, and its theft from the lawyers who often had copies could fetch you a sizable sum.

Our boy James himself came from an uncommonly respectable family but for whatever reasons, perhaps the adventure, chose a life of crime. When imprisoned he was employed as a clerk during which time he wrote this dictionary, which he tongue in cheek dedicated to the station's commandant. To this day much Australian slang etymologically finds its roots in flash speak.

Pick up a copy if you can. It's pretty amusing.