Chiming twang

When British convicts came to Australia, they brought with them an enthusiasm for rhyming slang. The slang can be relatively straightforward (and lame) or convoluted and obscure (often lame but sometimes clever).

For example, “I’m wearing a bag of fruit (‘suit’) to the dinner dance on Friday.” And, “As soon as she’s finished up here, I’ll bet you she’ll Harold Holt.” (‘bolt’, as in depart quickly. Derived from an Australian Prime Minister, who disappeared while swimming in the sea, in 1967)

Terry Pratchett writes,

Various rhyming slangs are known, and have given the universe such terms as ‘apples and pears’ (stairs), ‘rubbity-dub’ (pub) and ‘busy bee’ (General Theory of Relativity).

Going Postal

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