11 September 2009

I'm my own pet peeve

So lately I've been reading various blogs that have a centralized theme of the writers being American women who married Australian men and have thus gone to Australia to live. Obviously I don't have to tell you why blogs like these have sparked my interest of late. Most of these blogs that I've been reading have really irritated me in some way or another though. I understand that the most useful purpose of a blog (on a personal level) is to get rants off your chest so you don't have to bore a live person with the rant. I understand that, hell, I'm doing it right now. My problem with most of these blogs is the rant subject. Maybe not the subject, par se, but just the writers decided angle to get to the subject. Oh hell, let me see if I can find you an example.

"...if you are ever in Sydney and in need of cheapish, fast Mexican food, this is the place I'd recommend! The place had real Mexican people working (I've never seen a Mexican in Australia before!) and it tasted like legit Mexican food, and although they didn't have authentic Mexican style red rice, it was still good."

Irritation #1: Did she ask if they were real Mexicans?
Irritation #2: What exactly is legit Mexican food? Is it the tacos and burritos covered in cheese served up for Americans or is it the Mexican food that Mexicans actually eat, like chilaquiles?
Irritation #3: Authentic Mexican Style red rice.

Another irritation I have with one of the blogs is actually something I do myself, but hate that I do it. Can you have a pet peeve if you're guilty of doing it? Sometimes it happens that when you're around people who talk differently then you and use different phrases then you, you might have a tendency to pick up some of the verbiage and inflections into your own way of speaking, without even realizing you're doing it.

Andy is British. We are dating and we are living together. This does not give me the right to use "gobsmacked" in a sentence nor does it give me the right to say "lee-ver" instead of "leh-ver". I'm ashamed to say that I've used both in recent memory. I try really hard to keep such infractions out of my blog though I will admit that some have sneaked in on occasion (typically when I'm in a frame of thought and just write whatever is in my head without proof reading the result). But some of these blogs I'm reading do it purposefully. It's as if to say, "Look, I know an Aussie slang word. Do you know it? I bet you don't. You'll have to ask me what that means and then I can tell you with a bit of a superior voice when I do."

Tossers. (Heh.)

Though the irritations (and there are others that I'm not going to get into), I still enjoy the blogs to some extent, and I've actually learned quite a bit in the process. Truthfully, to enjoy a blog, you have to be able to relate to the writer on some level like you would any friend. And if you wouldn't want to hang out with that person in real life, you sure as hell won't enjoy reading a blog all about their intimate thoughts. Just saying.

Have a great Friday and enjoy this if you feel a bit bored: http://www.translatebritish.com/reverse.php

--
Casey a.k.a. Moe
http://badgerswithknives.blogspot.com

7 comments:

  1. I like the translator. Do you have to use it much? I understand the pet peeve thing when you do it yourself. An example for me is mispronouncing words...like fer instead of for/fustrated instead of fRustrated. I try to be conscience of it but sometimes it slips out.

    Bethhead

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  2. No worries love. Just crack open a stubby!

    Have a nice day!

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  3. Beth,

    I don't have to use the translator as much as I used to, but I used to a lot. When I still get stuck on something Andy says, like "stubby", I use another online slang dictionary.

    OH WAIT! I do know this one without looking it up! It's Aussie sland for a bottle of beer. Sweet!

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  4. Just pull a stubby or a tinnie out of the Esky, chuck it in a stubby holder, turn on the telly and have a gander at the footy. A perfect weekend!!

    It's hillarious that most people would be like........What language is he speaking? I will try to send over an Aussie slang dictionary....They are quite funny!

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  5. Hmmm... most of my international slang was driven deep into my brain in the early eighties thanks to Monty Python. But, fortunately I've been to a handful of European countries since then, and developed a moderate addiction to BBCA, so I've picked up some more modern expressions.

    But I'll curtail my peeve-inducing predelections and just sign off!

    Ed

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  6. Dane! I actually knew what you were saying! All my blog reading had paid off.

    Ed! Don't even get me started on my BBCA addiction. It's shameful.

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  7. Thats a good start.

    You should fit right in "Down Under"!!! Just watch out for the Joe Blakes!

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