February 20, 2003

EPISTEMOLOGY IN STRINE.

From Desbladet, these thoughtful lyrics from Down Under:

Maybe I'm knotty veneer
Hagger nigh telephime reely reel?
Hadder Y. Noah Fimere?
... Wunker nawlwye stell; yegger nawlwye snow
If you're reelor yerony dreaming;
Yellopoff the topoff your nirra stow
A new wafer the sander the screaming.

–Afferbeck Lauder

Alistair Morrison coined the term "Strine" for the idiosyncratic form of English spoken in Australia; his 1965 book Let Stalk Strine, written under the pseudonym Afferbeck Lauder ("alphabetical order"), popularized the term. If anyone can't figure out the text of the ditty, say so in the comments and I'll translate.

Posted by languagehat at February 20, 2003 02:33 PM
Comments

Cors, Strayan has change dabbit sins then.

Posted by: Rory at February 21, 2003 01:27 PM

Sounds like a good book. Emma Chiset?

Posted by: Tim Dunlop at February 24, 2003 04:26 PM

Well, this is the best I found at bookfinder.com:

Ambrosia Books
via Books & Collectibles [Australia]
Publisher: Ure Smith Sydney 1969 Reprint Card PB, sm 8vo, pp 46, b/w line drawings, gen wear and stains but sound copy of scarce book. 100 gms $7.17

Most copies are over $20, so act now!

Posted by: language hat at February 24, 2003 04:59 PM