Subtle Cultural Differences between Americans and Australians

If you think the only differences between the United States and Australia are accents and animals, think again. There are a lot more subtle cultural differences between the Americans and the Aussies that meet the eye. Take language, for example. Young Australians use some words in everyday speech that haven’t brushed the lips of anyone under the age of 50 in the United States. When was the last time you heard an American say, “I’m keen to go out” or “That was heaps of fun?” Another language obstacle is determining what some slang words mean. Think about the slang word “pissed.” In the States, when someone is pissed, he or she is very angry. In Australia, he or she is very drunk.

Australians also like to shorten words, sometimes adding an “e” sound at the end. Breakfast turns into brekkie, BBQ changes into barbie, and afternoon, inexplicably, transforms into “arvo,” a word that is sometimes spelled with a “r” but pronounced like the avo in avocado. On the surface, the changes appear to be nothing more than an amusing difference. Subtly, however, they belie the prevailing attitude of the nation: laid back and informal. Keep in mind that the accent you hear in Sydney won’t necessarily be the one you hear in the outback, either. Like in the U.S., there are regional dialects.

The idea of responsibility also differs down under. In a country where 85% percent of the population lives within an hour’s drive of the coast, almost everyone grows up on the water. As a result, children are expected to use due caution at the beach. The same goes for trekking around outdoors and avoiding spiders and snakes. Children cannot be protected all the time, especially from nature. Australian parents appear to know this and thus take a more relaxed approach to child rearing, expecting their children (and young adults) to behave responsibly on their own. At the end of year 12 high school exams, students traditionally take a weeklong vacation. This holiday, called “schoolies” or “leavers,” is similar to senior spring break in the U.S., except the legal drinking age is 18. The Australian view on personal responsibility extends to major life decisions as well. Only 14 percent of Australians attend university in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification, compared with twenty-nine percent of Americans. However, a much greater percentage of Australians spend time overseas. It is not unusual for those who do attend university to temporarily interrupt his or her studies in order to do something else for awhile, as a majority live at home and pay for their education through HECS, a government loan program. Unlike the States, less emphasis is placed on getting a high-powered job as soon as possible, and more on finding the right career, even if it takes awhile.

In general, Australians are more open than Americans, especially outside of the largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne. It is not unusual to receive an invite home from a new friend to meet his or her family. If you do take him or her up on the offer, don’t be afraid to pitch in and help out around the house. Although you are the guest, Australian etiquette doesn’t forbid you from doing such things. Females shouldn’t be surprised if they receive a kiss on the cheek from other females or males when an Australian friend introduces them to other Australians. This is especially true if you are a good friend and you are meeting other good friends who have heard about you. Unlike in the U.S., a hug is seen as more intimate than a kiss or air kiss on the cheek.

On the topic of kissing and other intimate relations…it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Australians are a lot less uptight about that too. Like Europe, violence is often considered more offensive than sex. Displays of affection are more ‘in your face’ than in the United States. It’s not uncommon to see couples curled up on the grass during a lunch break. The slogan “sex sells” is visible in both print and media advertising and females sometimes shed their swimsuit tops when they go to the beach.

It is easy to come to Oz and think that it is just like America, but with cuter animals and Steve Irwin. But if you get a chance to make it down under, stay for awhile and try to figure out what it is that makes another culture grin and say “G’day mate!” while Americans smile politely and shake hands.

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