In the course of conversation the tag "eh" is often used merely to check that the person you are talking to is listening and following what you are saying. A mere prefunctory "Yeah" is all that is required in response. Thus the questioning force of "eh" is reduced.
"Eh?" used to solicit agreement or confirmation is also heard regularly amongst speakers in Australia, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom (where it is sometimes spelled "ay" on the assumption that "eh" would rhyme with "heh" or "meh").
There are a few things you will notice straightway when you talk to Australians (or Aussies for short). First, they tend to add the word “aye” to many sentences – but don't worry about that, it doesn't really mean anything. Secondly, they LOVE to use slang. Lots and lots of slang.
Confirmational, eh
Our two-letter word is what's called a confirmational, a word tacked on to the end of a sentence to confirm something is true. That's not unusual — linguists have found equivalents in East Asia, Africa and even the United States.
The interjection eh — as in “I know, eh?” — is popularly considered to be a marker of Canadian speech. Canadians use eh more frequently than in any other country, and also have the most varied usage of the interjection.
It is sometimes used in Canadian English. The word is also common in the Indian subcontinent, where it has varied pronunciations of "O-ee" and "O-ye". "Oi" has been particularly associated with working class and Cockney speech.
This simple expression is a big cultural export, featuring frequently in our movies, memes, and shows. It's as much an essential part of the New Zealand vocabulary as 'choice', 'she'll be right', and 'yeah, nah', but the off-hand, often subconscious 'eh' has always been something of a mystery.
Both “zed” and “zee” are acceptable pronunciations for the letter Z in Canada, though “zed” is much more common.
In other words, where many US speakers will pronounce "sorry" like "sari", (i.e. in the lot Lexical Set), Canadians make the first syllable like "sore." In fact, when Canadian actors learn that US speakers say "sorry/sari" in the same manner, they often remark "where's the pain in that?" For us, "sorry," the word many ...
Hooroo = Goodbye
The Australian slang for goodbye is Hooroo and sometimes they even Cheerio like British people.
Yeah, nah – 'yes, no' - became popular in Australia in the 90s and has continued to grow in use, both in Australia and overseas. Like all good things, the Kiwis claim it as theirs too, even using it for a major drink driving campaign.
It surely sounds strange to those who are familiar with American or British English, but it is a very common expression in Australia. G'day is a shortened form of 'Good Day' and it is the equivalent of 'Hello.
G'day. One of the first things you'll hear when in Australia, is the classic “G'day, mate”, which is basically the same as saying, “good day”, or “hello”. So feel free to use this one from day 1 and watch the smiles around you as people respond with, “g'day mate”, which means “hello, friend”.
Z versus S
While American English uses 'ize', 'izi' and 'iza' in words like 'organize', 'organizing' and 'organization', Australian/British English uses 'ise', 'isi' and 'isa', as in 'organise', 'organising' and 'organisation'.
It's "good evening", or the non-time specific "g'day". Contributor's comments: I grew up in Brisbane, and have never, heard 'Goodnight' as a greeting.
Canadians prefer the spelling grey, although gray is also correct. Grey is the preferred spelling in Britain, while gray is favoured in the United States. A tolerant and forgiving person, my aunt never saw the world in black and white, but always in shades of grey.
Have a good day! – Bonne journée! Good-bye – Au revoir. ..... which actually means 'see you again'.
Canadians may laugh lightly over handshakes to diffuse the formality. French Canadians may also greet each other by lightly kissing both cheeks once, starting on the left. Physical greetings depend on one's sense of of another person's comfort level.
Canadians are pretty laid-back. So as long as you offer some form of friendly greeting, you will generally get a “hello” or “bonjour” or even a “Hey! How's it goin?” in return.
Cuz or cuzzie is short for cousin and is used in a similar way to bro or as an alternative. Can be used to describe males and females.
Kia Ora is a greeting many people outside of New Zealand are familiar with. It can mean a lot of things, too! Kiwis use it to say hello, good morning, good luck, and take care. It's essentially an all-encompassing way to wish someone well.
Ta: Thank you shortened. Yeah…nah: Technically means no, but can also mean maybe. Go figure! Dunny: A toilet.