Just for Fun (43 page)

journo:  journalist

jumper:  a heavy pullover sweater

ka pai:  going smoothly (Maori).

kapa haka:  school singing group (Maori
songs/performances. Any student can join, not just Maori.)

karanga:  Maori song of welcome (done by a
woman)

keeping his/your head down:  working hard

kia ora:  welcome (Maori, but used
commonly)

kilojoules:  like calories--measure of food
energy

kindy:  kindergarten (this is 3- and
4-year-olds)

kit, get your kit off:  clothes, take off
your clothes

Kiwi:  New Zealander OR the bird. If the
person, it’s capitalized. Not the fruit.

kiwifruit:  the fruit. (never called simply
a “kiwi.”)

knackered:  exhausted

knockout rounds:  playoff rounds
(quarterfinals, semifinals, final)

koru:  ubiquitous spiral Maori symbol of
new beginnings, hope

kumara:  Maori sweet potato.

ladder:  standings (rugby)

littlies:  young kids

lock:  rugby position (forward)

lollies:  candy

lolly:  candy or money

lounge:  living room

mad as a meat axe:  crazy

maintenance:  child support

major:  “a major.” A big deal, a big event

mana:  prestige, earned respect, spiritual
power

Maori:  native people of NZ—though even
they arrived relatively recently from elsewhere in Polynesia

marae:  Maori meeting house

Marmite:  Savory Kiwi yeast-based spread
for toast. An acquired taste.

mate:  friend

metal road:  gravel road

Milo:  coffee substitute; hot drink mix

mind:  take care of, babysit

moa:  (extinct) Any of several species of huge
flightless NZ birds. All eaten by the Maori before Europeans arrived.

moko:  Maori tattoo

motorway:  freeway

muesli:  like granola, but unbaked

munted:  broken

naff:  stupid, unsuitable. “Did you get any
naff Chrissy pressies this year?”

nappy:  diaper

new caps:  new All Blacks—those named to
the side for the first time

New World:  One of the two major NZ
supermarket chains

nibbles:  snacks

nick, in good nick:  doing well

niggle, niggly:  small injury, ache or
soreness

no worries:  no problem. The Kiwi mantra.

No. 8:  rugby position. A forward

not very flash:  not feeling well

nutted out:  worked out

OE:  Overseas Experience—young people
taking a year or two overseas, before or after University.

offload:  pass (rugby)

oldies: older people. (or for the elderly,
“wrinklies!”)

on the front foot:  Having the advantage.
Vs. on the back foot—at a disadvantage. From rugby.

Op Shop:  charity shop, secondhand shop

out on the razzle:  out drinking too much,
getting crazy

paddock:  field (often used for rugby—“out
on the paddock”)

Pakeha:  European-ancestry people (as
opposed to Polynesians)

Panadol:  over-the-counter painkiller

partner:  romantic partner, married or not

paua, paua shell:  NZ abalone

pavement:  sidewalk (generally on wider
city streets)

penny dropped:  light dawned (figured it
out)

people mover:  minivan

perve:  stare sexually

phone's engaged:  phone's busy

piece of piss:  easy

pike out:  give up, wimp out

piss awful:  very bad

piss up:  drinking (noun) a piss-up

pissed:  drunk

play up:  act up

playing out of his skin:  playing very well

PMT:  PMS

Pom, Pommie:  English person.

pop:  pop over, pop back, pop into the
oven, pop out, pop in

possie:  position (rugby)

postie:  mail carrier

poumanu:  greenstone (jade)

pressie:  present

puckaroo:  broken (from Maori)

pudding:  dessert

pull your head in:  calm down, quit being
rowdy

Pumas:  Argentina's national rugby team

pushchair: baby stroller

put your hand up:  volunteer

put your head down:  work hard

rapt:  thrilled

rattle your dags:  hurry up. From the sound
that dried excrement on a sheep's backside makes, when the sheep is running!

rellies:  relatives

riding the pine:  sitting on the bench (as
a substitute in a match)

Rippa:  junior rugby

root:  have sex (you DON'T root for a team!)

ropeable:  very angry

ropey:  off, damaged (“a bit ropey”)

rort:  ripoff

rough as guts:  uncouth

rubbish bin:  garbage can

rugby boots:  rugby shoes with spikes
(sprigs)

Rugby Championship:  Contest played each
year in the Southern Hemisphere by the national teams of NZ, Australia, South
Africa, and Argentina

Rugby World Cup, RWC:  World championship,
played every four years amongst the top 20 teams in the world

rugged up:  dressed warmly

ruru:  native owl

Safa:  South Africa. Abbreviation only used
in NZ.

sammie:  sandwich

second-five, second five-eights:  rugby
back

selectors:  team of 3 (the head coach is
one) who choose players for the All Blacks squad, for every series

serviette:  napkin

shattered:  exhausted

sheds:  locker room (rugby)

she'll be right:  See “no worries.”
Everything will work out. The other Kiwi mantra.

shift house:  move (house)

shonky:  shady (person). “a bit shonky”

shout, your shout, my shout, shout somebody
a coffee:  buy a round, treat somebody

sickie, throw a sickie: call in sick

sin bin:  players sitting out 15-minute
penalty in rugby

sink the boot in:  kick you when you're
down

skint:  broke (poor)

skipper:  (team) captain. Also called “the
Skip.”

smack:  spank. Smacking kids is illegal in
NZ.

smoko:  coffee break

sorted:  taken care of

spa, spa pool:  hot tub

speedo:  Not the swimsuit! Speedometer.
(the swimsuit is called a budgie smuggler—a budgie is a parakeet, LOL.)

spew:  vomit

spit the dummy:  have a tantrum. (A dummy
is a pacifier)

sportsman:  athlete

sporty:  liking sports

spot on:  absolutely correct. “That’s spot
on. You’re spot on.”

Springboks, Boks:  South African national
rugby team

squiz:  look. “I was just having a squiz
round.” “Giz a squiz.”

stickybeak:  nosy person, busybody

stonkered:  drunk—a bit stonkered—or
exhausted

stoush:  bar fight, fight

straight away:  right away

strength of it:  the truth, the facts.
“What's the strength of that?” = “What's the true story on that?”

stroppy:  prickly, taking offense easily

stuffed up:  messed up

Super 15:  Top rugby competition: five
teams each from NZ, Australia, South Africa

supporter:  fan (Do NOT say “root for.” “To
root” is to have (rude) sex!)

suss out:  figure out

sweet:  dessert

sweet as:  great. (also:   choice as, angry
as, lame as . . . Meaning “very” whatever. “Mum was angry as that we ate up all
the pudding before tea with Nana.”)

takahe:  ground-dwelling native bird. Like
a giant parrot.

takeaway:  takeout (food)

tall poppy:  arrogant person who puts
himself forward or sets himself above others. It is every Kiwi's duty to cut
down tall poppies, a job they undertake enthusiastically.

Tangata Whenua:  Maori (people of the land)

tapu:  sacred (Maori)

Te Papa:  the National Museum, in
Wellington

tea:  dinner (casual meal at home)

tea towel:  dishtowel

test match:  international rugby match
(e.g., an All Blacks game)

throw a wobbly:  have a tantrum

tick off:  cross off (tick off a list)

ticker:  heart. “The boys showed a lot of
ticker out there today.”

togs:  swimsuit (male or female)

torch:  flashlight

touch wood:  knock on wood (for luck)

track:  trail

trainers:  athletic shoes

tramping:  hiking

transtasman:  Australia/New Zealand (the
Bledisloe Cup is a transtasman rivalry)

trolley:  shopping cart

tucker:  food

tui:  Native bird

turn to custard:  go south, deteriorate

turps, go on the turps:  get drunk

Uni:  University—or school uniform

up the duff: pregnant. A bit vulgar (like
“knocked up”)

ute:  pickup or SUV

vet:  check out

waiata:  Maori song

waka:  canoe (Maori)

Wallabies:  Australian national rugby team

Warrant of Fitness:  certificate of a car's
fitness to drive

Weet-Bix:  ubiquitous breakfast cereal

whaddarya?:  I am dubious about your
masculinity (meaning “Whaddarya . . . pussy?”)

whakapapa:  genealogy (Maori). A critical
concept.

whanau:  family (Maori). Big whanau: extended
family. Small whanau: nuclear family.

wheelie bin:  rubbish bin (garbage can)
with wheels.

whinge:  whine. Contemptuous! Kiwis dislike
whingeing. Harden up!

White Ribbon:  campaign against domestic
violence

wind up:  upset (perhaps purposefully). “Their
comments were bound to wind him up.”

wing:  rugby position (back)

Yank:  American. Not pejorative.

yellow card:  A penalty for dangerous play
that sends a player off for 15 minutes to the sin bin. The team plays with 14 men
during that time.

yonks:  ages. “It's been going on for
yonks.”

Listen to the songs, explore the places, watch funny and
fascinating Kiwi videos, and find out what’s new at the
Rosalind
James website
.

The
Escape to New Zealand
series:

Hannah and Drew’s story:
JUST THIS ONCE

Koti and Kate’s story:
JUST GOOD FRIENDS

Jenna and Finn’s story:
JUST FOR NOW

Emma and Nic’s story:
JUST
FOR FUN

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