(Australia) To travel on foot carrying a swag (belongings wrapped in a blanket); to travel in this manner looking for work.
(Australia) To travel on foot carrying a swag (belongings wrapped in a blanket); to travel in this manner looking for work.
waltz Matilda means: To travel on foot carrying a swag (belongings wrapped in a blanket); to travel in this manner looking for work.. It is mainly Australian English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
waltz Matilda means: To travel on foot carrying a swag (belongings wrapped in a blanket); to travel in this manner looking for work.. It is mainly Australian English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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(Australia, historical) A swag or bluey carried by a swagman or swagwoman.
(AU, NZ) To travel on foot, carrying one's possessions.
Australian and New Zealand colloquial term for a swagman — the iconic itinerant worker of the colonial and Depression-era outback, who carried all their possessions in a swag (a bedroll) on their back as they moved from station to station seeking work. Swaggie is the affectionate diminutive, stripping the romance from the image and replacing it with something more human and a little scruffy. Immortalised in 'Waltzing Matilda,' the swaggie is a central figure in Australian folk mythology.
(Australia, New Zealand, historical) A man who travels around with a personal]] items; specifically, an itinerant person, often seeking work in exchange for food and lodging.
waltz Matilda means: To travel on foot carrying a swag (belongings wrapped in a blanket); to travel in this manner looking for work.. Register: informal, Australian English. Often not understood outside its region; gloss the word on first use when writing for an international audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
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