Authors: Rosalind James
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
Cover design by Robin Ludwig Design Inc.,
http://www.gobookcoverdesign.com/