Hop, Skip and a Jump

Time for another Kiwi English lesson.  We did this last year, so some of you may have a head start.   We have added new words too.

To start, you get 3 versions of kiwi – all of them seen below.   

The kiwi bird is the national icon of New Zealand.  They are nocturnal, so most people never see one in the wild.  This kiwi was photographed in his burrow at Willowbank Nature Reserve where Cindy volunteers.  Kiwi fruit comes in either gold or green flesh.  Kiwi people are those born in New Zealand.

The next photos are what you could use on a “cracker of a day” or “fine day” as opposed to a day when the weather is “dodgy” – find the sunnies, togs, jandals and chilly bin.

Many Kiwi use shortened versions of words, so sunnies is a quick way to refer to your sunglasses which you would want when you put on your togs to go swimming.  Students wear jandals on their feet year round, or some just go barefoot, even in cold weather.   The chilly bin or chilly bag will keep your food cold.  Did you guess correctly?  Good on ya!

On your way to the beach, you could stop by a dairy.

  

 – no, not to see a cow; we mean this kind of dairy.

A dairy is a convenience store where you could buy a newspaper or milk or some food to put in your chilly bin, like bikkies, an ice block or maybe some cereal for brekkie.

Bikkies are short for biscuits (cookies), ice blocks are our popsicles and you guessed it, sultana bran is raisin bran for brekkie or breakfast (remember the part about shortened versions of words).

Sometime in the day you might stop for a cuppa and a slice at one of the heaps of cafes you will see. Kiwis use "heaps" to refer to something numerous.

Ginger slice

Cuppa is short for “cup of tea” and can refer to tea, coffee or milo (a fortified chocolate drink).  A slice is what we'd call a bar.  If you are at work, you would have a “smoko” or afternoon break/smoking break, even though most people no longer smoke.

Later in the day, you might have a savoury dish as your main and finish with some pudding (fruit or other dessert dish).

On a muftie day (fundraising day) the local school or church may have a sausage sizzle.  For muftie days at school, the children can wear casual clothes rather than their uniforms.

Sausage Sizzle

Can you guess what the two photos below refer to?

WOF stands for Warranty of Fitness, not for you, but for your car.  You must have a document certifying that your car has passed an inspection of safety and road worthiness.  If you are involved in an accident, you may need to take your car to a panelbeater (auto body technician) to get some dents removed.

If you hop in your car (be sure to drive on the opposite side of the road than in the US) you could tow your caravan, or maybe you want to drive your campervan or motor home.  

Caravan

Campervan - this particular one is extra fancy!

You could go tramping (hiking) and see a chook, wee lamb or a paradise shelduck, a native duck found only in New Zealand.

Trampers

Chook

Female paradise shelduck

Male paradise shelduck

You could pop in to the mall (they have them here too), take the travelator and use your prezzy card (gift card) to buy some presents for chrissy (Christmas).  You would want some sticky tape (scotch tape/cellophane tape) when you wrap the presents. 

Travelator

Oh, that hop, skip and a jump is really a pat, skip and a jump(er)!

Cow pat

Skip

Jumper

Cheers!