From riding kangaroos to school to tossing shrimps on the barbie, we Aussies are subject to our fair share of cultural stereotypes. Sure, some have a smidgen of truth – like our obsession with good coffee – but many are just plain wrong. I've lived in Australia for 25 years and must confess: I can’t stand Vegemite, I’m not a sandy-haired surfer (though I wish I were), and I’ve never been bitten by a deadly snake. While I can’t speak for every Aussie, I can certainly tell you about the stereotypes Aussies love to hate (and hate to love).
A new study by Preply, an online language learning platform, put in the hard yakka to uncover which stereotypes Australians love and which they can’t stand. They surveyed more than 1,500 true blue Aussies from our 22 largest metropolitan areas – and the results were just as I expected.
On the whole, 66 per cent of Aussies believe our national stereotypes are mostly positive, with many of us happily embracing positive clichés. The most relatable stereotype for Aussies is being laid back, with 42 per cent proud to be recognised for this ‘no worries’ way of life. Following this, 37 per cent of Aussies embrace the stereotype that we abbreviate everything – and bloody oath we do. From brekky to arvo tea and midnight Macca’s runs, we’ve got local lingo for every occassion.
Rounding out the top five stereotypes Australians are happy to adopt is the claim that every Australian loves cricket (sport is a significant part of Aussie culture, but I can’t say spending hours in the sun watching a match is everyone’s cup of tea), that every Australian is fearless of all animals (we’re definitely not as bothered by creepy crawlies as tourists), that all Australians know each other (given our country's size, you'll definitely encounter some 'small world' moments), and that all Australians knows how to surf (we have some ripper surfers, but it's definitely not a skill we're all blessed with).
Now, for the juicy part – the stereotypes that annoy Australians the most. Topping the list, Aussies are most sick of hearing that we all love putting ‘shrimps on the barbie’ and constantly say “g’day mate”. If you hear those phrases come out of my mouth, it’s probably a gag. Additionally, most Australians are tired of stereotypes claiming that every Aussie has an unwavering love for Vegemite (warning: spread it sparingly on toast if you’re trying it for the first time), that all Aussies frequently say “crikey”, that all Aussies talk with a bogan accent, and that all Aussies ride on the back of a kangaroo (we wish this one were true).
Here are the top stereotypes that Australians love:
- All Australians are laid-back
- All Australians abbreviate everything
- All Australians love watching or playing cricket
- All Australians know each other
- All Australians know how to surf
Here are the top stereotypes that Australians hate:
- All Australians put shrimps on the barbie
- All Australians say ‘g’day mate’ a lot
- All Australians love Vegemite
- All Australians say ‘crikey’ a lot
- All Australians have thick or bogan accents
- All Australians ride kangaroos
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