Sort it out Australians

[EIM]

I know you have bigger problems to solve at the minute, but when you get a spare time could you please sort out your confectionery terminology.

I was told today that you call ice-lollies ice-blocks, because they aren't lollies, they're blocks of ice.

"But, but, but..." I stammered like an inarticulate (non-literal) prick. "They're lollies made of ice!"

Apparently not. When an Australian goes out to buy lollies, they come back not with lollipops, the coolest looking of all sweet things, but rather they return with sweeties. Or candy if you're from America.

And what we call lollies, Australians call, I dunno, fucking 'cheese' or something, the mad fucking bastards. It must be all the sun going to their head. Or venom from all those spiders and snakes that inhabit their inhospitable, yet paradoxically inviting continent.

Like I say, there's no real rush, but I'd appreciate it if you could sort this shambles out sooner rather than later.

[erwin]

Sort it out Australians

The Portuguese-speaking countries around the world are forever trying to standardise spelling and stuff, and this would perhaps not go amiss for the English language ... although the standard form would have to be the British one as we invented it.

[Guest]

Sort it out Australians

I googled ice-blocks which confirmed that they are ice-lollies. In 4 years here, I've never heard of ice-blocks and neither have the children. It's not because they're Scottish -within 5 minutes of the aeroplane landing they were saying lollies instead of sweets, something I was completely unprepared for. It's not as if you'll be misunderstood saying sweets - the confectionery aisles in both our local supermarkets say sweets not lollies.

[beak]

Sort it out Australians

What about calling the corner shop a 'milk bar'?

[Guest]

Sort it out Australians

Our local milk bar sells milk and it's not on a corner so it's a good name.

[JtS]

Sort it out Australians

Mily bars are on him --->

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Sort it out Australians

Watch out if an Australian on a beach starts shouting about "bluebottles". Whereas in Britain a bluebottle is an annoying buzzing insect that refuses to fly out of an open window, in Australia it's a toxic jellyfish that looks like a used condom but if touched causes pain apparently like being burnt with a soldering iron, that can only be relieved by amputation of the stricken area.