107. Borak

This week, Emily and Kyle thoroughly roast each other. But don’t worry; it’s all in good fun. And it’s the perfect segue to chatting about the Aussie and Kiwi slang word, borak!

Our hosts look at some of the many Aboriginal languages of Australia, most notably one from the Melbourne area called Wadawurrung. They talk about the impact that colonialism had on Australian languages, and the ways borat could be used to mean no, not, or nothing in both Wadawurrung, English, and everywhere in-between.

Exploring this word as it appears in newspaper articles and playful poems alike. Emily demonstrates how borak can also mean nonsense, chatter, or banter. Kyle also learns an everyday phrase using borak, a surprising connection to borax soap, and a few more boraks from around the world.