Rooted An Australian History of Bad Language

by Laugesen, Amanda

• ISBN13: 9781742236636
• ISBN10: 1742236634
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2021-02-13
• Publisher: NewSouth

Summary

Bugger, rooted, bloody oath…What is it about Australians and swearing? We've got an international reputation for using bad language and letting rip with a choice swear word or two. From the defiant curses of the convicts to the humour of Kath & Kim, Amanda Laugesen, Chief Editor of the Australian National Dictionary, takes us on an engrossing journey through the tumultuous history of Australia's bad language. Bad language has been used in all sort of ways in our history: to defy authority, as a form of liberation and subversion, and as a source of humour and creativity. It has also been used to oppress and punish, notably Indigenous Australians and women. Revealing the fundamental tensions, conflicts, preoccupations, and anxieties that have shaped our past and continue to shape our present, the story of bad language is a story about what it means to be Australian.

Author Biography

Amanda Laugesen is a historian and lexicographer, and is Director of the Australian National Dictionary Centre at the ANU. She is the author of a number of books in Australian and US history, including several books on aspects of the history of the Australian lexicon. She is Chief Editor of the Australian National Dictionary, as well as being editor of a range of Australian Oxford dictionaries.