Are You Effluent?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381837)
Rockingham, Australia
February 8, 2017 10:26pm CST
Before saying I've got it wrong, I hope you'll read to the end. And yes, I do have it wrong but intentionally. Gotta catch the readers' attention.
Some phrases catch the imagination and become absorbed into a nation's language and speech base - in this case Australia's. It might be a throwaway phrase but for some reason it strikes a chord, becomes widespread and oft-used. Here are several and I'm wondering how familiar they are to readers in other countries.
The first is 'Life wasn't meant to be easy'. The full quote is 'Life is not meant to be easy, my child but take courage: it can be delightful'. The author of this was George Bernard Shaw, the Irish playwright, dramatist and critic, and it appears in the play Back to Methuselah. Australians picked up the first phrase after Malcolm Fraser, who was prime minister at that time, used it in a speech. For many Australians, Fraser seemed to have a pretty easy life so saying this upset some who wanted a few changes made. Nowadays, the phrase is quoted whenever things get a bit difficult.
Another saying heard here is 'I'll have what she's having' which comes of course from the Billy Crystal/Meg Ryan film When Harry Met Sally. I'm sure this is well-known in most countries. Isn't it?
The third and last phrase taken into the vernacular is from an Australian TV sitcom called Kath and Kim. The daughter is bemoaning her lack of wealth and says to the mother 'I want to be effluent, Mum: effluent'. The mother replies 'You are effluent, Kim. Look at all you have etc'. This was a hilarious part of the episode and for ages people would quote this whenever they had the chance.
Edit: For those for whom English is their second language, effluent is liquid waste or sewage. She really needed to say 'affluent' which means well-off or rich.
Here's a five-second link to the last phrase:
The photo was taken in Kings Canyon, Northern Territory, Australia and has nothing to do with the text. :)
Some phrases catch the imagination and become absorbed into a nation's language and speech base - in this case Australia's. It might be a throwaway phrase but for some reason it strikes a chord, becomes widespread and oft-used. Here are several and I'm wondering how familiar they are to readers in other countries.
The first is 'Life wasn't meant to be easy'. The full quote is 'Life is not meant to be easy, my child but take courage: it can be delightful'. The author of this was George Bernard Shaw, the Irish playwright, dramatist and critic, and it appears in the play Back to Methuselah. Australians picked up the first phrase after Malcolm Fraser, who was prime minister at that time, used it in a speech. For many Australians, Fraser seemed to have a pretty easy life so saying this upset some who wanted a few changes made. Nowadays, the phrase is quoted whenever things get a bit difficult.
Another saying heard here is 'I'll have what she's having' which comes of course from the Billy Crystal/Meg Ryan film When Harry Met Sally. I'm sure this is well-known in most countries. Isn't it?
The third and last phrase taken into the vernacular is from an Australian TV sitcom called Kath and Kim. The daughter is bemoaning her lack of wealth and says to the mother 'I want to be effluent, Mum: effluent'. The mother replies 'You are effluent, Kim. Look at all you have etc'. This was a hilarious part of the episode and for ages people would quote this whenever they had the chance.
Edit: For those for whom English is their second language, effluent is liquid waste or sewage. She really needed to say 'affluent' which means well-off or rich.
Here's a five-second link to the last phrase:
The photo was taken in Kings Canyon, Northern Territory, Australia and has nothing to do with the text. :)
Kath & Kim....Effluent! Season 1 Episode 1 of this fabulous Australian TV comedy show. Kim moves back home after breaking up with her husband and Kath has to deal with her wayward daughter who aspires for a better life and a desire to be affluent (*effluen
20 people like this
18 responses
@allknowing (153544)
• India
9 Feb 17
All those popular lines be it from books or movies become part of one's vocabulary and used freely sometimes not knowing the setting that prompted those sayings in books and movies.
Having said that it is quite possible they get different meanings under different circumstances merely because not many know where they came from.
As far as I am concerned I am affluent because I know the art of living

4 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
9 Feb 17
That's one word I would hate to mix up but I bet its good for a big laugh. The first two i am familiar with but the last one I had never heard of... and I didn't notice the difference in spelling, it sounded the same....


2 people like this
@dpk262006 (58679)
• Delhi, India
18 Feb 17
I have heard and read only the first one. Though, all three are very meaningful and interesting. Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this

@dpk262006 (58679)
• Delhi, India
18 Feb 17
@JudyEv Yes, you are right some of the sayings become more popular than others .
1 person likes this

@snowy22315 (208784)
• United States
10 Feb 17
It's funny how certain catchphrases make it into the culture.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Feb 17
Yes, they do don't it? And probably it is never intentional.
@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
9 Feb 17
Interesting post !I find that people that live in different countries add some local colour to the English and every English-speaking country has their unique slangs.
1 person likes this

@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
10 Feb 17
@JudyEv So far asI know ,there are English English ,American English and English as spoken in Australia.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Feb 17
@changjiangzhibin89 That's true. Sometimes there is trouble with a Scotsman understanding perhaps a New Zealander or someone perhaps from Birmingham or Ireland. We had trouble sometimes understanding the Scots or Irish.
1 person likes this

@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
10 Feb 17
if one isnt affluent, effluent might be what they are swimming in. heh. being broke is pretty poopy
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
9 Feb 17
that's funny.... thanks for sharing... some of those slip ups and sayings are funny and I like to seek out the origens... 

1 person likes this

@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
9 Feb 17
This shows why spelling is so important. Using a similar word with a totally different meaning can change so much. I'll always be a stickler about spelling....now if I could train my fingers to only hit the correct keys and hit them hard enough that each letter shows up.
1 person likes this






















