Jackspeak
The Royal Australian Navy runs on a language of its own, and most of it never gets written down. This is the lot on one page, so you can search it — 192 slang terms, 68 surname nicknames, and 12 nicknames with the reason behind them. Plus 8 of my own that I have never seen written down anywhere.
Nothing matches that. Try less of it.
Of everything about the Navy, the thing I miss most is not the ships or the work. It is the language and the mateship — a whole dialect invented to take the mickey out of each other, spoken by people who would also have done anything for you. You do not get that anywhere else, and nobody warns you that you will miss it.
These are not in anyone's glossary. They are simply what we said.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| OD | Optional Discharge. Someone who works out, on the first leave from recruit school, that Mum's cooking beats SCRAN — and does not come back to the pussers bus. Allowed, and quietly encouraged. After all, the pussers bus is the bus for us. |
| RackBat | Someone who is asleep in their rack all day. |
| Skulka / Skulker | Someone who could never be found when there was work to be done. |
| Lollygagging OD Macca Muncha | Someone who cannot handle it in the pusser's and goes home to Mum and Dad — an OD — munching lollies the whole trip home. |
| SCRAN | Shit Cooked by the RAN. The polite version, and the one in the glossary below, is simply “food or a meal”. |
| Golly | A radio operator of the listening kind. Spends the watch on receive rather than transmit, usually across more than one language, and is quietly, alarmingly quick on CW — well past the speed the rest of us gave up at. If you want the one sailor who does by trade what this whole station is being built to do, it is a Golly. |
| Jackin' the SCRAN queue | Dropping in at number two in the queue instead of joining the end of it — on the strength of being on duty, having a priority reason, or simply having the rank. |
| StickyBuns | Every so often the cooks would turn out a tray of these: a white, doughy bun with raisins through it and pink icing that never quite set — hence the name. Best taken on the upperz with a brew — NATO plus one, being coffee, milk and two sugars — out of a pusser's bakelite mug. A warship can go to 1 Zulu, action stations, impressively fast. Nothing clears a messdeck quicker than the pipe “Sticky buns now served, main galley”. If you know the recipe, please email me — ian@iangilchrist.net. |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The Andrew | Royal Navy - a term rarely used in the RAN |
| Arpie (RP) | Pussers radar plotter |
| Bang-box | The gun turret (on big ships) |
| Bang | To have sex, (usually with a woman who is too drunk to confirm it) |
| Bangers & mash | Sausages & mashed potato |
| Banyan | An often impromptu beach party on a random beach or island with a BBQ and perhaps a can or two |
| Beagle, Butler | Steward, Captains steward |
| Belay | To cease doing something |
| Birdie | Fleet Air Arm sailor(s) |
| Bite | To fool somebody into doing or believing something stupid |
| Blue Orchid | Air force (RAAF) person - male or female |
| Bonedome | Head - usually bald |
| Bones | Generally the Sick Bay Tiffy - sometimes the Doctor |
| Bones | Mah-jongg tiles |
| BR | A book of Reference or ANY book |
| Brew | A cup of tea or coffee |
| Buggie | Dirty or unclean person or area - eg "Scran Bag" or "Buggie area" |
| Bumnuts | Boiled eggs or just eggs |
| Burgoo | Porridge (rolled oats) |
| Bunting tosser | Signaller, any rank |
| Buzz | A rumour, sometimes true though usually not |
| CDF | Common Dog F--k (Common sense) |
| Chippy | The ships carpenter, also a Naval Shipwright |
| Chop-chop | Move yer arse, go quickly |
| Civvies | Civilian clothes or Civilian people |
| Club swinger | PTI (Physical training instructor) |
| Cockie | Cockroach |
| Corned dog | Corned beef |
| Crash | Go to sleep |
| Crusher | Naval patrolman |
| Derps | Underwear - see also U-derps |
| Dhoby | To have a wash/shower or to wash your clothes (Indian language) |
| Dhoby dust | Washing powder |
| Dib dab | A seaman branch sailor - see also dibbie |
| Dibbie | Dib-dab - a seaman branch sailor |
| Dig out | To make an all out effort |
| Dip out | To miss out on something: To dip out |
| Dit | A book or a good story to read |
| Dockyard job | A big job or a major operation |
| Dog watch | Two 2 hour watches to equalise the roster, also a derogatory term for a short length of service |
| Doofer | A bit that goes on something, eg 'Pass the doofer' while pointing at the object, nut, washer, etc |
| Duff | Refers to sticky pudding or any sweet |
| Duffed | Pregnant |
| Fang | Tooth or to eat - see also "Yaffle" |
| Fang Bosun | Dentist |
| Fang farrier | Dentist |
| Fart sack | Bed, bunk or hammock |
| Fighting Irons | Knife, fork and spoon |
| Flag waver | Signaller, any rank |
| Flakers | Tired out |
| Flat | Open space between mess decks on board ship, ie canteen flat |
| Float test | The final test for equipment which is unserviceable |
| Flunky | Officers steward (probably the most hated job) |
| Food f--ker | Navy cook see also Tucker f--ker |
| Foo Foo | Pussers foot powder or Baby powder |
| Four by Four | Pussers toilet paper |
| Fruit salad | Multiple medal ribbons worn together |
| Gash | Rubbish |
| Gash hand | One who is left over after the working party has been detailed off |
| Gen | The truth (genuine) |
| Gettas | Thongs - usually illegal to wear onboard ship |
| Gippers | Electrical current (ouch) or sauce or gravy |
| Goddam | An American or Yank |
| Goffers | Cold fizzy drinks, A big wave |
| Gong | Term for medals or decorations |
| Goofers | Spectators looking at something |
| Green | Naive, gullible, not very knowledgeable |
| Green rub | Rotten job/duty etc |
| Greenie | Pussers electrical branch member |
| Greenie | A large wave breaking over the ship |
| Grey funnel line | Ships of the Royal Australian Navy |
| Grip | A smallish bag with two carrying handles |
| Hammock stower | Large overweight female |
| Harpie | Girlfriend, a bit on the side, the Missus - multiple meanings |
| Have a wet | To have a drink |
| Heads | Toilets, from the old sailing ships where the toilets were directly beneath the figure head |
| Herrings in . . . | Kippers or Herrings in tomato sauce ( pronounced " herrins in" ) |
| Hong Kong BR | A small Porno book purchased in Honkers |
| Honkers | Hong Kong |
| Hooker or Hook | Leading Sailor (Kellick) |
| Housewife | Personal sewing kit |
| JarHead | A Marine - usually a US Marine |
| Jaw Bosun / Jawman | See Nutman |
| Jimmy | First Lieutenant, XO or Number 1 |
| Jimmy Rick | "One-character" tile in Mah Jong |
| Jockstrap | Sporty type / person |
| Jong | Term for the Chinese game of Mah Jong |
| Jonty or Jaunty | Master at Arms |
| Kip | Short sleep or nap |
| Kit muster | A personal kit inspection, also describes being sick |
| Lid | Junior or Senior Sailor's cap |
| Load | Sexually Transmitted Disease |
| Loafing | Hanging around aimlessly, Dawdling along |
| Maccas (then) | Lollies |
| Maccas (today) | MacChuckburgers |
| Macca Muncher | Somebody who likes lollies or sweets |
| Make and mend | Early finish afternoons - usually for some special occasion Also called a "makers" |
| Make & mend sticks | Golf clubs |
| Mickey Mouse | Refers to any Kellick or PO without a good conduct badge (under 4 years) |
| MOBI | Naval Apprentice ( Most Objectionable Bastards Imaginable ) |
| Monkey Spunk | Vegemite |
| MUPPET | Naval Apprentice ( Most Useless Pricks Pussers Ever Trained ) |
| Mystery Bag | Meat pie or a sausage |
| Noisy Blue | Blue-handled ratchet screwdriver |
| Nosh | To eat, food, mainly a term used by the RN |
| Nutman | A "horses hoof" so to speak |
| Oggie | Cornish pastie see also "Tiddly Oggie" |
| Oggin | The sea or any stretch of water |
| Oppo,Stepping Oppo | Friend, Buddy, Running mate |
| Outside | Life after leaving the Navy |
| Party | Girlfriend |
| Pavement pizza | Vomit |
| Pen-pusher | Writer |
| Pig / Grunter | Naval Officer |
| Piglets | Midshipmen |
| Pig sty | Officers Mess |
| Pill pusher | The ships' Doctor |
| Pinged | To be spotted from a great distance, to be picked for a particularly dirty job |
| Pipe | Used on ships in place of the bugle, also the tannoy system on board ship |
| Piss paddling | Barefoot - i.e. no thongs or sandals |
| Piss strainers | Sauteed kidney (with bacon for breakfast) |
| Pit | Bed, bunk or hammock |
| Plastic eggs | Pussers fried eggs (usually overdone) |
| Pongo | Anyone from the Army, Where the army goes the "pong" goes |
| Pope John steak | Battered fish (every Friday for lunch) |
| Pork Sword | Part of male anatomy, also known as Beef Bayonet, Luncheon Truncheon and Pink Oboe |
| Pussers | The Royal Australian Navy |
| Pussers hard | Pussers soap |
| Rabbits | Presents or souvenirs, unofficial jobs carried out by Vehicle Mechanics on civvie cars |
| Rack | Bunk, bed or hammock |
| Rawbone | Recruit |
| Redders | Tomato sauce |
| Red dick | The Greenies favourite red-handled 10" screwdriver |
| Red dicks | Frankfurters |
| RN Dhoby | Using foo-foo instead of having a shower |
| RN Sauce / RNers | Worcestershire sauce |
| RN Steak | Liver or lambs fry |
| Rockers | The Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel (Rock 'n Roll Hotel) - now quite upmarket |
| Roughers | Stormy weather |
| Run Ashore | To go out for a few 'quiet' drinks, a night out |
| Sack | Fart sack, bunk, bed or hammock |
| Sad on | To be unhappy or pissed off |
| Scrambled Egg | Gold braid on caps of CMDR and above |
| Scran | Food or a meal |
| Scran bag | A scruffy individual who looks like his clothes have never been ironed |
| Scran bag | Also a collection point for loose bits of kit on a ship - a small fine is paid before retrieval |
| Scads | Lots or a long time - see also Yonks |
| Screws | Ships propellors |
| Scribe | Writer |
| Scrub 'round it | To veto something or to forget it |
| Sea daddy | An experienced Sailor who looks after a younger recruit to show him the ropes |
| Secure | To finish for the day or after a watch |
| Shiny arse | A clerk or writer |
| Shirt lifter | A person on "the other side" - see nutman |
| Shiters | Drunk (pronounced "shy-ters") |
| Sin bosun | Padre |
| Singers | Singapore |
| Sippers | A sip of a drink |
| Skimmer | Surface Sailor (Submariners terminology) |
| Slops | Naval clothing stores or clothing purchased from stores |
| Snags | Sausages |
| Snotty | Midshipman |
| Squarie | Your regular (serious) girlfriend |
| Standeasy | A break taken during the morning and the afternoon |
| Starvo | Naval victualler |
| Steamie / Stoker | Pussers engineering branch person |
| Storm stick | Umbrella |
| Suckhole | To crawl to another |
| Swatties | Army personnel - see also pongo |
| Technicolor yawn | Vomit |
| Three badger | A Sailor with 3 good conduct stripes, (12 years undetected crime) |
| Tiddly gear | Non standard clothes usually purchased at Sinbad's, Red Anchor or Glendennings |
| Tiddly Oggie | Cornish pastie see also "Oggie" |
| Tiffy | Artificer |
| Train smash | Tinned tomato with bacon, onion & cheese (Tomato au Gratin) |
| Tucker f--ker | Navy cook |
| Uckers | A game loosely based on ludo, probably caused more fights than almost anything else |
| U-derps or Derps | Underwear |
| Up the duff | Pregnant |
| Wanchai burberry | Colourful Asian cane umbrella |
| Ward room | Officers mess on board ship as well as in a shore establishment |
| Worms in redlead | Spaghetti in tomato sauce |
| Wooly pully | The thick issue jumper |
| Yaffle | To eat |
| Yaffling irons | Knife, fork and spoon |
| Yellow peril | Smoked Haddock |
| Yippee beans | Baked beans - also known in some circles as blurters (beanz meanz fartz) |
| Yomp | To force march with a heavy load |
| Yonks | A long time |
| Zap | To shoot something, or an electric shock |
| Zeds | To get some sleep |
| Zulu | Greenwich meantime |
Some of these are inescapable. Join up as a Miller and you will answer to Dusty for twenty years.
| Surname | You are called |
|---|---|
| BACON | Crispy |
| BAILEY | Beetles or Pearl |
| BELL | Dinger or Daisy |
| BENNETT | Wiggy |
| BRAY | Donkey |
| BROWN | Bomber |
| CASSIDY | Hopalong |
| CLARK | Nobby |
| CRABB | Buster |
| DAVEY | Jack |
| DAY | Doris |
| DONALD | Ducky |
| FORD | Henry |
| GALE | Windy |
| GORDON | Flash |
| GRANT | General |
| GRAY | Dolly |
| HAYES | Gabby |
| HIGGINS | Henry |
| HILL | Windy |
| HOGAN | Ben or Hec |
| HOLMES | Sherlock |
| HUDSON | Rock |
| JAMES | Jesse |
| JONES | Spike or Casey |
| KELLY | Ned |
| KENNEDY | Crash |
| KERR | Peggy |
| KIRBY | Rip |
| LANE | Shady or Lois |
| LEACH, LEECH | Buck |
| LEE | Dixie |
| LEWINSKI | Monica |
| LIVINGSTON | Doc |
| MARSH | Swampy |
| MARTIN | Pincher |
| MILLER | Dusty |
| MILLS | Timber |
| MOORE | Pony |
| MUNRO | Darby or Marilyn |
| MURPHY | Spud |
| O'NEILL | Peggy |
| OAKLEY | Annie |
| PARKER | Nosey |
| PATTERSON | Banjo |
| PAYNE | Whacker |
| PERKINS | Polly |
| RAY | Manta or Sting |
| READ, REID | Pricky |
| REYNOLDS | Debbie |
| RHODES | Dusty |
| ROGERS | Buck |
| RYAN | Buck |
| SMITH | Smouch |
| SNOW | Frosty |
| STEEL, STEELE | Rusty or Stainless |
| TAYLOR | Squizzy |
| TURNER | Topsy |
| WATERS | Muddy |
| WATSON | Doc |
| WHITE | Knocker |
| WILLIAMS | Bungy |
| WILSON | Tug |
| WINTERS | Shelley |
| WITHERS | Googie |
| WOOD | Timber |
| WOODS | Slinger |
| WRIGHT | Shiner |
| Nickname | Why |
|---|---|
| Blue | A red-headed person |
| Bones | A very slim - even skinny person "all skin & bones" |
| Bones | A sickbay tiffy |
| Curly | A curly-headed person |
| Curly | Also, on the negative, a straight-haired person |
| Dutchy | Of Dutch extraction or any Dutch name |
| Lofty | A tall person |
| Paddy | An Irishman |
| Scottie | A Scotsman |
| Shorty | A short person |
| Slim or Splinter | A slim, usually also tall person |
| Tubby | A somewhat overweight, usually also short person |
The three big tables are not my work. Everything under The slang, If your surname is… and And if it isn't your surname's fault is reproduced from Pussers Greenies, the association of former RAN Electrical Branch sailors, who compiled and published it. Only the first short table is mine.
Source: pussersgreenies.org/glossary.html and pussersgreenies.org/nicknames.html — and the site itself is well worth your time: pussersgreenies.org.
It is gathered here only to make it searchable in one place. All credit, and any corrections, belong with them.
If anything here is wrong, theirs is the version of record — and if they would rather this page did not exist, it will come down on request.
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