The descendant of British English, Australian English is now diverse and widespread |
As the offspring of what was once an English penal colony, Australia now stands as a mainstay in the world of English. There are a variety of differences, both linguistic and cultural that are ingrained within the history of Australia that distinguish its variant of English from those of other places.
The journey of English in Australia is short in comparison to the total history of English as a language, but that does not devalue the role it has today. Australia has grown over the last two centuries and now has multiple major metropolitan centers. The landmass itself is of comparable size to the continental United States and its famous geography and wildlife attractions have played a part in defining the country over the course of its history. In the midst of Australia's development, English has been alongside there, simultaneously developing and mutating from the variant that first arrived in 1770. |
Australia is essentially a water locked island, bordered by the Indian and South Pacific Oceans in the west and east respectively. It is slightly smaller than the contiguous United States. The rural interior of the country is mostly arid desert and gradually transitions to semi-arid grassland radiating outward from the center. Australia's two southern tips are temperate, and its northern region is tropical savanna. Aside from the coasts, Australia is mostly desert plateaus and low grasslands. This is evident in the fact that the highest elevation in the whole country is only about 2,200 meters. Australia is rich in resources and exports about 29% of the world's coal.
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