Why OZ?
Apr 27, 2003 | 9:34 pm
#1
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Why OZ?
I've been hanging around FT for a few months now. In my years of travel and in reading the various threads, I think I've picked up on most of the jargon and abbreviations.
I'm stumped on this one: why is Australia called "OZ"? Or is it? Does it refer to one of the airport codes? I've never seen that reference anywhere buT here of FT (maybe I should get out more
) but can anyone tell me where it comes from?
I'm stumped on this one: why is Australia called "OZ"? Or is it? Does it refer to one of the airport codes? I've never seen that reference anywhere buT here of FT (maybe I should get out more
) but can anyone tell me where it comes from?
Apr 27, 2003 | 9:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2002
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Just taking a guess here but I think it may be connected to the slang "Aussie" i.e. a short form of "Australian".
"Aussie", after a few cans of Fosters and VB then evolved into "Ozzie" and hence "Australia" became know as "Oz"
"Aussie", after a few cans of Fosters and VB then evolved into "Ozzie" and hence "Australia" became know as "Oz"
Apr 27, 2003 | 11:41 pm
#4
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Short answer - Australians are the world's laziest speakers of English. 
We abbreviate EVERYTHING possible to one syllable if we can.
We can't even get around to saying "Good Day". It became 'g'day'. Etc, etc.
OZ-TRAL-IA is 3 syllables, and that is two too many for us. It is OZ.
The largest internet email provider here is called OZ email. Hence I use it. I sell stamps for a living, hence my handle. My email address surprise, surprise is [email protected]
To vainly keep this connected to a TRAVEL related thread lest it be drop-kicked into OMNI, let me add this little travel related piece.
The newest member to the Star Alliance partners are Asiana Airlines.
Do you know what the 2 letter airline code for Asiana is?
OZ
(How DARE they???!!!!!!!!!)
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~ Glen ~
Come visit HERE the most ** FRIENDLY FORUM ** on FlyerTalk. No flame wars, no personal abuse, no substance abuse. Not much of anything really!
We abbreviate EVERYTHING possible to one syllable if we can.
We can't even get around to saying "Good Day". It became 'g'day'. Etc, etc.
OZ-TRAL-IA is 3 syllables, and that is two too many for us. It is OZ.
The largest internet email provider here is called OZ email. Hence I use it. I sell stamps for a living, hence my handle. My email address surprise, surprise is [email protected]
To vainly keep this connected to a TRAVEL related thread lest it be drop-kicked into OMNI, let me add this little travel related piece.
The newest member to the Star Alliance partners are Asiana Airlines.
Do you know what the 2 letter airline code for Asiana is?
OZ
(How DARE they???!!!!!!!!!)
------------------
~ Glen ~
Come visit HERE the most ** FRIENDLY FORUM ** on FlyerTalk. No flame wars, no personal abuse, no substance abuse. Not much of anything really!
Apr 27, 2003 | 11:51 pm
#5
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As posted by Ozstamps:
"Do you know what the 2 letter airline code for Asiana is?"
You are quite right. How dare they use OZ? But think of what their options were?
As to the Aussies being "the laziest speakers of English" ? Could you please tell me what the "baybugs" I ate on Hayman were?
[This message has been edited by obscure2k (edited 04-28-2003).]
"Do you know what the 2 letter airline code for Asiana is?"
You are quite right. How dare they use OZ? But think of what their options were?
As to the Aussies being "the laziest speakers of English" ? Could you please tell me what the "baybugs" I ate on Hayman were?
[This message has been edited by obscure2k (edited 04-28-2003).]
Apr 28, 2003 | 1:43 am
#6
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by obscure2k:
As to the Aussies being "the laziest speakers of English" ? Could you please tell me what the "baybugs" I ate on Hayman were?</font>
As to the Aussies being "the laziest speakers of English" ? Could you please tell me what the "baybugs" I ate on Hayman were?</font>
Oz - right down the bottom of the page...
[This message has been edited by willyroo (edited 04-28-2003).]
Apr 28, 2003 | 3:33 am
#7
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by obscure2k:
You are quite right. How dare they use OZ? But think of what their options were?
</font>
You are quite right. How dare they use OZ? But think of what their options were?
</font>
One wonders WHERE these zany airline codes come from at times.
We all know the 2 obvious ones for Asiana are long gone - AS (Alaskan) and AA, but where the heck does "OZ" derive from?
------------------
~ Glen ~
Come visit HERE the most ** FRIENDLY FORUM ** on FlyerTalk. No flame wars, no personal abuse, no substance abuse. Not much of anything really!
[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 04-28-2003).]
Apr 28, 2003 | 5:47 pm
#9
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BigLar:
I'm stumped on this one: why is Australia called "OZ"? Or is it? Does it refer to one of the airport codes? I've never seen that reference anywhere buT here of FT (maybe I should get out more ) but can anyone tell me where it comes from?</font>
I'm stumped on this one: why is Australia called "OZ"? Or is it? Does it refer to one of the airport codes? I've never seen that reference anywhere buT here of FT (maybe I should get out more
) but can anyone tell me where it comes from?</font>