One Australia Slang Term Everyone Needs To Know

What It Means To Be ‘Flaffling’

To flaffle, or, while in the act of it, flaffling.

Pron.: “floof-ul-ing.”

This is an Australian slang term that everyone should know, whether or not they are in Australia.

Why and what does it mean?

It means to look busy doing something without really accomplishing anything.

Why should you know it?

To get someone’s attention who is flaffling when you want them to, well, actually be accomplishing something.

If you yell at someone to “quit flaffling,” they will stop what they are doing, look at you with a puzzled expression and then, when you explain it, get busy with the task they were supposed to be doing in the first place.

In America, we say someone is “goofing off,” but this is a bit different in that the person who “flaffles” actually looks as if they are doing something. They are just not making any progress at it.

And we all do it, even if we are packing for a trip, going to the closet and drawers a lot and walking in circles without actually putting anything in the suitcase.

It’s a great word to use because everyone “flaffles.” And some do it far more than others; in fact, there’s a few people who go through their entire life flaffling.

Australians somehow manage to flaffle when they speak. They shorten terms – using, for example “uni” for “university – as if saving a couple of syllables makes a difference in their daily routine.

One word Aussies use a lot – and it’s a good, catchy one – is “mate.” It’s such a happy, upbeat way of greeting and talking to someone and so catchy, that after just a couple of days Down Under you’ll find yourself using it all the time, too. And continue to use it when you return home.

And that’s it for this article, mates!