In the Buffyverse, the Slayer reviews *you*

[gabrielleabelle]

Yeah, yeah. I'm rewatching S5 which means I have a lot of fangirling ahead.

So, Checkpoint. One of my fav S5 episodes (You know...behind FFL, The Gift, The Body, Intervention, Crush, etc etc). It's like a companion piece to S3's Helpless in terms of the feminist text. And, oh hey! I totally gushed all over about Helpless earlier

Comments

[mystic_savage]

In Hippie West-Coast speak, it's all like:

Travers: Bummer. The chick harshed my buzz.
Scoobies: Far out!
Buffy: Groovy. Peace out y'all.

[deird1]

Whereas in Aussie Ocker, it'd be:

Travers: Crikey! I've really copped it now!
Scoobies: Bloody oath, mate.
Buffy: No worries. Now, rack off, you pommie bastard.

(Hey, this is fun...)

ETA: Erm, it occurs to me that I should perhaps explain - in authentic outback Aussie, "pommie bastard" is considered an affectionate term for British people, and in no way an insult.

Err... not that Buffy is being affectionate towards Travers. Just - it's not exactly a racial slur, either.

(Blimey, this comment is being edited far too much.)

[stormwreath]

Travers: By Jove! That's dashed unfortunate.
Scoobies: I'll say!
Buffy: How about a nice cup of tea, everyone?

Nobody in England has really talked like that for at least fifty years.

[gillo]

Travers: Oh sod. We really buggered that one up.
Scoobies: You're a bunch of wankers.
Buffy: Sorry. I think you stepped on my foot?

[lavastar]

But they should!!

[gillo]

Travers is a Pom. He is also a bastard. But perhaps no affection there. Surely there's an Ozzie term for us when we
really get on your wick?

[deird1]

The thing is, Australia has a policy of insulting everyone we like, and being stiffly polite to everyone we can't stand.

A couple of years ago, we had a bunch of English cricketers out here, and the papers were calling them "bastards" on the front page, as were pretty much all our celebrities. And the British newspapers started writing indignant articles about how horrible we all were.
...whereupon the Aussies all said "But - we called you bastards! We think you're great! What's the problem?"

"Pommie bastards" is a level of insult rarely achieved by anyone we don't really love, deep down.

I suppose a term appropriate for Travers would be calling him "a very clever and skilled man" in a cold and unfeeling voice.

[gillo]

Or referring to him as a "proper English gentleman?"

"Pommie bastards" is a level of insult rarely achieved by anyone we don't really love, deep down.

It's an extension to a logical conclusion of the very British habit of insulting your mates. But we don't take it quite as far as you do. Pusillanimous stay-at-homes who never had the bracing experience of
transportation emigration.

[deird1]

No, in that case people would think you were trying to sound British, and complimentary...

Pusillanimous stay-at-homes who never had the bracing experience of transportation emigration.

Too bloody right, mate.

[gillo]

Yeh. My ancestors never stol stuff worth more than 40 shillings, it seems...

[deird1]

So they weren't very ambitious, then?

[gillo]

Nah. Welsh mountain peasants. Nothing worth that much around to steal. Assies come from Cockney wide-boys. TRU FAX.

*g*

[gabrielleabelle]

More British people should use the word "bummer".