The
Mirror published
an article on 10 July 2017 with the headline: ‘We don’t muck around!’
Australian Prime Minister throws Brexit lifeline to Theresa May by promising a
swift trade deal. What does ‘muck around’ mean? And why would it be a Brexit
lifeline for the United Kingdom?
‘To muck around’ in Australian
slang means ‘to waste time instead of doing something useful or important.’
This means that the Australian Prime Minster, Malcom Turnbull, told British
Prime Minister, Theresa May, that Australians will do something ‘useful or
important.’
Muck around originated from the
word, muck, which means manure or rubbish. The be in muck is to be in manure,
probably deep manure. So Australians are not wallowing around in muck – they don’t
muck around!
The first sentences of the article are: ‘Australia's Prime Minister has thrown a
Brexit lifeline to Theresa May by promising a swift trade deal with the UK. Malcolm
Turnbull said he wanted an agreement between the two countries as soon as
possible and declared: "We don't muck around!"’
Turnbull was asked
how quickly a trade deal with Britain could be done, and he responded: "As
soon as possible. We move quickly. Australians are fleet of foot. We don’t muck
around. We're very simple.’’
The article continued
to explain that the lifeline would assist United Kingdom to achieve a swift
trade deal after it ‘exits’ the trade deals with the European Union.
Scorecard for The Mirror
headline is 100%. The article shows the common understanding (in trade and
language) between the Australian and the British Prime Ministers. The article
emphasises the potential swift deal, soon after Brexit is finalized, and the ‘simple’
(i.e. uncomplicated) nature of Australians to complete the deal.
MARTINA NICOLLS is an international
aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different
in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament
(2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a
Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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