The Meaning of Headlines: ‘muck around’

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.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/malcolm-turnbull-trade-deal-brexit-10768832

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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