Australian English slang refers to the way Australians have contracted or shortened words and phrases to speed up the conversation. Australians have been shortening common English words since the early 1800s, creating an iconic, informal dialect unique to Australians, but often confusing for foreigners to decipher. Quite a few Aussie diminutives have found their way into our standard American English dictionary, with ‘selfie’ and ‘uni’ being two well-recognized examples. Aussies are known to be friendly, welcoming people and their slang-infused language reflects their laid-back culture.