A word, phrase, or custom that is distinctly Australian, or the practice of preserving and celebrating Australian cultural identity and values.
From Australian plus the suffix -ism, which denotes a practice, system, or distinctive characteristic. Australian comes from Australia via the Latinized form.
Every English-speaking nation has its -isms: Americanism, Briticism, Australianism. Australianism uniquely captures both linguistic quirks ('mate,' 'arvo') and cultural values ('the fair go'). Linguists use these terms to track how colonized regions develop independent identities.
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