Caitlin, this week Australia's Industry Minister, Ed Husic, referred to President Donald Trump's tariffs on aluminum and steel a “dog act” . I hail from New Zealand, a nation closely linked to Australia but blissfully untouched by the term "dog act." Could you explain—what exactly does this expression signify, and is there truly any connection to canines?
Your country has failed to receive a genuinely harsh criticism.
Even though this expression includes the term "dog," it isn’t related to our faithful four-legged friends at all. While we typically view dogs as loyal, gentle, and obedient creatures—I must admit, being a devoted Labrador parent—when someone refers to an action as a "dog act,” they mean something deceitful, spineless, and entirely inappropriate.
That’s according to Oxford University Press which designated "Dog Act" as their word of the month for September way back in 2018.
Even though this expression has become a typical insult in everyday Australian speech, it does not have an extensive history. The Oxford University Press discovered the earliest usage of the term in a 2003 article from The Sydney Morning Herald.
Intriguing. If somebody said you performed a "dog act," how upset would you reasonably feel?
You ought to feel completely shocked. A "dog act" doesn't just involve messing with somebody's composure or grabbing a snack right out of an innocent person's hand without them noticing (in this case, referring to the mentioned Labrador). Instead, a "dog act" challenges a person's honesty. It represents a breach of trust.
That's likely why it frequently appears in sporting or political settings, where loyalty is treated like sanctity. Each fortnight, AFL or NRL athletes face accusations of committing "dirty plays," taking "unsportsmanlike shots," or delivering "rough tackles" during matches.
In the words of one Reddit user When I refer to you as a dog, I'm not talking about an animal that moves on four legs and barks. Instead, I'm referring to what I consider the most despicable beings on this planet.
I've come across "raw-dogging" and "dogging." Is this related to those practices?
Fortunately, a "dog act" doesn’t have any sexual undertones, unless maybe you're being unfaithful to your partner.
You're not playing the role of a peeping tom or a voyeur. You’re also avoiding unprotected sex or engaging in similar activities. a more contemporary understanding of the phrase "having coffee black," consuming caffeine sans milk or completing a nine-hour journey with only the flight map for amusement.
In Aussie slang, referring to someone as a "dog" can be quite insulting by itself. Change it to "dogging," however, and it transforms into a noun — the action of behaving like a dog by backstabbing or disappointing others. The key factor remains the way you say it.
Okay, I believe I'm getting it. Given these conditions, which additional Aussie expressions should I know about?
Get ready. This isn't the first instance of an Australian politician using local lingo to upset their overseas colleagues.
In 2014, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott created mayhem (along with bewilderment) when he threatened to "confront" Vladimir Putin When the Russian president came to Down Under – referring to performing a frontal chest bump or similarly robust greeting. It was noted as being "rather uncommon." by a Russian diplomat .
However, there are numerous additional Australian slang terms that can be used based on the situation. If someone is acting foolishly, you might use "drongo," "dingbat," or "dipstick." To be particularly harsh, you could say "flog," and for a condescending remark, "OK champ" works well.
Next up is my personal favorite, expressed with a straight face and directly meeting someone's gaze: "Yeah, righto, mate." I'm eager to hear this used by an Australian politician sometime soon.
