Englishness

Aboriginality

Landscape

Mateship

Identity

Lecture 1

UNIQUE FEATURES of Australian Literature

GET TO KNOW AUSTRALIA

Australian For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century,

Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians, who belonged to one or more of roughly 250 language groups.

After discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606, Australia's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain in 1770 and settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788.

The population grew steadily in subsequent decades; the continent was explored and an additional five self-governing Crown Colonies were established.

On 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia.

Since Federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy.

The federation comprises six states and several territories. The population of 22.9 million5 is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated in the eastern states.17

-- Have you been to Australia before? -- Where?-- What impressed you most?

W-Australian Study Tour

UNIQUE FEATURES of Australian Literature

EnglishnessAboriginality

LandscapeMateship

Identity

Unique Feature -- Englishness: Anglo-Celtic migrants

1) What is the beginning of Australia?

Yes. A penal colony.

Port Arthur, Tasmania was Australia's largest gaol for transported convicts.

Australian English began its development after the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788.

Arthur Phillip, first Governor of New South Wales.

Unique Feature: Aboriginality, the culture of aboriginals or the indigenous people

2) Were the British the first inhabitants of the Australian continent?

No. The first inhabitants may have been ancestors of modern Indigenous Australians.

Performance of Aboriginal song and dance in the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney

Rock painting at Ubirr in Kakadu National Park. Evidence of Aboriginal art in Australia can be traced back some 30,000 years.

A Luritja man demonstrating method of attack with boomerang under cover of shield (1920).

Unique Feature: Landscape

2) Was Australian a Heaven or a Prison? ("the beauty and the terror" of life in the Australian bush)

Different opinions.

Joseph Furphy

Barbara Baynton

Banjo Paterson

Golden Summer, Eaglemont (1889) by Arthur Streeton of the Heidelberg School of art. The origins of a distinctly Australian style of painting are often associated with this art movement of the 1880s and 90s.

Unique Feature: Mateship2) What does the term "Mateship" mean?

an intensly loyal relationship of shared experience, mutual respect and unconditional assistance

existing between friends (mates) in Australia

They tramp in mateship side by side The Protestant and RomanThey call no biped lord or sirAnd touch their hat to no man.

-- Henry Lawson

Unique Feature:Identity:2) Do you know the term "Aussie" (ozi / also Ozzie)?

Do you know the term "Strine"?

Aussie:informal term for Australia(n);Strine: informal, the English language spoken by Australians; the Australian accent

The Australian gold rushes saw many external influences adopted into the language.