My tween says the word 'mate' is dead - she told me to use this instead

"I blame Bluey," says Aussie Sheila, Tash. 

It was the moment a terrible truth revealed itself to my baby boomer dad.

It happened on an escalator at the local shopping complex. In front of him, a Gen-Zer was calling out to her friend below: “See you later at the gym, bro!”

Only moments later, there it was again in the checkout line. Another Gen-Zer (or was it a millennial this time? He can’t be sure) gave out a cheery “Thanks, bro” to the checkout lady, as he scooped up his bags.

Dad asked me later; whatever happened to calling each other "mate"?

He had a point. "Mate" has survived wars, depression, drought, flooding rains and gangsta rap. There is surely no more treasured word in the Australian vernacular.  Is it finally on the way out, forgotten, consigned to the graveyard of slang …

What a thought!

Or should I say Cripes... or Strewth?

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Image: Supplied

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"Did you just call me bro?"

It’s not in his imagination, either. The ubiquitous ‘Bro’ has even creeped into Bluey – the modern-day template for Australianisms.

So much so, even my eight-year-old daughter has started throwing around the term – much to the horror of her grandpa.

He was gobsmacked recently when he enquired as to whether she wanted juice and she responded: “No thanks, bro.”

Sorry, what? Shaken, he asked her: “Georgia, did you just call me bro?”

“Oh, sorry grandpa”.

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"She was confused when I asked her"

I was in shock, too, when I realised my dad wasn't just being a Boomer.

I realised I’ve never heard her drop ‘mate’ once, but ‘bro’ is littering her conversations more and more. She looked confused when I asked her about it.

"Everyone says bro, mum."

I was devo. Turning to my dad with my horror, and to reluctantly admit he was right, I told him, "At least Bluey is maintaining Crikey!"

"Aussie language is dead, and it's all thanks to the Internet," came his wholly expected response.

At least he didn't say "interwebs".

What do 'youse guys' think of the loss of the term "mate" in Australia? Tell us in the comments on 'Facey'!

Originally published as My tween says the word 'mate' is dead - she told me to use this instead