Australian Slang For Americans (Explained!)

The main slang term for Americans in Australia is “seppo”. This is a slightly teasing slang term that Australians use for any American. However, they do also use other terms, such as the more common “yanks” or some borrowed slang terms such as “septic”. But “seppo” is the main, exclusively Australian term.

While there is a reasonably broad selection of slang terms used in Australia for an American, the only purely Australian term, that has any broad use, is seppo.

The histories of this term, as well as the history of how the other terms were slowly introduced to the outback, are fascinating—so let’s find out more.

In This Article

What do Australians call Americans?

There are a few different things that Australians call Americans.

To start with the one that you’ll only hear in Australia and nowhere else, and which is probably a lot more common than other slang terms, first we have “seppo”.

I’ll get into why exactly later, but this one isn’t really one you would use to address an American.

It’s a bit of making fun, and though it isn’t necessarily used with malice, it is nonetheless a bit derogatory.

Throughout all of Australia, most of the population will understand you’re referring to an American when you say seppo.

It’s the most widely used and understood.

Furthermore, as far as words that are still in use today, it’s more or less the only one in Australia which is exclusively Australian.

No other country uses this precise term—although some do use a similar one.

Other than that, you have the internationally understood “yanks”.

This is widely used in Australia as well, as it is virtually everywhere in the English speaking world, to some degree.

It’s not nearly as common as seppo, though, again, simply due to the widespread use of the term outside Australia, its meaning is understood by the vast majority of people.

Finally, there is also the word “septic”.

Again, not nearly as widely used and probably poorly understood even by a lot of those who use the word “seppo”, despite the connection between the two words.

But it is still used to a degree.

So, where do all these terms come from?

Why do Australians say seppo?

As I mentioned, seppo is a slang term you want to be a little bit careful with.

You’ll understand why if I tell you where it comes from.

British slang, which I’ll describe in more detail, particularly Cockney rhyming slang, uses the term “septic” for Americans.

Eventually, this was passed down to Australian speakers, and it was eventually altered to “seppo”.

This is a very common convention of Australian slang.

Taking a word, doubling a consonant in the middle, and then adding an –O ending is a very common way of acquiring a slang term in Australian English.

That’s all that seems to have happened with “seppo”.

As for why Americans would be referred to as “septic”, well, it’s not quite the insult you’re imagining.

It is meant to be slightly tongue-in-cheek, and not an outright insult or slur, but I would still urge caution when using it.

It’s also worth noting that, like many slang terms, those who use it don’t necessarily know its origin or proper meaning, so it’s still not as bad as it sounds.

But where does this come from, then?

Why do Australians say septic?

I mentioned that “seppo” was derived from British slang, and British Cockney rhyming slang.

Seppo is the word “septic” given an Australian slang character.

Septic, of course, is just a word meaning infected with some kind of harmful microorganism.

Why should Americans be septic?

Well, again, it’s not about saying Americans are covered in bacteria or anything quite as literal as that.

It is simply rhyming slang with “yank”—as in, “septic tank” meaning “yank”.

That’s where the Australian term “seppo” comes from.

As to when this phrase came into use, it’s hard to say for sure, but it was probably the latter half of the 19^th Century.

The septic tank, after all, wasn’t invented until 1860. It had then to become rhyming slang and then still to spread to Australia, but we can’t say for sure.

But if this term is ultimately derived from yank, what role does that word play in Australian slang?

Why do Australians say yank?

Again, Australians do of course use the word yank.

This one is understood across virtually all times and places, and as we’ve seen played a big role in the development of other slang terms for American.

So where does this term come from?

It stretches far back in time to the first Dutch settlers in what is now the United States.

Its origin is far from certain, but it’s thought that it was a nickname derived from the Dutch name Janke.

Some argue this was an insult used by the Dutch towards the English. Some argue the opposite, that it was an insulting term for Dutch people.

In any case, it was in widespread use by at least 1758, when we find our first recorded use of the term.

How, precisely, it entered the dialect may never be known for certain, though.

So, you aren’t short of choices if you’re an Australian wanting to refer to the American people.

They really only needed one of their own unique terms, since there is an international and colorful variety of choices that can be borrowed from other dialects.

In any case, seppo remains the most common and widespread, while internationally ubiquitous terms like “yank” are still highly favored.

More in Australian Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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1 thought on “Australian Slang For Americans (Explained!)”

Ben

March 9, 2024 at 8:49 pm

Hey, I like what you’ve done, but as an Australian, I was a bit confused. I asked around and none of my friends or family knew what ‘seppo’ was, so this may be a local area based slang.