Two in their twenties in conversation – first one, then the response in stanza form -
How'ya getting to your family's New Year's lunch?
Got a lift, she'll be right mate!
Heard they've cooked up quite a feast!
Yes, I'll be there, I bit the bullet!
You forwent your friend's big bash.
Blood is thicker than water
Did your mates' complain?
Family, got to do the hard yards
I gave it a miss, hard to know what to say
Cat got your tongue?
I got caught red handed
Can't throw the baby out with the bath water
Told them about a prior engagement
You're pulling my leg
I see you're dolled up
Yes, dressed to the nine pins
I'm told someone special will be there
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched
Will you be upset if it's not true blue
I won't shed any crocodile tears
Could be a goer though, hopefully
Might be, if not, well, no cigar
Don't look at a gift horse in the mouth
Now there's a rule of thumb
Have fun, big day ahead
I'll enjoy a square meal though
Stay on the straight and narrow
Happy as she goes!
Kangaroos in the the top paddock?
Could be all hands on deck!
Like the sailor - got 50 lashes with the cat
Yes, the cat's right off its milk!
Not unlike the ship's name '0 0 0 0'
The sub's periscope read the port holes
It's a lame duck
Dead rubbers are practice sessions
Catch up in the spring
The perk-up might do me good!
Any New Year resolutions
They're for the birds !
The Conversation
Any two Australians would follow this conversation without blinking an eye - every sentence would be clear, precise, unremarkable, plain as plain, mud to mud.
Without stretching a point but to make a point, the New Testament writers did not present the Gospel text in Classical Greek.
Rather it was this random 'street' language that the normal folk used in their every day life and hence the many nuances and (as it were) – to turn a phrase – a little - like the above.
New Testament scholars spend a life time in their studies of ancient languages and the language of the street - to piece together exactly what the writers of the Gospels and Paul's Letters to the Churches were precisely conveying.
Wycliffe bible translators
Then it gets translated into Latin, English, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Spanish, Hebrew, Portuguese .... and the 700 languages in Papua New Guinea along with the South Pacific .....
In this New Year it might be an occasion to take our hats off to the Wycliffe translators and all the others engaged in such critical Gospel translation work.
Little wonder we find much comfort in our souls when Wycliffe missionaries visit the Laguna Quays Respite cottage for missionaries and missions ..... contact Dr Mark Tronson timeout@bushorchestra.com 0419 917 713
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html