This booklet grew from a series of talks given over ABC radio in 1985 under the title ‘Exploring Australian English’. The response to the programs led me to think of a more extended treatment of the subject, which might still preserve the informal approach of the broadcast script. The topics are taken in broadly chronological order, although the treatment of contemporary usage ranges more freely. Each section can be read as a self-contained unit. This book has been a pleasant one to write. I am grateful to Helen Findlay and Georgina Bitcon for their expert help, and to Wilma Sharp for her care with the typescript.
