Category:

Nick Nasev

Reference point!

By Nick Nasev

September 21, 2026

min read

Do you sometimes feel that your posts and social media presence make no difference?

Well, fear not! Without you knowing, your posts could be a topic of discussion and referenced elsewhere.

I stumbled on this situation recently. While doing some online research for a post about Australian hand gestures, I discovered social media users had been referencing my blogposts here about Australian English. I was deeply surprised and quite chuffed, to be honest.

And recently I've had a few people contact me to say that AI is also directly referencing my posts.

So this is to say that it pays to do those posts as you never know what can happen.

Say what you have to say and become a reference point!

Photo by Enis Can Ceyhan on Unsplash

Hi, zdravo, bok, zdravei, g'day! I’m Nick Nasev, an Aussie of Balkan background living in the UK. I’ve been a translator and editor for 20+ years. If you have an interest in languages and all things Balkan, Eastern European, Australian and beyond, along with a dash of corny and irony, then stick with me as I rant about my experiences and stories.

Your text deserves to be taken seriously; have it translated and edited with confidence.

info@nicknasev.com

Contact me with the details of your text at info@nicknasev.com

Continue reading

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min read

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Australian English: going troppo and mango madness

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Australian English: going troppo

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min read

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min read

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min read

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Australian English: maths or math

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Australia and New Zealand do seasons a little differently...

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Australian English: peanut butter or peanut paste?

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November 7, 2024

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Australian (Olympics) English: battered sav, hello boys, crazy date, flat bags, goose...

How a comedy routine during the 2000 Sydney Olympics provided Australia with its own, very naughty, gymnastics lexicon!

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Why are Aussies so good at swimming?

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Pets on public transport: yes or no? 👍👎

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June 21, 2024

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Australian English: "We're de factos!"

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Burger King vs Hungry Jacks. Is there a difference?

May 22, 2024

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Poor Gina...

April 6, 2024

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ABBA can thank Australia for the music!

50 years after ABBA won the Eurovision Song Content, it was Australia that set the tone for ABBA's fortunes over the decades. This is their Australian story.

August 31, 2023

min read

Australian etiquette: the Outback Driving Wave

It’s all about being friendly when driving out in “woop woop” (the middle of nowhere) in Australia. A definite must-do!

June 26, 2023

min read

Homonyms maketh the sentence…

How do you say in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin or Serbian this: “Up there, the mountains burn worse”?👉 Gore gore gore gore.

June 22, 2023

min read

So what are Fantales?

They are chocolate-covered chewy caramels 🍬 that were often so hard to bite into that they kept many dentists in business 🦷. Nothing particularly unique so far, you might think.

June 1, 2023

min read

Happy 50th anniversary to the Adelaide Festival Centre!

🎉 50 years ago today, the Adelaide Festival Centre, the premier performing and visual arts venue and precinct in Adelaide, Australia, opened. The centre to this day remains one of the symbols of Adelaide. 🇦🇺

May 29, 2023

min read

What’s a “bank holiday”? Do Aussies say that too?

Do Aussies have "bank holidays" like in the UK? Well, it's complicated

May 11, 2023

min read

How come Australia is at Eurovision? It’s actually a perfect marketing opportunity…

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April 24, 2023

min read

Vale Barry Humphries!

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April 12, 2023

min read

Australian English: "You can find the Doonas in Manchester”

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April 11, 2023

min read

Eshays and Adlays: Australia’s answer to London’s Roadmen

The story behind Australia’s current most notorious youth sub-group

April 7, 2023

min read

Move over Easter Bunny 🐇 … make way for the Easter Bilby! 🪃

Bunnies are considered cute and loveable… except in Australia 🇦🇺, where they’re a major scourge🤬.

March 28, 2023

min read

The time when George Bush Senior figuratively told the Aussies where to go…

Have you unwittingly done a hand gesture that meant something completely different in another country? Here’s a true story…

March 10, 2023

min read

Australian English: Calisthenics

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March 8, 2023

min read

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January 24, 2023

min read

Seachange, Treechange, E-change

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September 5, 2026

min read

Victory or peace sign or are you really telling someone to f**k off?

Two hand gestures – one that does cause offence in Australia and another that actually doesn’t, despite what the internet says. And how US President Bush caused furor when using one of them.

August 24, 2026

min read

Australian English: Please explain

How a seemingly inoffensive English phrase has unsuspecting connotations in Australia. An example of how crucial understanding local sensitivities can be.

August 8, 2026

min read

Australian English: receival

Yes, it's a word. How this old-fashioned and seemingly pompous English word is, surprisingly, still very much alive and in use in Australia.

August 3, 2026

min read

Australian English: rort

Are you rorting the system? Do you find your job a bit of a rort? Or are you up for a rort this weekend? What the Australian term "rort" means and where did it come from.

August 1, 2026

min read

Australian English: football, soccer... and root

A guide to Australia's sporting vocabulary—from football codes to the very naughty meaning of "rooting" for your team.

July 28, 2026

min read

Australian English: spruik

Time for me to spruik the very uniquely Australian term spruik. What does it mean and where did it come from?

July 6, 2026

min read

Dishlicker, check-out chick, doover? The yeah nahs and nah yeahs of the Oxford Dictionary's new Australian English additions

Wotz hot and wotz not?! Your resident Australian English localiser goes through the Oxford English Dictionary's latest Aussie slang additions and gives a propa Aussie verdict.

July 2, 2026

min read

Australian English: EOFY

This initialism represents one of the most important dates on Australia's financial calendar. What does it mean and what you should know about it?

July 1, 2026

min read

Australian English: dreaming and dream

How “dream” and "dreaming" in Australia came to describe the sacred, the suburban, the satirical and the simply delusional, and what this says about the country that uses these words these ways.

June 26, 2026

min read

Australian English: going troppo and mango madness

It's hot and everyone's a bit heat-affected... well, we Aussies have the perfect sayings to describe this craziness!

June 25, 2026

min read

Australian English: going troppo

The heat and humidity can do weird things to people, so that's why Aussies have this saying to explain it all...

June 22, 2026

min read

Do you know what a "phrasal verb" is?

Most native English speakers have no idea about this very common feature of English, even though they use them all the time. As for others, they're a nightmare.

June 9, 2026

min read

Do Australians understand US English?

Many clients try to pass off their US English texts and copy for Australia. While most Aussies will get it, there's a large section of the Australian public that won't. Who are these people?

May 19, 2026

min read

Australian English: BOM

Australia's weather bureau thought it had a branding problem with its explosive acronym. How solving it bombed when Aussies had their say about it.

May 18, 2026

min read

What is one of Australia's iconic sounds?

No, it's nothing to do with an animal call. It's a sound that international music stars have even sampled...

May 13, 2026

min read

Australian English: '-or' vs '-our'

"But '-or' spellings are American?" has said many an Aussie. But are they really? Not exactly. Find out how and where there are exceptions to the rule in Australian English.

May 8, 2026

min read

Why Australian media give warnings of deceased Indigenous people?

The recent case of Kumajayi Little Baby shows how Australian media handle indigenous mourning protocols. Here are the details and background to them.

April 25, 2026

min read

Australian English: Anzac Day

Parades, dawn services, two-up, biscuits... What you need to know about Australia (and New Zealand's) veteran's day. Plus, why the day is more important to some Aussies than others.

April 3, 2026

min read

Australian English: Easter and shops

What's open and what's not this Easter in Australia...Time to give a real-life example of Australian English.

March 27, 2026

min read

Australian English: pokies

Found in most pubs, clubs and casinos throughout Australia, the pokies are an important feature of Australian social culture. But what are they? Find out here...

March 24, 2026

min read

You fetta believe it! Australian feta, parmesan and prosecco remain.

Feta or white cheese? Prosecco or sparkling wine? How will the new EU-Australia free-trade agreement (not) affect the terms Aussies use for certain products

March 18, 2026

min read

Australian English: farewell and vale

No, I'm not leaving here. Linguistically, Australians actually have unique ways of bidding farewell to someone who's going for a long time... or forever.

February 23, 2026

min read

Australian English: to farewell

Yet another unexpected Australian-ism I and an internet superstar recently discovered...

February 18, 2026

min read

Australian English: demo

Aussies love shortening words and ending cutesy endings to them. But what happens when the same shortened word could mean multiple things?

February 16, 2026

min read

Australians laughing at ChatGPT's US English default when Aussies use it

If Australia's answer to the Onion is making fun of how AI uses US English as a default, then that means Aussies notice when you're using it in your text and copy. But there's a solution to this...

February 2, 2026

min read

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October 14, 2025

min read

So I go all the way to Australia to do this...

Off to the beach? Avoid the snakes and sharks? No... something completely different but expected from me.

September 10, 2025

min read

Australian English: thongs

Aussies love wearing thongs outdoors. But does "thongs" mean the same in Australia as it does in other countries? Find out here...

July 31, 2025

min read

Australian English: programme vs program

Which one is the accepted spelling in Australia? You might be surprised at the answer!

June 6, 2025

min read

Australian English: abroad vs overseas

There are a number of seemingly ordinary English words that can get Aussies thinking 'that's not right'. Here's the case with one...?

April 23, 2025

min read

Chinwag Tuesday podcast with Amanda Boyne

Want to hear how I speak in Australian English with another Australian English specialist? Here's your chance

February 28, 2025

min read

Australian English: tap, tag or touch?

How do you describe using a payment card to use public transport in Australia? It depends where in Australia you are...

February 27, 2025

min read

Australian English: maths or math

Want to get Aussies angry? Ask this mathematical question...

January 29, 2025

min read

Do I translate into Australian?

Many people are shocked when they find out I'm a translator, but their jaws drop even more when I tell them that I also 'translate' into Australian English.

January 25, 2025

min read

Australia Day/Invasion Day: the Lamb Ad!

Would you believe that one of the most anticipated events in the lead-up to Australia's national day on 26 January is... an ad about eating lamb! More about the vibe here...

December 19, 2024

min read

Australia and New Zealand do seasons a little differently...

Why wishing your clients, friends and relatives in Australia a happy start to summer on December 21st is not the way to do it...

December 11, 2024

min read

Australian English: peanut butter or peanut paste?

Tread carefully! The extraordinary story of this salty Australian regionalism and how it can ignite passions worthy of a civil war.

November 26, 2024

min read

Macquarie Dictionary's 2024 word of the year is...

Australia's prime source for all things Australian English has picked its word for 2024. And this time, I agree!

November 19, 2024

min read

Indian and Australian English... the links between them

India and Australia have common bonds that go beyond a passion for cricket. Here are a few words that Indian and Australian English uniquely share...

November 7, 2024

min read

What's the name of this famous Australian natural landmark?

One of Australia's most visited tourist sites has two official names, but Aussies almost exclusively use one of them. Do you know which one?

October 23, 2024

min read

Can the "world's most accurate translator" do Australian English?

Does DeepL live up to its claim of being "the world's most accurate translator" when it comes to Aussie English? Get ready for some zingers!

September 11, 2024

min read

Australian English: is it email and/or e-mail?

Welcome to confusion with "email" in Australia. It's generational...

July 31, 2024

min read

Australian (Olympics) English: battered sav, hello boys, crazy date, flat bags, goose...

How a comedy routine during the 2000 Sydney Olympics provided Australia with its own, very naughty, gymnastics lexicon!

July 28, 2024

min read

Why are Aussies so good at swimming?

To get away from the sharks! Nah, it's more than that.

June 21, 2024

min read

Australian English: "We're de factos!"

Many Australians are in "de facto relationships". What are these and how do they differ from marriage?

May 23, 2024

min read

Burger King vs Hungry Jacks. Is there a difference?

May 22, 2024

min read

Poor Gina...

August 31, 2023

min read

Australian etiquette: the Outback Driving Wave

It’s all about being friendly when driving out in “woop woop” (the middle of nowhere) in Australia. A definite must-do!

August 28, 2023

min read

Watch out for the killer squirrels! It’s “silly season”… or is that “cucumber season”?

Watch out for the killer squirrels! 🐿️ We’re very much in “silly season” right now in the UK 🤪

August 14, 2023

min read

Three everyday words that exist in Australian English only!

June 30, 2023

min read

Watch out, here comes the Aussie version of The Office…

June 22, 2023

min read

So what are Fantales?

They are chocolate-covered chewy caramels 🍬 that were often so hard to bite into that they kept many dentists in business 🦷. Nothing particularly unique so far, you might think.

May 29, 2023

min read

What’s a “bank holiday”? Do Aussies say that too?

Do Aussies have "bank holidays" like in the UK? Well, it's complicated

April 24, 2023

min read

Vale Barry Humphries!

Last Saturday Australian 🇦🇺 🎭 comedy legend Barry Humphries passed away aged 89.

April 12, 2023

min read

Australian English: "You can find the Doonas in Manchester”

Now this might sound a bit random but this is something you’ll hear all the time, in all places, in department stores in Australia. How come?

April 11, 2023

min read

Eshays and Adlays: Australia’s answer to London’s Roadmen

The story behind Australia’s current most notorious youth sub-group

April 7, 2023

min read

Move over Easter Bunny 🐇 … make way for the Easter Bilby! 🪃

Bunnies are considered cute and loveable… except in Australia 🇦🇺, where they’re a major scourge🤬.

March 28, 2023

min read

The time when George Bush Senior figuratively told the Aussies where to go…

Have you unwittingly done a hand gesture that meant something completely different in another country? Here’s a true story…

March 10, 2023

min read

Australian English: Calisthenics

Calisthenics is a form of body strength training worldwide. Not in Australia though, where "calisthenics" has a completely different meaning.

January 24, 2023

min read

Seachange, Treechange, E-change

How the Shakespearean title for a popular TV series sporned the terms for a number of related internal migration processes in Australia.

September 24, 2026

min read

What does going direct to a translator provide you?

There are huge benefits for going direct to a translator for your translation needs

August 17, 2026

min read

AHA or ANA?

How the Cyrillic alphabet can play tricks on people who only know the Latin alphabet

July 25, 2026

min read

Watch my talk on Balkan multilingualism

My talk about Balkan multilingualism can be seen now!

July 15, 2026

min read

Oldtimers, dancings and packets ... but are they English words?

Welcome to the crazy world of "false friends" and "pseudo-anglicisms"... they look like English words but they're not

June 29, 2026

min read

The most important question for a certified translation of a personal document not in Latin script?

It's the simplest of things that can cause the most trouble. And when it comes to certified translations, getting this right is crucial!

May 20, 2026

min read

Two years as a Chartered Linguist!

Two years ago I attained the highest qualification for translators, Chartered Linguist. And I'm the only one in the UK for the languages I work from.

May 5, 2026

min read

5 May – Macedonian Language Day

How come Macedonian Language Day is on 5 May, and what strict rule makes spoken Macedonian sound so distinct?

April 29, 2026

min read

Tales from ethnic radio (part 3)

What happens when our listeners can't understand what's supposed to be "their" language? The battle between standard languages and their dialects.

January 6, 2026

min read

Македонски јазик: Божик или Божиќ?

Секоја година пред празникот се појавува истата дилема: Која форма е „помакедонска“? Еве го одговорот базиран на истражувањата на проф. д-р Елка Јачева-Улчар.

August 22, 2025

min read

Up for a crazy coupon? How Bulgarians say they want to party...

Are you up for a crazy coupon where you're strutting your stuff on the "dancing"? Perhaps you're a "labour" or a "gender"? A sneak peak into some Bulgarian linguistic false friends

August 11, 2025

min read

Dua Lipa and her "pasosh"

After many decades of Yugoslav rule, Albanian spoken in Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro has some Serbo-Croatian words, but particularly in certain areas. Which ones? And why is this not unique?

March 17, 2025

min read

Kocani, Kočani or Kochani?

Some Macedonian linguistic pointers

February 20, 2025

min read

What's my 'mother language'?

International Mother Language Day and Global Language Advocacy Day are on! So what do I consider to be my 'mother languages' and why one of them is under threat...

February 8, 2025

min read

Slovenian, the odd one out

I translate into English from all Southern Slavic languages except one. Sorry, I can't do Slovenian. Here's my apology.

November 29, 2024

min read

Serbo-Croatian? Yes, I still work from it.

3 decades have passed since it officially ceased to exist but I still get requests to translate from Serbo-Croatian. How come?

November 24, 2024

min read

I'm now a full member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists of the UK!

Yet another accreditation...

November 22, 2024

min read

Hindi/Urdu and Balkan languages... the links between them

There are words that are the same in Hindi and Urdu as in Croatian and Romanian?! How can this be? Find out here...

October 23, 2024

min read

Can the "world's most accurate translator" do Australian English?

Does DeepL live up to its claim of being "the world's most accurate translator" when it comes to Aussie English? Get ready for some zingers!

October 20, 2024

min read

Why are there so many Turkish words in Balkan languages?

Let's see how Turkish has influenced the languages of the Balkans and further afield. Bujrum!

October 17, 2024

min read

False Friend Friday! Time for some Latin-based words

Where the translation gets undone because just because a word looks the same in another language, it doesn't necessarily means the same.

August 28, 2023

min read

Watch out for the killer squirrels! It’s “silly season”… or is that “cucumber season”?

Watch out for the killer squirrels! 🐿️ We’re very much in “silly season” right now in the UK 🤪

August 25, 2023

min read

Луд купон, the “crazy coupon” Bulgarian party

So who’s having a “crazy coupon” this weekend? 🎉 Wait!✋ A crazy coupon?🎟️😲 What’s that?

August 22, 2023

min read

Oldtajmer, evergrin, rekorder, golman… the world of Balkan pseudo-anglicisms

Did you hear about the man who collects “old-timers”? 👴🏽 Or that Frank Sinatra has many “evergreens”? 🌲

June 26, 2023

min read

Homonyms maketh the sentence…

How do you say in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin or Serbian this: “Up there, the mountains burn worse”?👉 Gore gore gore gore.

March 29, 2023

min read

Naš jezik at Munich Airport

I’m about to fly off to Australia transiting through Munich Airport 🇩🇪 … so I’m preparing myself to be ready to speak in “naš jezik” (“our language”).

March 22, 2023

min read

Ramadan or Ramazan?

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts today, but how do you call the month? A case of local vs global of different circumstances

August 11, 2026

min read

2001: A Balkan Odyssey. Part 3 "Where's Biljana"

It's time to find Biljana. But before that, why does it seem that everyone in Macedonia knows each other? And why war-lead ethnic unity is addictive as Macedonia's opium.

August 9, 2026

min read

RIP Džansever

Džansever Dalipova, star of Macedonian Roma and Turkish Arabesque music, has died aged 59.

August 7, 2026

min read

Vibeάρω!

A bit of fun in the sun with one of this year’s viral summer songs in Greece – Vibeάρω (I Vibe)

August 3, 2026

min read

Wartime witch hunts

How binary discourses in war societies where everything is black and white creates the environment to brutally attack anyone who questions this

July 22, 2026

min read

Olivera Katarina (1940–2026)

The only woman the great Salvador Dalí knelt for. The glory, mystique and controversy surrounding this celebrated Yugoslav and Serbian actress and singer.

July 21, 2026

min read

I found the actual Ken Lee!!!

This has had me laughing all day. If you know, you know!

July 18, 2026

min read

How Bulgaria soared and sunk at the World Cup in the 1990s

The World Cup grand finale is on this weekend. Let's remember how Bulgaria did well in 1994 but failed in 1998. And what happened to 1994 star Lechkov?

July 4, 2026

min read

What's the latest with Honeyland star Atidje Muratova?

Good news: she's still looking after her bees.

July 3, 2026

min read

Tales from ethnic radio (the end)

Going from fax to internet... and into armed ethnic conflict. And how war hits harder when you actually have to deal with its brutal consequences.

June 30, 2026

min read

Vlado Janevski (1960-2026)

One of Macedonia's biggest pop stars has gone to his starry sky far away

June 27, 2026

min read

Keeping up with the Zogus, Albania’s royal family

Three generations of a family that mostly never had a throne, a country... or much in the way of restraint. And how does an Australian woman get involved in all this? Show us the drama!

June 23, 2026

min read

The king who became prime minister, muscular arms and other tales of the Bulgarian royals

A family history of exile, a tsar's comeback as a 21st-century prime minister, and how it all ends with his daughter trending for her muscular arms. Welcome to the stage, the Bulgarian Royal Family.

June 15, 2026

min read

Two marches, one city, twenty years of broken promises

A government-backed parade, a tolerated Pride, and the fiction of democratic balance and the "traditional family" in the Balkans.

June 14, 2026

min read

Donald Trump's birthday? Ha! It's also Ceca's!

Move over the Donald! There's someone else grander who has her birthday today too. But the similarities don't end there...

June 8, 2026

min read

Big Bulgarian wedding – no! Big Bulgarian graduation ball – da!

Why the tradition for big weddings in Bulgaria is no longer the case... and why graduation balls and festivities have taken their place.

May 26, 2026

min read

How the 1972 hajj brought smallpox to Yugoslavia... and how the country successfuly dealt with it

Socialist Yugoslavia always treated the Hajj and the participation of its citizens with care – they could come back with concepts that could bring the system down. But a Hajji in 1972 brought back something far more dangerous – a killer virus.

May 21, 2026

min read

Is Ricky Martin Montenegrin?

Who needs real evidence? Where the Balkan thing for bread and circuses, and claiming everyone and anyone as they're own, collide. Plus, I reveal Lady Gaga's alleged Balkan roots!

May 15, 2026

min read

Why there's no turbo folk/chalga at Eurovision

Disposable, easy pop with a local flavour and pleasing to the eye. You'd think turbo folk/chalga would be ideal for Eurovision, but you won't be seeing it on the big stage. How come...?

May 13, 2026

min read

Why Croatia's 2026 Eurovision song is problematic

Croatia's dark ethnic ballad entry for Eurovision 2026 has gained many fans across Europe. But the song is problematic in some aspects...

May 6, 2026

min read

"Don't take my picture then!" Arif Heralić and Alija Sirotanović – two socialist Yugoslav icons as one.

Did you know the most recognisable face of socialist Yugoslavia after Tito was of a Roma furnace worker from Bosnia? But many ex-Yugoslavs think it's another Bosnian. Here are their stories...

May 1, 2026

min read

May Day in socialist Yugoslavia

Who's up for a picnic? It's time for bean soup. How Tito's Yugoslavia celebrated the "holiday of labour" and what changed over time and what didn't. Oh, and there's that time I got punched.

April 27, 2026

min read

Video killed the red star in 1980s Bulgaria and Romania

How video casettes illegally smuggled from the west caused Bulgarians and Romanians to question their communist system in the 1980s. And how are James Bond movies treated in Bulgaria...

April 23, 2026

min read

Princes Amongst Men is back!

The book that launched my career as a Balkans sensitivity and authenticity reader is back, updated and bigger than ever!

April 22, 2026

min read

22 April – Lenin's birthday

So Lenin was one of the world's most prominent revolutionaries, but his legacy lasts by way of... first names and spring cleaning? All is explained here.

April 18, 2026

min read

"The buying and selling of votes is a crime" in Bulgaria

The aspects of Bulgarian elections that no-one else talks about. And what does Chalga have to say about it? All aboard the 'Bulgarian train'. Toot, toot!

April 10, 2026

min read

The eggs are dyed for Easter!

Yes, it's that time of year again, and I'm glad to say that the eggs turned out great this year.

April 8, 2026

min read

8 April – International Romani Day

Today is International Romani Day. Note, not 'Gypsy'. Why this is not the most appropriate term, and how ethnic labels can be complicated.

April 7, 2026

min read

Vale Yanka Rupkina!

Famous Bulgarian folk singer and member of the world-famous Trio Bulgarka, Yanka Rupkina, has died. Here is her extraordinary life.

April 4, 2026

min read

Lazarus Saturday – the Balkan debutante ball, and Palm Sunday – the Balkan flower festival

The weekend before Easter in Balkan Orthodox Christian societies sees major celebrations for the coming of spring, steeped in pagan origins.

April 2, 2026

min read

Tales from ethnic radio (part 2)

How I transitioned from listener to being listened. But first, let's bring in some music. 1990s Macedonian Turbofolk anyone? And what was the (surprising) word we couldn't mention?

March 23, 2026

min read

Tales from ethnic radio (part 1)

50 years ago today started the service I loathed as a child... but became my ticket to my future. The crazy yet wonderful world of ethnic, and particularly "Yugoslav", radio in Adelaide, Australia.

January 30, 2026

min read

Kostadinka Palazova, the voice of Bojmija, Macedonia (1939–2026)

Legendary Macedonian folk singer Kostadinka Palazova has passed away. Her life has been dedicated to keeping the songs of her birthplace alive in the face of official bans, ethnic cleansing and life in exile.

January 2, 2026

min read

When coins matter: stotinki and sixpence for Christmas

Big issue of the day – what coin do you use for your lucky-coin Christmas tradition? It matters to many in the Balkans AND Australia

December 19, 2025

min read

19 December is Saint Nicholas Day!

It's a pretty big day in some Orthodox Christian parts of the Balkans – St Nicholas Day. But how come it's happening 13 days after the rest of the world? And what are you not supposed to do today?

May 12, 2025

min read

Princes Amongst Men: Journeys with Gypsy Musicians is back!

Garth Cartwright's award-winning book about the talented Roma music stars of the Balkans is getting a re-release!

February 16, 2025

min read

Eat that burek... it could be useful later on

How my experience growing up Balkan in Australia has provided valuable knowledge to others.

February 8, 2025

min read

Slovenian, the odd one out

I translate into English from all Southern Slavic languages except one. Sorry, I can't do Slovenian. Here's my apology.

December 31, 2024

min read

My moment of 2024...

There's always one thing each year that stands out in my travels, and this year it was accidently discovering the huge gastarbeiter houses of eastern Serbia

December 22, 2024

min read

Utopia of the Uniform: Affective Afterlives of the Yugoslav People's Army by Tanja Petrović

22 December was Yugoslav People's Day. Here are some notes about the topics raised in this research, my personal connection to the former JNA and how its legacy lives on in the memories and legends of millions.

December 4, 2024

min read

Professor, Doctor, Docent, Magister... let's get into academic titles!

Some societies take them very seriously, some not so much. Find out more here...

October 20, 2024

min read

Why are there so many Turkish words in Balkan languages?

Let's see how Turkish has influenced the languages of the Balkans and further afield. Bujrum!

October 6, 2024

min read

Trileche, the not-so-traditional Balkan dish

How thanks to the Albanians, a Latin American cake conquered the Balkans.

September 6, 2024

min read

"Can you identify the text here?"

Did you know that people regularly contact me to identify text they can't decipher. That's what happens when I know a number of languages.

July 30, 2024

min read

25 years since the death of Bulgarian chalga star Rumyana

How the life and death of a popular chalga singer embodied the nature of post-Communist Bulgaria

July 4, 2024

min read

Who's gonna win: Sunderland or Newcastle? Fancy a Democracy Sausage? Or take a ride on the "Bulgarian Train"

August 22, 2023

min read

Oldtajmer, evergrin, rekorder, golman… the world of Balkan pseudo-anglicisms

Did you hear about the man who collects “old-timers”? 👴🏽 Or that Frank Sinatra has many “evergreens”? 🌲

March 22, 2023

min read

Ramadan or Ramazan?

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts today, but how do you call the month? A case of local vs global of different circumstances

March 8, 2023

min read

International Women’s Day (IWD). A day of campaigning ♀ … or a day to buy flowers 💐

🪃 In Australia, IWD is a day of campaigning and awareness, elements that are much closer to the day’s original purpose of bringing mainstream attention to issues affecting women.

February 1, 2023

min read

Out today! Elixir, In the Valley at the End of Time

The latest book that I played a part in its fruition (no, I’m not in it this time), by my dear friend, the award-winning writer Kapka Kassabova, is now available for purchase.

May 10, 2025

min read

Do we really need self-service counters in 'Pirate', me mateys?

Ahoy, me hearties! What may appear as a community service actually serves to undermine the supposed primary purpose of such language provision.

February 7, 2025

min read

Child interpreters. Why are we getting them to do an adult's job?

Children who interpret for their family members who do not know the local language are often portrayed as heroes. But what do these children think?

November 22, 2024

min read

Hindi/Urdu and Balkan languages... the links between them

There are words that are the same in Hindi and Urdu as in Croatian and Romanian?! How can this be? Find out here...

September 6, 2024

min read

"Can you identify the text here?"

Did you know that people regularly contact me to identify text they can't decipher. That's what happens when I know a number of languages.

August 23, 2023

min read

Five common myths about raising bilingual children

Surprising as it may be, I was once a child, but one who happened to grow up in a multilingual environment but dominated by English.

September 24, 2026

min read

What does going direct to a translator provide you?

There are huge benefits for going direct to a translator for your translation needs

September 22, 2026

min read

What's your best option when needing sensitive and confidential documents translated?

Why going for large translation companies can mean your sensitive documents being leaked.

August 10, 2026

min read

If they don’t understand, they’ll just ask

But will they? Why having public-facing text optimised from the onset is better than expecting members of the public will simply ask if they don't understand something.

July 27, 2026

min read

Anchor clients and the power of reminders

What are anchor clients and how I was able to regain one thanks to sound advice on using reminders

July 22, 2026

min read

What's the obvious sign of a lazy translation from English into any other language?

Translation is supposed to convey info from one language to another, but if you just use the words only tweaked from the source language, then you're doing a disservice.

July 15, 2026

min read

Oldtimers, dancings and packets ... but are they English words?

Welcome to the crazy world of "false friends" and "pseudo-anglicisms"... they look like English words but they're not

June 29, 2026

min read

The most important question for a certified translation of a personal document not in Latin script?

It's the simplest of things that can cause the most trouble. And when it comes to certified translations, getting this right is crucial!

May 20, 2026

min read

Two years as a Chartered Linguist!

Two years ago I attained the highest qualification for translators, Chartered Linguist. And I'm the only one in the UK for the languages I work from.

May 14, 2026

min read

If you know another language then you cannot be a bigot! Is this true?

Is there any truth that knowing another language eliminates any chance of you being a bigot?

February 7, 2025

min read

Child interpreters. Why are we getting them to do an adult's job?

Children who interpret for their family members who do not know the local language are often portrayed as heroes. But what do these children think?

January 30, 2025

min read

How to pass off as a native English speaker when writing?

What's one of the biggest giveaways that a text in English was not written by a native speaker? Find out here with a simple and yet important tip...

December 17, 2024

min read

My new personalised stamp!

To add to that professional touch, I can have your documents stamped with my personalised round stamp.

December 4, 2024

min read

Professor, Doctor, Docent, Magister... let's get into academic titles!

Some societies take them very seriously, some not so much. Find out more here...

November 29, 2024

min read

Serbo-Croatian? Yes, I still work from it.

3 decades have passed since it officially ceased to exist but I still get requests to translate from Serbo-Croatian. How come?

November 24, 2024

min read

I'm now a full member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists of the UK!

Yet another accreditation...

November 22, 2024

min read

Hindi/Urdu and Balkan languages... the links between them

There are words that are the same in Hindi and Urdu as in Croatian and Romanian?! How can this be? Find out here...

October 23, 2024

min read

Can the "world's most accurate translator" do Australian English?

Does DeepL live up to its claim of being "the world's most accurate translator" when it comes to Aussie English? Get ready for some zingers!

September 29, 2024

min read

International Translation Day and the Dragomans

How the Ottoman Empire granted its translators and interpreters, the Dragomans, with respect and status.

August 21, 2024

min read

Meyk lov - not vor

Why you shouldn't trust automated translation on LinkedIn or anywhere else. And are the Macedonians being targeted?

June 26, 2023

min read

Any place, any time…

April 26, 2023

min read

English language translation tips: use of long forms of country names

Republic of Serbia 🇷🇸, Republic of Croatia 🇭🇷, Kingdom of Norway 🇳🇴, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 🇬🇧, Oriental Republic of Uruguay 🇺🇾, Plurinational State of Bolivia 🇧🇴 …

August 13, 2026

min read

On the An Englishman in the Balkans podcast

I'm the guest on the latest episode

July 15, 2026

min read

Oldtimers, dancings and packets ... but are they English words?

Welcome to the crazy world of "false friends" and "pseudo-anglicisms"... they look like English words but they're not

May 22, 2026

min read

Muphry's Law strikes again!

Have you heard of Muphry's Law? No, it's not Murphy's Law, and if you thought that it was, then that's Muphry's Law. Confusing? Well, time to clear it up...

May 14, 2026

min read

If you know another language then you cannot be a bigot! Is this true?

Is there any truth that knowing another language eliminates any chance of you being a bigot?

February 21, 2026

min read

International Mother Language Day: "you're confusing him"

To show why mother languages matter, here's my story how educators in Australia tried stopping my parents speaking to me in my mother language.

February 9, 2026

min read

Careful, someone might hear you!

Think you can say vile things about the people around you because hardly anyone speaks your language? Think again! Because when you least suspect it, there'll be someone who does understand...

August 22, 2025

min read

Up for a crazy coupon? How Bulgarians say they want to party...

Are you up for a crazy coupon where you're strutting your stuff on the "dancing"? Perhaps you're a "labour" or a "gender"? A sneak peak into some Bulgarian linguistic false friends

August 20, 2025

min read

A company by any other name than Nik?

Oil, banking, jewelry, optics, radio broadcasting, hard spirits... Nik does it all! But do I really?

August 11, 2025

min read

Dua Lipa and her "pasosh"

After many decades of Yugoslav rule, Albanian spoken in Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro has some Serbo-Croatian words, but particularly in certain areas. Which ones? And why is this not unique?

May 10, 2025

min read

Do we really need self-service counters in 'Pirate', me mateys?

Ahoy, me hearties! What may appear as a community service actually serves to undermine the supposed primary purpose of such language provision.

February 20, 2025

min read

What's my 'mother language'?

International Mother Language Day and Global Language Advocacy Day are on! So what do I consider to be my 'mother languages' and why one of them is under threat...

November 19, 2024

min read

Indian and Australian English... the links between them

India and Australia have common bonds that go beyond a passion for cricket. Here are a few words that Indian and Australian English uniquely share...

October 14, 2024

min read

"Merci" is how you say "thank you" in which language?

It may come as a surprise but it's not just in French...

September 6, 2024

min read

"Can you identify the text here?"

Did you know that people regularly contact me to identify text they can't decipher. That's what happens when I know a number of languages.

October 23, 2023

min read

You know that time when Madonna was interviewed by a Hungarian tabloid? Or when translation goes hilariously bad…

We all know how some translations can be so bad that they’re unintentionally hilarious, like the viral examples from Engrish.com...

September 14, 2023

min read

Working in IT? What do you call yourself? An IT-ian, a Hitechist…?

Working in IT? 👩🏻‍💻 Would you call yourself an IT-ian, Hitechist or Startupist?

August 28, 2023

min read

Watch out for the killer squirrels! It’s “silly season”… or is that “cucumber season”?

Watch out for the killer squirrels! 🐿️ We’re very much in “silly season” right now in the UK 🤪

August 24, 2023

min read

You do Montenegrin and Bosnian, right?

Two more language directions have been added to my Institute of Translation and Interpreting profile

August 23, 2023

min read

Generic or specific? The issue stopping the free-trade agreement between the EU and Australia

Would you believe that the names of all these famous products are the cause for the deadlock in the free-trade agreement negotiations between the EU 🇪🇺 and Australia 🇦🇺. How come?

August 21, 2023

min read

Smoker’s remorse… or how false friends can be deeply expressive

🟰 Words that look the same or similar in two languages but have two, at times radically, different meanings are called “false friends”.

May 30, 2023

min read

The personal touch

Translation can often be a very sedentary existence, plugging away in front of a laptop, with little or no face-to-face contact with clients👨🏻‍💻

February 4, 2026

min read

World Cancer Day: cancer scare!

Even after being cured of cancer and remission is over, there's still the threat of it coming back for around go. What to do with a new cancer scare?

February 3, 2025

min read

Cancer and gallows humour: Thank you for the flowers 💐; I hope they die before I do!

What's one constant when it comes to the cancer experience? It's the gallows humour. Yes, it gets very, very dark. Why is this so?

September 15, 2024

min read

15 years cancer-free!!!

And I know because of an annual procedure a work colleague advised me to do...

June 14, 2024

min read

It's Men's Health Week... and I'm 15 years cancer-free!!!

The story of how I found out by chance that I no longer had cancer