A Canadian man living in Sydney has given the only phrase he hears in the city a name he won’t find anywhere else.
Josia Hein said the phrase “you’re okay” in response to “sorry” was jarring because he didn’t know if it was positive or negative.
When pronounced quickly in an Australian accent, it can also sound like ‘you-right-mate’, further confusing tourists and expats.
Josiah explained that he hears the phrase regularly on the street, usually after apologizing to someone, which as a Canadian he does many times a day.
“I’m walking down the street in Australia and there’s this cool looking guy in a suit walking right up to me and he stopped and I stopped and I was like ‘oh sorry man,’” he explained.
“He didn’t say ‘that’s all good, bro.’ He didn’t say “that’s okay”. He didn’t say “oh sorry”. The man said to me, “You’re doing well.”‘
He said that in Australian fashion it sounded like he was telling him he was right – like he had answered a question correctly.
If someone apologized to him in a similar way, he would respond, “You’re all good,” or “You’re sweet,” “Don’t worry about that, my man.”
Josiah Hein said the phrase “you’re doing well, buddy” in response to “sorry” was shocking because he didn’t know if it was positive or negative
He said this line feels “less warm,” though he admits it “brings more swagger.”
“There’s something nice about it,” he said.
Many Aussies were quick to comment on his video and explain how it should be shot.
‘On a deeper level, it implies that you don’t have to worry about apologizing. It’s almost as if there is no need for anyone to offer forgiveness for another’s actions because we aren’t even bothered by them. So yeah, you’re doing well,” one woman said.
‘It is a question and a statement at the same time. Like “are you okay?” and “it’s all well put together,”’ another offered.
Others didn’t know it was an Australian thing.
“100 percent forget that this doesn’t apply everywhere and say it all the time in Hong Kong. However, I never thought that someone wouldn’t know what I meant,” said one traveler.
Some Australians warned the Canadian to beware of the less friendly “you, buddy?” which may seem to the untrained ear.
“It has a completely different atmosphere,” someone warned.
“Yes, we’re about to fight that one,” said another.
“If it’s ‘yurightmayd’ it’s all good, but if we say, ‘Are you right, mate?’ then it is very likely that things are not going well with that partner,” a third explained.