DEEP DIVE: Galah or gronk? Here's why your answer matters episode artwork

EPISODE · May 22, 2026 · 10 MIN

DEEP DIVE: Galah or gronk? Here's why your answer matters

from Hack · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Drongo, galah, wombat: they're some of Australia's favourite insults, but their use in everyday language has changed throughout the decades.While everyone has their preferred flavour of insult, there is one thing that linguists agree on: younger generations swear in a different way to those who came before them.So what's behind that change? And are we losing parts of our national identity?In today's deep dive we speak to young people right across Australia about their go-to swear words and insults, and how the internet is changing the way we use and create slang. Guests: Dylan Hughes, Monash University School of Languages PhD studentGet the whole story from hack:Follow us on Instagram and TikTokSubscribe to the hack podcastListen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm

Drongo, galah, wombat: they're some of Australia's favourite insults, but their use in everyday language has changed throughout the decades. While everyone has their preferred flavour of insult, there is one thing that linguists agree on: younger generations swear in a different way to those who came before them. So what's behind that change? And are we losing parts of our national identity? In today's deep dive we speak to young people right across Australia about their go-to swear words and insults, and how the internet is changing the way we use and create slang.  Guests:  Dylan Hughes, Monash University School of Languages PhD student Get the whole story from hack: Follow us on Instagram and TikTok Subscribe to the hack podcast Listen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm

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DEEP DIVE: Galah or gronk? Here's why your answer matters

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This episode was published on May 22, 2026.

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Drongo, galah, wombat: they're some of Australia's favourite insults, but their use in everyday language has changed throughout the decades.While everyone has their preferred flavour of insult, there is one thing that linguists agree on: younger...

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