Australians fear some of their most distinctive and colourful expressions, idioms and slang are being swamped by a growing cultural influence from the United States.
Younger Australians, in particular, are now more likely to say 'hi' than 'g'day', 'vacation' rather than 'holiday', and 'fully sick', meaning really great, instead of the quintessentially ocker 'grouse'.
Foreigners may think words such as 'bonzer' - good - and 'cobber' - friend - are part of Australians' daily vocabulary, but they are actually almost extinct.
The impact of television and films by Americans - or as Australian rhyming slang would describe them, 'septics' (septic tank for Yank) - has been noted before. But the issue has been revived by the recent 110th anniversary of Australia's best known song, Waltzing Matilda, the story of a swagman -tramp - who drowns in a billabong - water hole - after being pursued by police.
Historian Richard Magoffin, who has written a book on Andrew 'Banjo' Paterson's famous ballad, believes the kind of Australian words typified by Waltzing Matilda are falling into disuse as a result of American popular culture.
'We don't want to turn into a little America,' said Magoffin. 'I met a bloke in the pub the other day who called me 'buddy'. I told him 'Call me mate'. And I reckon 'guy' should be banned too.'