Why Do Australians Say “Ta”?

“Yessie” over at Lost in Australia asks a question that I had immediately wondered about as well when I first arrived in Australia, which is, Why do Australians say “Ta”?  For those that don’t know, more often then not an Australian instead of saying “Thank you” or even “Thanks” will simply say “Ta”.

I asked one of my Australian co-workers why this is?  He didn’t know for sure, but he told he thinks it started as a way for Australians to say an abbreviated form of “Thanks Alot”.  Who knows, but it sounds plausible considering how Australians quite often have the tendency to shorten words.

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barbara
barbara
15 years ago

As an australian i also don't know where it came from but i agree it may be a shortened version of thanks a lot or thanks awfully.

Danielle
Danielle
11 years ago

it’s what we teach kids when we’re teaching them to say “thank you”. it’s easier for kids to say. you’ll often hear parents encouraging their kids, to “say ta!”

Kym
Kym
11 years ago

It is usually said with ‘mate’…. “ta mate!” and used by men when they are together, say working or fishing, and formalities have been dropped. Women usually say “ta dear” or “thanks luv” or “luvvy” in a similar way and in similar situations. But they are usually older women and using It to also convey a sense of authority towards men, but between the same sex it is intended to convey a sense of equality.

Zak Sadiq (Pervaiz-Sadiq)
Zak Sadiq (Pervaiz-Sadiq)
10 months ago

Ta and ta love / luvvie / darl has been said in Yorkshire, England for eons.

Haven’t studied it but there’s no doubt this is the root.

Would be a nice surprise to be proven wrong on this.

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