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ding1


Ding - An Italian migrant [Note: this is a derogatory term]: The Ding has a ding on his passenger door.

Contributor's comments: Same meanings, used mostly in the mining towns of the Pilbara of W.A. Still used a bit now.


Contributor's comments: An Italian or Greek person. After moving to WA I referred to a small dent on my car as a "ding" (Sydney talk) - I had given offense to the person I was talking to. "Ding" in Perth is the same as "wog" or "wop" in Sydney.

Contributor's comments: The word "ding" is or was a west Australian colloquialism for people of Mediterranean origin. It doesn't seem to be used outside of western Australia as the word wog seems more prevalent.

Contributor's comments: Ding, as in a person, is used in Perth not only to refer to an Italian, but also anyone from eastern Europe - similar to 'wog' in the eastern states. My mother-in-law is Yugoslavian and refers to herself and her family as 'dings'. Although perhaps derogatory, there is some pride in calling yourself a ding, similar again to 'wog'.

Contributor's comments: I first heard the term "ding" or "dinger" when posted to Melbourne, used in reference to (mainly) European tram drivers and conductors, the term coming from the constant dinging of the trams warning bell as well as the passenger stop request bell.

Contributor's comments: dingbat (or more commonly ding) is very common in reference to a male (never heard it used for a woman) of Yugoslav (and often Italian men also). It is not a term of abuse and Ted Bull on the ABC has used it recently when joking with his Yugoslav guest, Andy Grljusich.

ding2


a dent in a car panel: a ding on his passenger door.

Contributor's comments: Ding (as a dent) was not in use in my part of SA in the fifties and sixties.

Contributor's comments: In SE QLD we used ding to refer to dents in car panels eg got a ding in the door or a ding on the wheel arch... 60's & 70's terminilogy?

Contributor's comments: Used as in an amount of panel damage to your car. eg."I've got a small ding in the driver's door."