Gary Martin: We might be losing the term ‘mate’ to cultural imports, but it reflects who we are as a nation

If there is just one word that captures the spirit of Australia, it is “mate”.

Short, familiar and steeped in the DNA of a nation that prides itself on being down to earth, it is the lingo of larrikins and leaders and many in between.

While the word has been woven through the fabric of Australian life for much longer than Slim Dusty has been singing about a pub with no beer, there are signs its threads are fraying.

Many would agree that “mate” sits alongside other Aussie icons such as the meat pie, lamingtons, the Hills Hoist, the Holden Commodore, thongs, Vegemite and the trusty stubby holder — instantly recognisable, proudly homegrown and etched into the national identity.

Like these cultural staples, the word mate has long been part of what gives Australia its distinctive flavour: casual, approachable and unpretentious.

Traditionally, the word has worn many hats.

It has been a quick fix when a name escapes you, a circuit-breaker in tense situations and a reliable gesture of friendliness in everyday encounters.

And mate has been as comfortable in use in the pub as in Parliament, tossed around on sporting fields, shouted across worksites and slipped into sentences with effortless ease.

But just as tastes change and traditions evolve, mate is also being re-thought.

And if you have not noticed yet, younger generations are leading the shift.

They are swapping out mate for global imports such as bro, brother, bruh, buddy or boss, which are expressions lifted straight from social media feeds and pop culture.

Throw in dude, legend, chief and champ and suddenly mate is on the outer.

The truth is the word is on the nose with plenty of people, especially city types and those in multicultural and progressive circles.

For some, it carries outdated baggage or feels a bit blokey and out of step.

This is not to say mate is totally on the way out.

Plenty of Aussies still use it without a second thought.

There are those who believe it is still a symbol of Aussie mateship. At the same time, others reckon it is sounding a bit dusty.

Perhaps it does not need to be one or the other. Maybe mate just needs to share the stage.

Let the bros, bruhs and buddies have their moment while mate hangs around doing what it does best — keeping things real.

Whatever your take, it is not a bad idea to hang on to our old mate.

Even if it is not everyone’s go-to these days, there is still something about mate that feels unmistakably Aussie.

And that counts for something, right mate?

Professor Gary Martin is CEO of AIM WA and a specialist in workplace and social trends