Microsoft tips hat to bogans

Microsoft has proven yet again its multicultural global friendliness by allowing Word 2007 to recognise Aussie slang words like bogan, sheila, bonza and sickie.

The user-friendly Aussie software includes other quintessential rough and tumble slang for inclusion in its next version of Microsoft Office, due out some time in the future.

Aussie words for inclusion will be determined by the most popular choice as voted by people online, and finally judged by a panel of experts.

These people include Adam Spencer (radio host), Peter FitzSimons (sports writer) Dr Ruth Wajnryb (linguist, researcher and writer), David Blair (a founding member of the editorial committee of the Macquarie Dictionary), and Tony Wilkinson, director at Microsoft's information worker division.

Users can choose other words like Jackaroo, Uluru (the formal Aboriginal name for Ayers Rock), Phar Lap (the name of a great Aussie horse that died under mysterious circumstances) and Bradman (Australian cricketing hero), just to name a few from its list.

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