She'll be right

She'll be right (often followed by a friendly term of address such as mate) is a frequently used idiom in Australian and New Zealand culture that expresses the belief that "whatever is wrong will right itself with time", which is considered to be either an optimistic or apathetic outlook.[1][2][3] The term can also be used to refer to a situation or object which is not perfect but is good enough to fulfil its purpose.

In this usage, "she" represents everything, allowing the phrase to be used both in circumstances of extreme hardship and in casual speech referring to everyday events. Related terms also used with the same meaning include She'll be apples (Australia) and She's good (New Zealand).

In recent years, the term has taken on a less than flattering connotation, with "a she'll-be-right attitude" referring to a willingness to accept a low-quality or makeshift situation rather than seek a more desirable solution.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "She'll Be Right, Mate". New Zealand: Land of the Long White Cloud. Dillon Press. 1990. pp. 19–27.
  2. ↑ Eric Partridge (1986). A dictionary of catch phrases: British and American, from the sixteenth century to the present day. Psychology Press. p. 24.
  3. ↑ Kate Burridge, Jean Gail Mulder (1999). English in Australia and New Zealand: an introduction to its history, structure and use. Oxford University Press. p. 47.
  4. ↑ Examples of this are shown in "'She'll be right' won't work in earthquake" (Taranaki Daily News. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012) and "'She'll be right' attitude blamed" (Canterbury Star, 4 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012).
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