quicko: mate

So everybody knows Australians call people "mate."

But the extent to which this seemingly amicable, familiar nomenclature has permeated the language here is astounding. I thought things had been taken as far as they could go when I heard a TV cop say, "you're under arrest, mate." How much farther can it go than befriending the convict you're arresting?

Well, gosh, never fear, the Australians are here. Last night I heard it for the first time ... poor guy'd been told, "you're going to hell, mate."