ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the intersectional metrolinguistics of Sydney, therefore, stresses the relations between artifacts, places and people. Lakemba, a suburb in southwest Sydney, is generally understood as a "Lebanese neighbourhood", a perception deriving not only from its large Lebanese population but also from its prominent mosque and a sense of Lebanese being the default Arabic community in Sydney. In Sydney, 36.2" of people had both parents born in Australia and 52.1" of people had both parents born overseas. Today, 58.1" of people in Sydney were born in Australia, the most common other countries of birth being China, England, India, New Zealand and Vietnam. Chinese immigrants started working as market gardeners in the middle of the nineteenth century as they moved into various occupations, from small businesses, such as general stores to fishing and market gardening.