It comes from an old (25 years maybe) TV campaign to lure American tourists to Australia. We actually call shrimps "prawns".
In fact, it is rarely used. I don't think it means anything outside the context of that ad.
I was suprised when I first heard "prawn" in the movie "District 9". (shot in South Africa).
I don't think that they were referring to something other than shrimps.
They might be scientifically different. I'm not sure whether what we eat in Australia are actually prawns or shrimps in a biological context. We call them all prawns.
They might be scientifically different. I'm not sure whether what we eat in Australia are actually prawns or shrimps in a biological context. We call them all prawns.