Poms
You hear plenty of incorrect stories behind the origins of the term "pom" - often from English themselves. It's a term of affection, honestly mate:
The term "Pom", Australians' description of English people, is part of the Australian tradition of rhyming slang and should not be construed as offensive, the man who oversees the Australian Oxford Dictionary has said.
Dr Bruce Moore, who heads the Australian National Dictionary Centre at the Australian National University, says the history of the word shows it is largely inoffensive, even affectionate.
Some British expatriates living in Australia, calling themselves British People Against Racial Discrimination, have launched legal action to be rid of the word "Pom" in advertising on the basis that it is a derogatory term.
Dr Moore said such complaints are not new.
"At the Australian National Dictionary Centre we are often pressured by external groups to alter our labelling of the words Pom and Pommy," he said in a statement.
"Of course it's possible that the words might be used offensively or in a derogatory way, but they can also be used in a good-humoured and even affectionate way."
Dr Moore said popular belief had it that Pom was an acronym for Prisoner of Mother (England).
"But this is as barmy as the army," he said. "From 1860 `jimmygrant', rhyming slang for immigrant, was used contemptuously of new chums from Britain, from the red of the pomegranate, perhaps referring to the ruddy complexion of new arrivals.
Typical. Whinging poms. I mean that in an affectionate way, of course.
The term "Pom", Australians' description of English people, is part of the Australian tradition of rhyming slang and should not be construed as offensive, the man who oversees the Australian Oxford Dictionary has said.
Dr Bruce Moore, who heads the Australian National Dictionary Centre at the Australian National University, says the history of the word shows it is largely inoffensive, even affectionate.
Some British expatriates living in Australia, calling themselves British People Against Racial Discrimination, have launched legal action to be rid of the word "Pom" in advertising on the basis that it is a derogatory term.
Dr Moore said such complaints are not new.
"At the Australian National Dictionary Centre we are often pressured by external groups to alter our labelling of the words Pom and Pommy," he said in a statement.
"Of course it's possible that the words might be used offensively or in a derogatory way, but they can also be used in a good-humoured and even affectionate way."
Dr Moore said popular belief had it that Pom was an acronym for Prisoner of Mother (England).
"But this is as barmy as the army," he said. "From 1860 `jimmygrant', rhyming slang for immigrant, was used contemptuously of new chums from Britain, from the red of the pomegranate, perhaps referring to the ruddy complexion of new arrivals.
Typical. Whinging poms. I mean that in an affectionate way, of course.
posted by Engels at 8:42 am
2 Comments:
I knew there was a reason my ancestors left that crappy little island!
And no, it wasn't because they were arrested.
Probably played a big part though...
Hehe, send your convicts to the land of good weather, beaches, and tropical reefs. Now that's something to whinge about.
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