Q. Why do Australians call the British "Poms"

asks Sue:

A.

Whether it's Pom, Pommy or Pommie, this is a term Australians and New Zealanders use for the English, sometimes affectionately and sometimes not. It's most evident when it comes to cricket and rugby matches. It's not certain where it comes from, but Brewer's favours the blend of the words 'pomegranate' and 'immigrant': the pomegranate bit referring to the ruddy complexions of the English arriving in a hot climate.

Q. Any other explanations

A. There's also a theory that it comes from 'Prisoner of Mother England' or 'Prisoner of His/Her Majesty, referring to the convicts who were transported to Australia.

Q. Wasn't there an Australian TV programme called Pommies

A. Yes, it was a documentary which had a go at British migrants who whinged about life down under. It caused an outcry from the British in Australia. And more recently, a promo for Shipwrecked Two, the Castaway-type reality TV series, provided the winning line: 'Can three Aussies survive three months in Paradise with 14 whinging Poms ' Needless to say, the TV station's switchboard was inundated with calls from irate British callers. (As it happened, two of the Aussies were out pretty quickly - one the first to be ostracised and the other jumped ship.)



Q. Why are the English still called Poms

A. Pommie-bashing is seen as fair sport. And you can't complain: a recent High Court ruling in Australia determined that the use of the word 'Pom' is not considered derogatory.

Q. What other slang terms are peculiar to the Antipodes

A. Words which have derived from prison slang of the first settlers include cobber (chum), dinkum (genuine), bodger (useless) and to fossick (to search). More recently, there's chunder (vomit), nick off (leave) and one which is now used in this country, to rubbish (to pour scorn on). There's also the tendency, as in Brookside, to shorten long words, so afternoon becomes 'arvo', barbecue is 'barbie', a can of beer is a 'tinnie', and so on.

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