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daveintaiwan · 28-04-2008, 07:27 AM

A false etymology common in both Australia and New Zealand is that pom originated as an acronym for "prisoner of (his/her) majesty" or "prisoner of mother England".
The Oxford English Dictionary strongly supports the theory that pommy originated as a contraction of "pomegranate". The OED also suggests that the reason for this is that pomegranate is extinct Australian rhyming slang for immigrant; it cites an article from 14 November 1912, in a once-prominent Australian weekly magazine The Bulletin: "The other day a Pummy Grant (assisted immigrant) was handed a bridle and told to catch a horse."

Can't argue with the truth... but does it mean that all immigrants are Poms?
I think I might defend the term Pom, if I heard someone calling an Indian, Greek or Finnish person a Pom.
"No, no. That's not right, only Brits can be called Poms!"

So, offended? Hardly...

28-04-2008, 07:27 AM	#10 (permalink)
daveintaiwan Member In Waiting Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fongyuan, Taiwan Posts: 61 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	A false etymology common in both Australia and New Zealand is that pom originated as an acronym for "prisoner of (his/her) majesty" or "prisoner of mother England". The Oxford English Dictionary strongly supports the theory that pommy originated as a contraction of "pomegranate". The OED also suggests that the reason for this is that pomegranate is extinct Australian rhyming slang for immigrant; it cites an article from 14 November 1912, in a once-prominent Australian weekly magazine The Bulletin: "The other day a Pummy Grant (assisted immigrant) was handed a bridle and told to catch a horse." Can't argue with the truth... but does it mean that all immigrants are Poms? I think I might defend the term Pom, if I heard someone calling an Indian, Greek or Finnish person a Pom. "No, no. That's not right, only Brits can be called Poms!" So, offended? Hardly...