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Whin'n Like A Pom 
         
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#1434
by Citizen Hurley - 3/28/2004 2:47:14 AM
[Hurls Mode ON]
Main Entry: whinge
Pronunciation: 'hwinj, 'winj
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): whinged; whing·ing or whinge·ing
Etymology: from (assumed) Middle English, from Old English hwinsian; akin to Old High German winsOn to moan
British : to complain fretfully : WHINE
POM - unknown origin, however,
Claim: "Pommy" (or "pom"), a slang term for a British person, comes from the acronym POHM, which was used to designate a "Prisoner of His Majesty."
Status: False.
Origins: "Pommy" (or "pom" or "pommie") is a primarily Australian (and largely derisive) slang term used to indicate a recent immigrant from Great Britain, or a Brit in general. The origins of "pommy" having been lost in the mists of time, someone needed to cook up an etymology for it, preferably one equal to the pejorative sense of the word. Accordingly, we now have the story that criminals transported to Australia were designated "Prisoners of His Majesty" or "Prisoners of Mother England" (some versions claim the convicts bore one of these legends printed on the backs of their shirts), and thus the acronym "POHM" or "POME" eventually evolved into the slang term "pom" or "pommy."
[Hurls Mode OFF]
    
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Uh, one point that seemed to be neglected above, is the basis of the argument on the Urban Legends site (which is where the above definition of Pommie was taken). It reads:
"This amusing anecdote is doubtful as anything more than a fanciful invention, as acronymic origins antedating the mid-twentieth century are automatically suspect, and the use of "pommy" has been recorded at least as far back as 1915."
I assume this was omitted due it's obvious untruth (thus discrediting the rest of their argument). Naval acronyms have been in common use since the late 19th century - for example: POSH (Port out, Starboard home)
I agree there is no proof that Pommie is derived from Prisoners Of Mother England, but likewise there is no proof of any alternatives.
So the Aussies are free to call us whingeing poms according to their unproven definition of the term, and we English are also free to call them whingeing poms according to our unproven definition
Oh, and if they all love Australia so much, why are so many of them working in bars in London 
P.S. Aussies please don't take any offence at this post, it is purely meant in jest 
     
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Well, you're doing better than me then Paguma - I've not made it to the Southern hemisphere yet (apart from the Falkland islands, but that doesn't count as it's British ).
Not too sure about visiting a country where every native living creature wants to kill / eat you, and the colonial population doesn't particularly like you either
Seriously though, I would love to visit Aus / NZ some time (and Canada for that matter), as I have some good friends I've worked with over the years from those parts of the world. I know the welcome would be good, even if I am a whingeing Pom 
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, I like being UnDead 
