A Pom
Feb 5th 2007 | 10:38 am
#16
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,948
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Re: A Pom
Because they were the original recipients of the term.
It wasn't. It was originally used exclusively of English people who travelled to Australia as "assisted immigrants". The word "Jimmygrant" tended to be more general, and was not exclusive to the English.
Hence the OED entry, which cites a number of examples from the era in which the word was originally coined:
POM n.2, POMMY n.
1912 Bulletin (Sydney) 14 Nov. 16/4 The other day a Pummy Grant (assisted immigrant) was handed a bridle and told to catch a horse.
1912 Truth (Sydney) 22 Dec. 1/3 Now they call 'em ‘Pomegranates’ and the Jimmygrants don't like it.
1924 D. H. LAWRENCE & M. SKINNER Boy in Bush 120 Here you, young Pommy Grant.
1963 X. HERBERT Disturbing Elem. 91 He still wore the heavy clumsy British type of clothing of the day. When we kids saw people on the street dressed like that we would yell at them: ‘Jimmygrants, Pommygranates, Pommies!’
Source.
When the evidence you provide points to it being a universally encompassing term for just about any immigrant into Australia!
Hence the OED entry, which cites a number of examples from the era in which the word was originally coined:
POM n.2, POMMY n.
1912 Bulletin (Sydney) 14 Nov. 16/4 The other day a Pummy Grant (assisted immigrant) was handed a bridle and told to catch a horse.
1912 Truth (Sydney) 22 Dec. 1/3 Now they call 'em ‘Pomegranates’ and the Jimmygrants don't like it.
1924 D. H. LAWRENCE & M. SKINNER Boy in Bush 120 Here you, young Pommy Grant.
1963 X. HERBERT Disturbing Elem. 91 He still wore the heavy clumsy British type of clothing of the day. When we kids saw people on the street dressed like that we would yell at them: ‘Jimmygrants, Pommygranates, Pommies!’
Feb 5th 2007 | 8:08 pm
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,918
From: Cairns
Re: A Pom
Maybe the Badger - quite unique to the UK
Feb 5th 2007 | 9:03 pm
#20
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 523
From: In our own house! Northern beaches
Feb 5th 2007 | 9:37 pm
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 7,949
From: Scotland
Re: A Pom
Some suggestions, offered in friendly spirit. 
A rhino (thick hide needed to withstand banter)
An albatross or a whale (Britannia rules the waves)
A dodo (that's what's going to happen to Ashes and World Cup victories)
A cat (thinks it's a superior being)
A chameleon (changes colour - to pomegranate in the sun)
A secretary bird (civil servants, ex-public school really run the country)
A slain lion rampant and dragon (to symbolise Scotland and Wales)
A jail bird (what it did to us 'convicts')
......................... that'll do for now!
OzTennis
A rhino (thick hide needed to withstand banter)
An albatross or a whale (Britannia rules the waves)
A dodo (that's what's going to happen to Ashes and World Cup victories)
A cat (thinks it's a superior being)
A chameleon (changes colour - to pomegranate in the sun)
A secretary bird (civil servants, ex-public school really run the country)
A slain lion rampant and dragon (to symbolise Scotland and Wales)
A jail bird (what it did to us 'convicts')
......................... that'll do for now!
OzTennis
Feb 5th 2007 | 10:16 pm
#22
The Murphsters
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 161
From: Brisbane
Re: A Pom
A tame little Lapdog maybe?
Only an idea!
Only an idea!
Feb 6th 2007 | 12:16 am
#23
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 51
From: Scotland
Re: A Pom
For us Scots, our national animal would have to be the Haggis - not often seen, but living in the heather moors up in the Highlands!
Feb 6th 2007 | 12:21 am
#24
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,704
From: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Re: A Pom
The British have always been known as The Lions from the days of Empire. I however have long since given up referring to myself as British, in preference to being known as English.
I think a truly English animal would have to be the Badger.
Buzzy the Badger
I think a truly English animal would have to be the Badger.
Buzzy the Badger
Feb 6th 2007 | 12:30 am
#25
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 545
From: Melbourne
Re: A Pom
Because they were the original recipients of the term.
It wasn't. It was originally used exclusively of English people who travelled to Australia as "assisted immigrants". The word "Jimmygrant" tended to be more general, and was not exclusive to the English.
Hence the OED entry, which cites a number of examples from the era in which the word was originally coined:
POM n.2, POMMY n.
1912 Bulletin (Sydney) 14 Nov. 16/4 The other day a Pummy Grant (assisted immigrant) was handed a bridle and told to catch a horse.
1912 Truth (Sydney) 22 Dec. 1/3 Now they call 'em ‘Pomegranates’ and the Jimmygrants don't like it.
1924 D. H. LAWRENCE & M. SKINNER Boy in Bush 120 Here you, young Pommy Grant.
1963 X. HERBERT Disturbing Elem. 91 He still wore the heavy clumsy British type of clothing of the day. When we kids saw people on the street dressed like that we would yell at them: ‘Jimmygrants, Pommygranates, Pommies!’
Source.
It wasn't. It was originally used exclusively of English people who travelled to Australia as "assisted immigrants". The word "Jimmygrant" tended to be more general, and was not exclusive to the English.
Hence the OED entry, which cites a number of examples from the era in which the word was originally coined:
POM n.2, POMMY n.
1912 Bulletin (Sydney) 14 Nov. 16/4 The other day a Pummy Grant (assisted immigrant) was handed a bridle and told to catch a horse.
1912 Truth (Sydney) 22 Dec. 1/3 Now they call 'em ‘Pomegranates’ and the Jimmygrants don't like it.
1924 D. H. LAWRENCE & M. SKINNER Boy in Bush 120 Here you, young Pommy Grant.
1963 X. HERBERT Disturbing Elem. 91 He still wore the heavy clumsy British type of clothing of the day. When we kids saw people on the street dressed like that we would yell at them: ‘Jimmygrants, Pommygranates, Pommies!’
You surely must have a degree in answering this question by now
Dolly
Feb 6th 2007 | 12:52 am
#26
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 7,949
From: Scotland
Re: A Pom
OzTennis
Feb 6th 2007 | 9:55 am
#27
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,590
From: In a house
Re: A Pom
Seems that British is scattered in there a lot!
Funny thing is, not a racist term but the Welsh, Scots and Irish are all glad they're not referred to as Poms or refuse to accept the term could possibly be aimed in their direction!
