Hi there
Was a little flummoxed the other day when hearing that there was some organisation in England that is exploring their 'legal avenues' in regards to the use of the word 'Pom'... In their opinion it amounts to nothing more than a racist slur, and I was just curious as to the views of some residents of Blighty on this? I have grown up knowing this as the stock nickname for the English, and knowing the close ties between English and Aussie humour it is never thought of as 'racist' in any way...It just 'is'...
English = Poms = nothing more, nothing less if you know what I mean...
Those in question were apparently upset that we viewed a 'Pom' as someone who bathes once a week, has yellow teeth and whinges etc... Who's drawing that link?
I dunno...
Your views?

Hi Bradley,speaking as a POM,I haven't got a problem with that word at all,I've worked with a couple of Aussies in the past and the name calling was just good natured banter,I never felt threatend in any way.I'm afraid the PC crowd have probably slipped past security and are in the community doing their worst.Or could it be something to do with the ashes?OBTW,here in dear ole blighty,we can now call Christmas,Christmas,its official!
All the best....Dave(pommy barsteward)

Lifted from Wiki: (Is that stuff copywrite protected??)

Pommy

The term Pommy for a British person is commonly used in Australian English, New Zealand English and South African English and Afrikaans Speakers, and is often shortened to Pom. The origin of this term is not confirmed and there are several persistent false etymologies.

One theory is that, as the majority of early immigrants to Australia were British, it is rhyming slang for "immigrant" from a contraction of the word "pomegranate", or possibly more directly related to the appearance of the fruit, as it bears a more than passing resemblance to the typical pale complexioned Briton's skin after his or her first few days living under the hot Australian sun.

Another theory is that POM is a shortened acronym of Prisoner of His/Her Majesty (POHM). As many of Australia's first settlers were convicts, sentenced to transportation, this theory holds that upon arrival in the country they would be given a uniform with POHM emblazoned on the back, and that convicts with an extended stay on Australian soil would no longer have to wear the shirt and would often refer to newer entrants into the country as "Pohmmys". Other suggestions hold that POM is a different acronym, such as "Prisoner of Mother England" or "Port of Melbourne". These etymologies are believed to be false, as the term "pommy" was coined long before acronyms were used in common parlance. Moreover, there is no record of prisoners in Australia ever wearing such uniforms.

The use of the word 'Pom' is contentious. Some British people living in Australasia find the term offensive and demeaning, others find it harmless and amusing. Attitudes to the use of the word have varied over the years, from the 1960s when slogans such as 'bash a pom a day' were heard on New Zealand radio, to today, when the word has become so entrenched that few Australians and New Zealanders see any reason to avoid using the word, some even justifying the use of the word as being 'endearing'. On September 27, 2006, the Australian cricketing authority Cricket Australia ruled that it was OK for cricket fans to refer to the English as 'Poms' after a wide-ranging review on potentially racist terms. [1]

Sounds you you guys can keep this one. We have plenty of those PC problems of our own.

Cheers,
Shaun

I guess I have been living under a rock as I have nevr heard that term before. Oh well, I can think of a lot worse things to be callled

I lived in OZ for nearly fourteen years it never bothered me even the extended version Pommy Ba%$^&£,been called a lot worse in my time.These people who go on about racism should crawl back under their stones and dig a bit deeper they might find a life with a sub heading called humour attached.

I guess wherever you turn you'll have a nickname for the nationality that you are....
Never heard any for Swedes here in the UK or anywhere else, but I'm sure that there's a few of them.....lmao!
Do you know any??
:-) :-)

Not got a problem with being called a pom myself - usually counter with comments about kiwi's - nothing upsets the aussies more than being misidentified :-)

Nothing wrong with a bit of good natured rivalry/name calling.

Andy

ps Jan - no idea of a term for Swedes over here - but i'll try to find out.

You are just collectively known as either Inga or Sven, both of which are probably not as prevalent as we think! :-)

Hi Brad,

It's another flag for the PC brigade to wave. I'm not a Pom but a Paddy but that's considered offensive too, as are Irish, Jewish, Polish and almost any other kind of jokes.

Sign of the times I'm afraid, and extremely damaging too in terms of freedom of speech as most people are afraid if they say anything at all it will be considered rasist, sexist or something 'ist'.

Like all nick names it can be used in a light harted manner or an offensive one. Personally I think we have moved to far down the PC road.

Cheers

Al

Hi Brad

It's not a problem for most of us over here. We all enjoy a good wind up.
As stated before it's just the PC Brigade on the rampage again with nothing else better to do. They're just a bunch of whinging Poms.
I wonder how many of them use to worship at the feet of Mary Whitehouse?

Dave.

Too true Al (or Mick? :-) )
I don't know where they go to kick their shoes off at night, but it must have thick walls and no windows...
One of my fave jokes is about the Englishman who wants to become Irish, and finds a surgeon who explained he could remove a small percentage of the brain... During the procedure, there was a mix-up .. Upon waking, the surgeon stammered "I'm frightfully sorry old chap, but instead of 10%, 80% was removed instead."
To which the patient replied, "She'll be right, mate!"
:-) :-) :-)
Cheers
Brad

Heard about this too Brad.

Being half english myself, (mother was born and lived there for most of her childhood), i dont see any problem with it, nor does mum, nor do any English people ive ever spoken to.
It is a word thats used in a light hearted manner, and both Aussies and Brits know this, i think this "group" is just another tiny minority whove been lucky enough to get the medias attention on their plight, i found it amusing that they are claiming it as a racial slur too, didnt know English was up there with Caucasian, Black, Hispanic etc.. :-)

Cheers

No problem with being called a Pom, as said before it's just the PC crowd going over the top again. I can think of a few better terms for them but won't say it them here

It's these silly small minded minorities that cause all the trouble

Some people are so touchy. :-) :-)

Must be an english thing, the term Pom is not used in the states, The closest thing is "pom pom" which is those things cheerleaders hold when the are at football games

No you yankee colonial types call us limey's i believe :-) :-) :-)

For the avoidance of doubt the Yankee colonials comment was meant as a JOKE

Andy

And in the southern US, a Yankee is someone from the North, but in the North it is someone from the northeast US, generally New York or the New England states.

Like Propboy, I saw the title "Poms poms poms" and immediately thought the thread was about American football cheerleaders.

Not quite correct... Afrikaners call both English speaking South Africans of European descent as well as Britons "Rooinekke". No distinction is made between English, Welsh, Scot or Irish. Loosely translated "rooinek" is red-neck. This derogatory term goes back to the Anglo-Boer war, and is alive today as it was 100 years ago. There are at least 2 schools of believe regarding the origin. The first refers to the scarlet jacket (red coat). The other to the chafed and sun-burnt neck of the British soldier.

Hey Brad, How do you upset a Tasmanian,when he asked you where you come from tell him Australia.did that once in a pub in Hobart had to do a runner :-)

If I remember correct, In school I was was told that there were even Swedes fighting in the Boer war on the Boer's side.....
Is that really true?

Gday John
I'm surprised they didn't ask you first if you were from the 'North Island' :-) :-)

Probably. They were predominantly Dutch, Bavarian, German, Irish, Amrecian settlers. Basically anyone who had an interest in fighting the British, or indeed establishment.

Regarding the Swedes though, there were also Swedes fighting for the Brits. A quick bit of genealogy... My great-great-great-great-grandfather was a Swede from Gothenburg. He was an engine-driver and I believe was some how involved with the British armoured trains running up and down the country. On arrival in Port Elizabeth his name was "Anglo-sized" and became Richardson. And unfortunately that's as far back as I can trace on that particular branch of my family tree due to the pre-20th century Nordic paternal naming convensions.

Interestingly Australia send an expeditionary force to assist the British forces, and there are several memorials to the fallen Aussies around the country...