Poms

[sue]

Why do Australians call the British "Poms"?

[comeleon]

One theory, dating back to when Oz was a penal colony, is that it stands for "Prisoner of Mother England".

[fmeg]

well, a long time ago, lots of convicts were sent from England to Australia. Over the generations, the word/saying 'Poms' derived because England was the 'Prisoner Of Mother Society' (where all the convicts came from)

[mbzrad101]

It originates from when prisioners were shipped to Australia. Upon arrival they still wore their prision clothes. Those from the Marshalsea debtors prison had P.O.M embroidered on their jackets. Hence poms.........

[worrier]

The word Poms comes from where the prisoners were held before they were shipped to Australia and they were held at Millbank Prison (now it is better known as Tate Britain) and they had POM put on their backs as it meant prisoners of Millbank.

[mahoganyrushfan]

Well, I heard that originally it was POHM's, meaning Prisoner Of His/Her Majesty.
"If you check wikipedia it goes on to say that:
Some proponents of this theory claim that upon arrival in the country they would be given a uniform with "POHM" or "POME" emblazoned on the back, which apparently stood for Prisoners Of Maidenhead Prison but there are no images or examples of these uniforms".

So another prison added to the list, but I cannot see how Maidenhead prison would give the initial POHM.

[vindi48]

It's a mark of respect as it means People of Merit.

[catwomen4]

I think it is because the english eat so many potatoes ( pomme de terre in french )

[stgo]

POM comes from prisoner of mother england.

The aussies have got it wrong though, it is they that are poms, not us.

We are still living in england and not exported to the colonies!!!

[nifartet]

I believe that the australians believe that the british are very very kind, hence the name 'poms' - hope that helps

[hermanmitt]

As I recall it's a bit Anglo-French and to do with the British propensity for eating potatoes. French as in 'pomme de terre' - apple of the ground. I suppose it was originally more polite than referring to Brits as 'spuds'.

[Tony_Cropper]

Having emigrated to Australia with my Mum, Brother and Sister inthe mid sixties I became an electrical apprentice.
In those days before Political Correctness everybody was fair game to friendly vilification.
I was annoyed to be called a Pommy Bastard until I realised that Aussies only Sugar-stir (Politely provoke) they're mates.
That was a time when what they thought of you was the truth, not some carefully veiled safe pretence to stop you from suing them. Good Times!

[jerryatrick]

When I was at sea we reckoned it was because they likened the British Soldiers, who wore red uniforms and were likened to pomegranites Red on the outside, yellow on the inside and two thirds full of s**t. Our response was to describes Aussies as Kippers; two faced and no guts.

[Tommahawk]

Its a derogatory term, historical hatred of immigrants including British people originating directly from the British imperial system and under colonial isolation and re-enforced by the Liberal government then used on the British immigrants. Pomegranate is rhyming slang for immigrant. i.e an immigrant of type pom to differentiate from the other types of immigrants whom are in their sights. The term expresses a great hatred Australians have or used to have of all things perceived foreign. For example only until recently drinking wine in a bar would well see you verbally abused and even physically abused, because Australians drank beer. Immigrants of all of nationalities arriving to Australia face abuse, discrimination and violence. Today it is the Indians who suffer abuse but not withstanding Europeans and Asian and other people who are second or third generations are still viewed with hatred. Country bars may also be pockets of hatred against foreigners and one may find themselves in conflict with a gang of persons who have identified a person of foreign race whom they seek to physically abuse. The concept is not limited to immigrants, homosexuals and Aborigines as well as other suffer their own situation. Effectively most nations some more than others have an element of this hard truth. Again this system of classification is imperial British in origin and as it never feels good to be the victim of hatred racial or otherwise British people ought to learn from this experience and declare to themselves never to classify people by race but instead to classify people according to their loyalties.

[Tommahawk]

Its a derogatory term, historical hatred of immigrants including British people originating directly from the British imperial system and under colonial isolation and re-enforced by the Liberal government then used on the British immigrants. Pomegranate is rhyming slang for immigrant. i.e an immigrant of type pom to differentiate from the other types of immigrants whom are in their sights. The term expresses a great hatred Australians have or used to have of all things perceived foreign. For example only until recently drinking wine in a bar would well see you verbally abused and even physically abused, because Australians drank beer. Immigrants of all of nationalities arriving to Australia face abuse, discrimination and violence. Today it is the Indians who suffer abuse but not withstanding Europeans and Asian and other people who are second or third generations are still viewed with hatred. Country bars may also be pockets of hatred against foreigners and one may find themselves in conflict with a gang of persons who have identified a person of foreign race whom they seek to physically abuse. The concept is not limited to immigrants, homosexuals and Aborigines as well as other suffer their own situation. Effectively most nations some more than others have an element of this hard truth. Again this system of classification is imperial British in origin and as it never feels good to be the victim of hatred racial so don't do it.

[astarothsquirrel]

I think a more likely rhyming slang would be Pom Frits/Brits (also referencing our love of potato chips (french fries to the rest of the world). I really don't think that Pomegranate rhymes with immigrant, not even with an Aussie accent.