WHAT'S IN A NAME, MATE?

A Sideways Glance at the Hidden Meaning of Aussie Place Names

There are many place names around the world that cry out to tell you their true meaning. Well, perhaps not their ridgey didge true meaning, but who has ever looked at the name Footscray and not felt that it probably also exists as an entry in a medical dictionary? Or Patchewollock, or Humpty Doo? Exactly.

This work attempts to do for (or to) Australian place names what Douglas Adams and John Lloyd did for Britain and the rest of the world, in The Meaning of Liff and The Deeper Meaning of Liff.

Words by Duncan Waldron, illustrations by Matt Davis.

Creative Commons License
This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.

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See Why am I doing this? for something approaching a motive.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Arkarula - Aylmerton

Arkarula n
Any vehicle that is filled to overflowing with teenage couples, heading for the beach.


Atherley
adj
A feigned unavailability or indifference to an invitation, when you know full well that the person giving the invitation doesn’t really want you anywhere near the event in question, but feels obliged to ask all the same. Suitable responses would be "I’m washing my hair," "I need to de-coke the spark plugs," or "I’m working out the details of my funeral." In practice, the other person won’t give a monkey’s, as long as you stay well away.


Athlone
n
The dreaded moment of realisation that the comedian has selected you, of all the people in the audience, to publicly embarrass. All of the others recognise this and can now relax and enjoy the show. Similar to Booragoon (qv).


Austinmer
adj
Descriptive of any area of private land that has one or more rusting vehicles upon it. In some Shires, a Statute of Austinmersion obliges landholders to ensure that any vehicle that breaks down irretrievably shall lay undisturbed where it stopped, for at least 5 years, or until all doors, wheels and fittings are removed by passing scavengers.


Austinmer

Aylmerton n
A measure of the strength of beer. One Aylmerton is sufficient to begin a political debate; eight Aylmertons will precipitate serious argument on whether the government should be taken out the back and shot; and 27 Aylmertons will almost guarantee the loss of limbs in any public bar. One middy of average beer is rated at 53 Aylmertons.

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