Is the word "Pom" racist
 

Just recently, within the last year or so, there has been quite a lot of media speculation that the word "Pom" is racist.

I'm not sure what actual English think of the term. But I know I've used it. Like saying "bloody poms" or "pommie bastard", in a joking manner.

English seem to take it well, most of them don't care, as far as I'm aware. But the PC people seem to be out in force to stop people saying it.

Any thoughts?

I've never heard the word prior to this thread. Interesting.

I hadn't either, except used twice as something cheerleaders use (or is that politically incorrect? they are probably something like choreographed sports supporters or something equally silly)

The word has been around for ages.

[edit] 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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alterna..._British#Pommy

Edit: Post number 3000 :)

Well the Yanks call us Limeys and that seems alright :p

And of course you British call us Yanks :roll:

Kathleen

Everyone says Yank.

I thought Pom was the same, never heard of a Limey.

For people to even dare to suggest that the word is racist is simply political correctness gone mad.

Its no worse than calling a french person a frog.

yep what a load of crap