Who Invented The

"Boong"?

Letter to the Editor WHILE quite agreeing with Sydney Chance that the term “Boong” (“PIM,” April, 1944), was in use long before the war, I note that he gives no suggestion as to the derivation.

Amongst ex-Territorians it is accepted that the word is from Mandated Terri tory Pidgin English. To “boong” together is Pidgin for to “bring” together a num ber of natives, and the term was in use in the old German days.

For the past 20 years it has been used to denote a native market —i.e., a place where natives gather. From this it is an easy step to use the word as a term mean ing “native.”

I am, etc.,

Brisbane, April 26, 1944.

Roy Kendall.