Bogan: It's used to describe people, accents and clothes but where the word comes from has been a mystery… but now there could be a simple explanation
- Bogan believed to have come from Melbourne's western suburbs in the 1980s
- Researchers suggest it originated from communities around Bogan River, NSW
- The term bogan was first included in the Oxford English Dictionary back in 2012
- It can be used as a stereotype but generally has several different meanings
The term bogan has long been used to describe people, accents, street signs and even clothes, but the origin of the word has long been a mystery.
Researchers suggest that the term originated from Melbourne's western suburbs in the 1980s or local communities living around Bogan River in New South Wales.
Since then, other states have put their own twist on the word with Queenslanders using 'bevans' and Sydneysiders saying 'westies' for those from the western suburbs.
Tasmanians use 'chiggas' or 'chiggs', short for the suburb Chigwell, for those they claim the local bogans hailed from.
People from Canberra use the term 'booners' or 'boons' instead of bogan.
The etymology of the word bogan is still unclear but has been widely used around Australia since the 1980s
The term 'bogan' has been used to describe people who love their country or wear the flag (Pictured: Crowds celebrate Australia Day on day seven of the 2020 Australian Open)
Academic and historian Henry Paternoster said that bogan would have several different meanings when one is asked to explain what it means.
'Generally, it has been regarded as something of a replacement for previously used terms like 'larrikin',' Mr Paternoster told Nine News.
Bogan was first included in the Oxford English Dictionary back in 2012.
Their definition of the word read: 'depreciative term for an unfashionable, uncouth, or unsophisticated person, especially of low social status'.
Similarly, Australia's Macquarie Dictionary defines a bogan as a 'person, generally from an outer suburb of a city or town and from a lower socio-economic background, viewed as uncultured.'
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A reddit thread claims that bogan is a tribute to the Darling River, near Parkes in NSW, and flows upstream of Bourke.
The word bogan also appeared in a poem written by Henry Lawson in 1897 titled 'The Shearing Shed' who had a character called 'Bogan Bill'.
Mr Lawson's third draft saw Bill's name changed to Barcoo, however in 1917 decided to stick with his original name.
'Bogan is and sounds better than Barcoo. Besides, Bogan was there,' Mr Lawson's letter read indicating that 'Bogan Bill' was based on an actual person.
The thread further shows that the term bogan was used by Mary-Anne Fahey 'Kylie Mole' character on 'The Comedy Company' television show in 1981.
Ms Fahey said she picked up the word from her children who learned it at school but was unclear of the origins.
It is possible Ms Fahey's children learned the term from Cliff Green's adaptation of Mr Lawson's stories under the title 'Lawson's Mates: Six Television Plays', recorded and broadcast in 1979, with John Wood in the role of One-eyed Bogan.
Duo Kath and Kim from the popular television series present how bogans would act and speak
Mr Paternoster said bogan has generally been used to describe someone from the working class.
However it also has a positive or negative connotation to it depending on who uses it and what it is used to describe.
'It becomes this stereotype used to bash Australian or to elevate some aspect what you think Australian culture is,' Mr Paternoster explained.
Bogan has also been associated with white Australians who ignore the country's indigenous history.
'It becomes this stereotype where some people are for it, some people are against it but there's an actual human cost or consequence associated with it,' he said.
Mr Paternoster suggests being cautious with the term bogan depending on why it is being said or used to describe.
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