[ARC5] "Down under", "up over" and winning the America's Cup in 1983.

[Leslie Smith]

Hello David,

You ask about the saying "down under" - the place where Australian's live.  Is it offensive?  That's your "Q".

Saying Aussies come from the land of "down under" is to speak of a geographical location.

It's said with respect to England.  To get here you go "down" (i.e. south) and when you get here you will be "under" (i.e. in the southern hemisphere)  

It's rather like saying "Oh, he comes from the Big Apple" or "He comes from The Deep South".    

When Australia challenged USA for the America's cup in 1983 the Australian Crew trained to a pop song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6oAFlPLGA8

Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscles           [Clearly a heroic Australia, since he was athletic]
I said, "do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich       [Thereby proving his Australian heritage]
And he said

I come from a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder                    [Clearly Australian women are beautiful .... ]
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover, yeah           [Well ... we finally won the America's Cup, but it was hard work ...]

The tune is catchy (and the sort of thing that's useful in the background while you sort resistors) but the words are quite inane.  Vegemite is a spread like peanut butter or strawberry jelly.  It's very popular in Australia but Americans hate it!  It's rather like axle grease, but thicker!!  (Most peopl spread it on the sandwich THICK.  Only a trace is needed.  Lettuce and Vegemite sandwiches - very tasty.  Oh yes!)  

No - Australians aren't offended by coming from "down under".
That's where we live.



   73 de Les 
   vk2bcu at operamail.com