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You have to hand it to Tasmania. It does a great line in nicknames. Yesterday, Australia was introduced to Craig 'Garbo' Garland, the newest independent to be elected to the Tasmanian Parliament.
Garbo is not your typical pollie by any stretch. He's a fisherman from the north-west of the state, whose wild hair, scruffy beard and salty contempt for politics mark him as a breed apart from your typical politely dressed and neatly groomed career party hack. One can't imagine him sipping grenache with blue-suited, tan-shod staffers.
But it's his moniker that had me chuckling. It reminded me of another Tasmanian from years ago, who was known to his mates as Plop. I never met Plop nor was any explanation ever offered as to how he earned his nickname, with all its onomatopoeic imputations.
I never learned how Steve came to be known as Pappy, either. Or what Booz's actual name was. Nor why Brigitta became Steggs. They were all colourful characters, fondly remembered - and all Tasmanian.
Discussing this yesterday with our man in Hobart, Ferret, I was reminded of other Tassie linguistic delights. No one knows when the rest of Australia stopped using the word "cobber" but Ferret assured me it was still used on the island.
"And I'll never forget being referred to as 'Cock' when I worked at a paper mill. 'How do you want that done, Cock?' It was disconcerting."
Ferret asked if I'd heard "Eezarumun". Translated, it means "he's a rum'un", an expression more suited to Governor Bligh's........