Origins of words:

Pom, it seems, is almost certainly a second-generation slang word derived from pomegranate, a rhyme with the Australian slang term jimmygrant. "Jimmy Grant," it seems, was at one time Australian rhyming slang for immigrant, so "pom" involves a double rhyme.

If this seems a lot of trouble to take to come up with a slang term for immigrant, hold onto your hat. My friend Terry tells me that Americans are known in Australia as septics or seppo's, short for septic tanks. But don t get too riled up -- it s all just slightly tasteless rhyming slang for Yank.