Wordsmith.org
Posted By: Candy Banjo - 06/04/11 12:36 PM
Thinking about the poem THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER by A.B. "Banjo" Paterson, I wondered how he got the nickname 'Banjo' Its not of Australian origin. A strange word really. Banjo Paterson may be better known for the lyrics of the song "Waltzing Matilda" which has become the song a lot of Aussies want as their National anthem (well thats an other discussion).


Andrew Barton Paterson, (17 February 1864 – 5 February 1941) became our favourite bush poet. It turns out that he began sending in his poems to the local newspaper under the the pseudonym "The Banjo" which was a name of a favourite horse.
And the name stuck.

Now I know a Banjo is a musical instrument, but I wonder how it got its name?
Posted By: zmjezhd Re: Banjo - 06/04/11 01:34 PM
Now I know a Banjo is a musical instrument, but I wonder how it got its name?

It's from a dialect version of bandore 'a musical instrument'. Spanish or Portuguese, (and other Romance languages, e.g., Italian mandola, mandolina) < Greek πανδοῦρα, πανδυρίς (pandoura, panduris) 'a 3-stringed lute'. Conincidentally, I am listen to music on Pandora.
Posted By: LukeJavan8 Re: Banjo - 06/04/11 04:06 PM
Coincidently, so am I: Pandora, that is.
Posted By: Candy Re: Banjo - 06/04/11 11:50 PM
thanks Zm
It is an unusual word, but one we all know so well!
Posted By: zmjezhd Re: Banjo - 06/05/11 01:12 PM
It is an unusual word, but one we all know so well!

Of course, I simplified things, and there are some who say the word is derived from an African language, but I summarized the etymology.
© Wordsmith.org