Furphy in Aussie Slang Dictionary
Ever wondered what a ‘furphy’ was? I certainly did after moving to Australia. The answer’s in the Aussie Slang Dictionary. A furphy is a kind of rumour. The word is derived from the battle fields of World War I where rumours seemed to follow the water carts which were manufactured in Australia by the Furphy company.
I thought I’d check out the Furphy company in question and sure enough it looks as though they’re still in action. J. Furphy & Sons, an Australain Engineering Icon since 1866, is based in Shepparton, Victoria. They specialise in stainless steel containers. Their water tanks are used for fire fighting as well as in industry.
Postkiwi Duncan Macleod posts on life, faith and culture in Australia, drawing from his involvement in the creative industry, the Uniting Church, the blogosphere, generational research, the emerging church and life on the Gold Coast.
Duncan is the editor of The Inspiration Room, a site showcasing advertising, design and other work produced by the global creative community.
