hellog〜英語史ブログ / 2026-02-08

■ #6131. kangaroo の語源 --- 酒場語源の裏話 [etymology][loan_word][language_myth][folk_etymology][oed][australian_english]

　kangaroo の語源については「#3048. kangaroo の語源」 ([2017-08-31-1]) で取り上げた．1770年の Captain Cook のオーストラリア到達の際に，原住民から返された "I don't know" に相当する表現に基づくものという説が流布してきた経緯がある．今では，この説は酒場語源（解釈語源，民間語源）と考えられている．
　American Heritage Dictionary の Notes より，kangaroo の項より引用する．

Word History: A widely held belief has it that the word kangaroo comes from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning "I don't know." This is in fact untrue. The word was first recorded in 1770 by Captain James Cook, when he landed to make repairs along the northeast coast of Australia. In 1820, one Captain Phillip K. King recorded a different word for the animal, written "mee-nuah." As a result, it was assumed that Captain Cook had been mistaken, and the myth grew up that what he had heard was a word meaning "I don't know" (presumably as the answer to a question in English that had not been understood). Recent linguistic fieldwork, however, has confirmed the existence of a word gangurru in the northeast Aboriginal language of Guugu Yimidhirr, referring to a species of kangaroo. What Captain King heard may have been their word minha, meaning "edible animal."

　OED の kangaroo (n.) の Notes も読んでみよう．

Cook and Banks believed it to be the name given to the animal by the Aboriginal people at Endeavour River, Queensland, and there is later affirmation of its use elsewhere. On the other hand, there are express statements to the contrary (see quots. below), showing that the word, if ever current in this sense, was merely local, or had become obsolete. The common assertion that it really means 'I don't understand' (the supposed reply of the local to his questioner) seems to be of recent origin and lacks confirmation. (See Morris Austral English at cited word.)

   1770 The animals which I have before mentioned, called by the Natives Kangooroo or Kanguru. (J. Cook, Journal 4 August (1893) 224)
   1770 The largest [quadruped] was calld by the natives Kangooroo. (J. Banks, Journal 26 August (1962) vol. II. 116)
   1777 The Kangooroo which is found farther northward in New Holland as described in Captⁿ Cooks Voyage without doubt also inhabits here. (W. Anderson, Journal 30 January in J. Cook, Journals (1967) vol. III. ii. 792)
   1793 The animal..called the kangaroo (but by the natives patagorong) we found in great numbers. (J. Hunter, Historical Journal 54)
   1793 The large, or grey kanguroo, to which the natives [of Port Jackson] give the name of Pat-ag-a-ran. Note, Kanguroo was a name unknown to them for any animal, until we introduced it.
   . . . .

　OED の上記引用でも要参照とされている Austral English については「#6110. Edward Ellis Morris --- オーストラリア英語辞書の父」 ([2026-01-18-1]) で触れたが，そこでも kangaroo の語源については詳しい考察と解説がなされている．I don't know 説については "This is quite possible, but at least some proof is needed . . . ." と述べられていることのみ触れておこう．

　・ Morris, Edward Ellis, ed. Austral English: A Dictionary of Australasian Words, Phrases and Usages. London: Macmillan, 1898.

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