kangaroo English · revision 1763

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌkæŋ.ɡəˈɹuː/ ''(UK)''; /ˌkæŋ.ɡəˈɹu/, /ˌkeɪŋ.ɡəˈɹu/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is borrowed from Guugu Yimidhirr, an Aboriginal language of the Endeavour River area in northeastern Queensland, Australia, from ''gaŋurru'', a large black or grey kangaroo.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Barnhart says the word may have been a local one or a mistranscription.^(Barnhart 1995) Etymonline notes that it was long said to be unknown in any native language, until the Guugu Yimidhirr word was confirmed in 1972.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Australian marsupial with powerful hind legs for leaping (1770, recorded by Captain Cook and Joseph Banks, or 1773 in the OED).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The name was extended to many kinds of kangaroo^(OED 1989) and used figuratively of various things that leap or advance by fits and starts.^(OED 1989) ''Kangaroo court'', for an irregular or mock court, is American English, recorded from 1850 in Etymonline and 1853 in Barnhart, from the notion of proceeding by leaps.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) In the British Parliament the word named a form of closure in which only some amendments are chosen for debate (1913).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1770 – the animal (Cook and Banks).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1850 – ''kangaroo court'' (Etymonline, 1853 in Barnhart).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1888 – humorously, an Australian.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1913 – a form of parliamentary closure.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of various plant-eating [[marsupial|alt=marsupials]] of Australia and nearby islands, with short forelimbs, large hind legs for [[leap|alt=leaping]] and a long, thick tail.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To move like a kangaroo, with great jumps.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[kangaroolike]]

+ * [[kangaroo court]]

+ * [[kangaroo rat]]

+ * [[tree kangaroo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[wallaby]]

+ * [[boomerang]]

+ * [[koala]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}