boondocks English · revision 2115

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|tl|bundok|t=mountain]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) with the English plural ''-s'' used in place names such as ''the sticks''.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A remote and wild place (1910s in Etymonline; 1930 in Merriam-Webster; 1944 in Barnhart).^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ American soldiers occupying the Philippines adopted the Tagalog word for remote, rough country,^(Etymonline) and it was reinforced during the Second World War.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) From dense brush or jungle the meaning widened to any remote rural area, the backwoods.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Since 1965 it has often been shortened to [[boonies]].^(Barnhart 1995) ''Boondockers'' (1944) was service slang for field boots.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1910s – remote, wild country.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1930 – rough country filled with dense brush.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1944 – ''boondockers'', field boots.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1965 – shortened to ''boonies''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Wild, dense brush or jungle.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # A remote rural area; the backwoods (usually ''the boondocks'').^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[boonies]]

+ * [[sticks]]

+ * [[backwoods]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}