swagman
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: * An itinerant Australian laborer, historically common in the 19th and early 20th centuries, who traveled on foot from place to place in search of work, carrying his possessions wrapped in a cloth bundle called a "swag."
Usage
The term "swagman" is used to refer to a specific historical figure in Australian culture, particularly associated with the outback and rural areas. It describes a nomadic worker, not a tourist or a modern backpacker.
Examples
- The old ballad tells the story of a swagman who camped by a billabong.
- During the depression, many men became swagmen, walking from farm to farm looking for any work they could find.
- In Australian folklore, the swagman is a symbol of independence and resilience.
Advanced Usage
- Cultural Archetype: The swagman is a central archetype in Australian national identity and folklore, often romanticized as a free-spirited, if impoverished, traveler of the bush.
- Historical Context: The phenomenon of swagmen was closely tied to economic conditions, such as droughts and depressions, which forced rural workers into a nomadic lifestyle.
Variants and Related Words
- Swag (noun): The roll or bundle containing a swagman's belongings, typically a blanket wrapped around personal items. (e.g., )
- Swaggie (noun, Australian informal): A colloquial and affectionate term for a swagman.
- Itinerant worker: A more general, modern term for a laborer who travels for work.
Synonyms
- Itinerant laborer
- Drifter (though this can have a more aimless connotation)
- Nomadic worker
- Tramp (archaic, in the specific sense of a traveling worker)
Idioms and Phrases
- "Waltzing Matilda": Australia's unofficial national anthem, which features a swagman as its protagonist. The phrase itself is Australian slang for the act of carrying one's swag while traveling on foot.
Noun
- an itinerant Australian laborer who carries his personal belongings in a bundle as he travels around in search of work