Native Names

The Sydney Morning Herald

7 March 1911

Tuesday Sir,

In your issue of the 21st a letter appears over the nom-de-plume of "Australian " re the name of Barren Jack.

The Minister, I think, has taken a right step in changing the name, and "Australian's" suggestion of "Burren Yack" is, I think, an improvement on "Burrenjuck."

I think I can suggest a   better name than either, i.e., "Booroon Yack."  

In the native language there arc no u's no j's.

All words, such as "Burren" are properly called "Booroon."

All such words in the native language are pronounced as spelled with oo, as, for instance, Mudgee should be "Mootthe," Tumut "Doomut."

When I was a boy Tumut was always called and written "Toomut," but the proper name is "Doomut".

Burrowa should be "Booroowa", and the proper name of Woolloomooloo should be "Woolloo Mooloo "

These are a few instances of many corruptions of the proper native name.

I would suggest that Barren Jack should be called “Booroonyak," which is as near as possible to the native name.    

I am, etc. Another Australian.