Fair dinkum is a prime example of Australian
slang, meaning ,
genuine, real, square, honest
(Use of the
phrase clearly outlined by
simonc). While it has always been seen as a typical Australian
idiom, the
irony is that it actually comes from the
Chinese langauge.
In the 1850s the discovery of gold in Victoria, brought an influx of migrants, particularly Chinese in search of their fortune. Down in the mines, fools gold (some other mineral like pyrite, with a metallic gold sheen) was often mistaken for the real thing. However, when the Chinese miners did stumble across gold they would shout out Din gum! Din gum!
- meaning real gold
in Chinese.
Every school kid in Victoria that has been on an excursion to Sovereign Hill should already know this!