Animals, plants & weatherMyths & disputes

kangaroo

In 1770, while Cook's Endeavour was being repaired at the Endeavour River, Joseph Banks and Cook recorded the Guugu Yimithirr name gangurru for the great grey kangaroo; the word then spread to every language on earth.

Weakest linkCertain

The story you may have heard

That 'kangaroo' means 'I don't understand you' — the reply of a puzzled local. Haviland's work showed gangurru is simply the Guugu Yimithirr name of the animal.

The road to English

From English to French

From English to German

From English to Japanese

From English to Australian English

From English to Dutch

From English to Spanish

From English to Italian

From English to Portuguese

From English to Russian

From English to Polish

From English to Korean

From English to Modern Hebrew

From English to Swahili

1770Guugu Yimithirr

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

Export “kangaroo”

Embed “kangaroo”

Save “kangaroo”

Export “kangaroo”

Embed “kangaroo”

Save “kangaroo”