Why Do Australians Say Mate? | Why Australia Banned The Word “Mate” in 2005

Where Does Mate Even Come From?

The origin of the word “mate” comes from the Middle Low German “mate” or “gemate” during the 14th century. It meant two people eating food (mate) together (ge-). Mate has similar origins to “maat” in Dutch and other German forms, which both mean friend or partner. Eventually, it meant “one of a wedded pair” in the mid-1500s.

The Holy Roman Empire (Germany in the 1500s)

Eventually, it became a way to address other sailors and laborers. Later on, “mate” became the title of a naval officer. Despite this, the word “mate” has long implied equality between the people to whom it referred to.

So Why is It Uniquely Australian?

Australia started as a prison colony in the early 1800s, and the convicts being transported were typically from the laborer class back home in England. In addition to this, as they were being transported, they would have been around the ship’s crew for a while, and may have picked up the habit of referring to people as “mates.”

When they arrived in Australia, life became much harder for them, and “mate” now became a word that meant not only friend or companion but also someone who you mutually depended on for survival.

By 1826, “mate” had become a casual greeting for complete strangers, not just close friends. The Sydney Morning Herald explains the major but subtle effects of this

By calling one another “mate,” but also using the word to address those considering themselves to be social superiors, the convicts were declaring no one was their better.

So, again, “mate” is a word that brings equality to all who use it. And future Australian events, such as the World Wars, also established the word “mate” as not just a friend but a companion who you depend on and suffer hardships with, whether or not you know him or not.

You can read more about Australian history here

Ironically, Australians Didn’t Want The Word Mate To Be Protected

In the late 1990s, then-Prime Minister John Howard attempted to add the word “mateship” into Australia’s Constitutional Preamble. However, the Australian people didn’t like how “mate” was being politicized and shot down the idea. It was only a few years later that Australians again banded together over the politicization of the word.

So Why Was “Mate” Banned?

On August 18, 2005, security guards were instructed not to use the word “mate” and were instead instructed to use more formal words like “sir” and “ma’am.” The ban was implemented after an MP (member of parliament) or government official complained. A higher-ranked civil servant had directed security guards not to use “G’day, mate,” as it may cause offense.

Although it wasn’t a nationwide ban, the news of the ban did cause national outrage. It drew outrage from every viewpoint on the political spectrum.

Former Australian Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke saw the ban as a departure from Australia’s egalitarian roots.

“It’s pomposity gone mad… It’s not surprising. In a sense, we’re living in an age where the concept of mateship has been damaged to a fairly large extent by a lot of the approaches of this government… It doesn’t imply any intimacy; it shows a reasonable level of respect. I think it’s one of our great words.”

The current prime minister in 2005, John Howard, said,

“We have a treasured informality in this country, and that’s something we should hold on to… There are circumstances where a more formal address is appropriate, but in the same conversation, you might start off calling somebody you have just met sir or madam, but as you become more familiar… you might end up saying “mate.”

Mal Washer, a Liberal MP, also had words to add to the ban. According to The Age, a Melbourne newspaper, reported,

Mal Washer said “mate” could be offensive in the wrong context, but “I would have thought that “mate” was the nicest four-letter word I’ve been called all year.”

Although “mate” is a stereotypical Australian word, Australians have embraced it. It’s a part of their history. It represents the rough history Australians have survived together. So, Australians may disagree over politics or other things, but at the end of the day, everyone’s a mate.

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