Ulimaroa

Swedish

A map from 1780 by cartographer Daniel Djurberg.

Etymology

Coined by Swedish geographer Daniel Djurberg in 1776 in his Geografi, Sammandragen utur de Nyste och Tilförliteligaste Auctorer (‘Geography, Summaries of the Newest and Most Comprehensive Authors'), adapted from a (by Djurberg) alleged Māori word for Australia, Olhemaroa, which is mentioned in John Hawkesworth's 1773 rendition of James Cook's first voyage (1768–1771).

The ultimate origin is uncertain, but the origin of Ulimaroa is most likely Tahitian 'o, the Tahitian article for proper names + Maori Rimaroa (“long arm/hand”), referring to a long narrow island, most likely to Grand Terre of New Caledonia, from Maori *rima (< Proto-Austronesian *lima) + Maori roa (“long”) (< Proto-Polynesian *loa), cf. the ending in e.g. Aotearoa (“long white cloud, New Zealand”).

The word was transmitted to the English via the Tahitian-speaking priest, chief and navigator Tupa'ia from Raiatea in Tahiti, hence the Tahitian article. 18th century proper names from Tahitian were commonly borrowed into English with the article, cf. Otaheite (< 'o Tahiti) and Ulietea (“Raiatea”) (< 'o Ra'iatea).

Proper noun

Ulimaroa n (genitive Ulimaroas)

1. (obsolete, rare) Australia

   Synonyms: (obsolete) Nya Holland, (modern) Australien

   • 1817, Carl Jonas Love Almqvist, Parjumouf. Saga ifrån Nya Holland:

     […] en besynnerlig rysning öfverföll mig, då jag såg de ödsliga, ofantliga Sandkusterne af det stora Ulimaroa.

     I was overwhelmed by a peculiar shiver, when I saw the desolate, immense sandy shores of the great Australia.

   • 1834, Fredrik Cederborgh, Ungdoms tidsfördrif‎^[1]:

     så äro, till exempel, svanorna svarta på Ulimaroa, då de hos oss äro hvita

     so are, for instance, the swans black in Australia, while they are white over here.

References

• Jan Tent & Paul Geraghty (2012) Where in the World is Ulimaroa?, The Journal of Pacific History, 47:1, 1-20, DOI: 10.1080/00223344.2011.647396