Talk:Furphy

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Is this article a dictionary entry?[edit]

The Wikipedia is not a dictionary entry says:

Although articles should begin with a definition and description of a subject, they should provide other types of information about that subject as well. Articles that contain nothing more than a definition should be expanded with additional encyclopedic content, if possible. In some cases, a word or phrase itself may be an encyclopedic topic, such as old school, Macedonia (terminology), or truthiness.

In my humble opinion, this article conforms well to these guidelines as it contains far more information than a mere dictionary definition. RayNorris (talk) 06:21, 9 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I heard the etymology was that the forementioned water tanks where supposed to supply x-men for x-days, but (in the great Australian tradition of shiestering), the tanks actually carried substantially less water than there purported capacity (hence substantial saving were made on construction costs), hence men went thursty, and the name Furphie was evermore burdened with the smell of Porky Pies. We Ozzies forgive easily, but we never forget.

~~ Keith ~~ —Preceding unsigned comment added by 60.231.3.211 (talk) 12:51, 9 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Origin of the phrase[edit]

"Another suggested explanation is that the rumbling of an approaching water cart sounded like the firing of artillery, thus causing a false alarm."

This suggestion seems like a bit of a furphy itself. A rolling water cart sounds like artillery? Really? 76.1.37.196 (talk) 18:17, 21 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Totally agree with previous author - this is my first ever post on Wikepedia - lack of empathy and imagination is shown by this sentence. To BE human requires having the imagination to walk in the shoes of another. This particular response shows how circumscribed education has become - I suggest that it was not written by an Australian (it is Australian slang) - many of whom are luckily enough to understand human nature - if only because of history and circumstance. Buildings are designed by architects today with the intent of creating "furphies" where discourse can take place - that is how the best ideas are born - out of discourse. Back in the WWs, pragmatic Australian soldiers "pulled the wool" over the eyes of "civilised" others for their own amusement by telling tall stories. The Aussies were always in on the joke, while the object of their satire never quite "got it" because they assumed Aussies were "idiots" incapable of sophisticated thought. They weren't idiots - they simply called a spade a spade and didn't give it a fancy name. Why? Because they had been brought up to survive, Surviving is remarkably different to "behaving". "Behaving" requires one to trust the judgement of others rather than oneself, and that ultimately leads to extinction - be it at Galipolli or as a species. Let archiects create more Furphies please. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hurtling (talk • contribs) 15:39, 15 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

What is the strange writing on Furphy back plate?[edit]

In the photo labelled "Back plate of a Furphy farm water cart" there is some strange writing just above the middle. Does anybody know what it says? Or even just recognise what form of writing it is? Might it be Pitman shorthand? UBJ 43X (talk) 10:52, 13 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]