The gold rushes of the nineteenth century were a defining point in Australian history, bringing with them far-reaching social and economic changes. They also brought with them a new language, and the underlying argument of this book is that the gold rushes played a significant role in the development of Australian English. Gold! Gold! Gold! takes the form of a dictionary, with extensive supporting quotations from contemporary texts chosen to provide relevant historical information, and to evoke the living pulse of gold rush era. More than 500 headwords cover many aspects of the goldfields, including methods of mining, law and order, social life, hardships and afflictions, thieves and villains.
