"Boondocks" - The term boondocks (boonies) is an American English term for a remote, usually brushy rural area or to a remote city or town that is considered unsophisticated. The term has evolved into American slang used to refer to "the countryside" or any implicitly isolated rural/wilderness area, regardless of topography or vegetation.
The expression was introduced to English by American military personnel serving in the Philippines during the early years of the 20th century. It derives from the Tagalog word "bundok", meaning "mountain". According to military historian Paul Kramer, the term had attached to it "connotations of bewilderment and confusion", due to the guerrilla nature of the warfare in which the soldiers were engaged. "Boonies" came into common use by US servicemen during the Vietnam war.
"Bundok" as originally used by Filipinos is a colloquialism referring to rural areas. As major Filipino cities are generally located near the coastline, rural areas inland are usually mountainous and difficult to access. Other equivalent terms used are the Spanish-derived "Probinsya" ('Province') and the Cebuano "Bukid" ('Mountain').It is also a derogatory term referring to the stereotype of unsophisticated country people (Tagalog "Taga-bundok"/"Probinsyano", Cebuano "Taga-bukid" – literally 'Someone who comes from the mountains/province'). As an adjective, it can mean "ignorant", "uncultured", "illiterate", or "naive".
Topic: Filipino Origins (Read 20205 times)