riverine

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eberntson
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riverine

Postby eberntson » Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:41 pm

Of, near, or having to do with the river. Also, equipped to travel on the river.

The Marine Corp was equipped for riverine action in Vietnam.

I can not find any etymology for this word. Is it simple a modern word?
EBERNTSON
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eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
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Dr. Goodword
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Re: riverine

Postby Dr. Goodword » Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:18 pm

This would involve research on the word river, which probably wouldn't lead to much interest.
• The Good Dr. Goodword

bnjtokyo

Re: riverine

Postby bnjtokyo » Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:55 pm

The ngram viewer shows that there was a dramatic increase in usage beginning in the 1940s. One of the earliest usages I found is from the 1860s when there was a "Riverine Petition" concerning "Riverine People" in Australia. The following quote is dated Dec 22, 1863:

"To the Editor of the " Haitland, Mercury.'' |
SIR,-As the petition of the Riverine people has to
be discussed in the Assembly on Tuesday next, or
on an early day, I would wish to bring to a distinct issue
the questions between the Eastern half of New South
Wales, with its 350,000 agriculturalists, miners, and
townspeople, and the Western or Riverine half with
about 20,000, principally pastoral, each half comprising
say 150,000 square miles."

"Riverine" is not actually defined but it appears to be a proper noun referring to a particular place.

But why is the territory called "Riverine"? The following paragraph that states that territory is four-fifths desert.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/18711863


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