From where does the term "bloke" come from and why is it not used in the US?

MarchHare007

According to Wikipedia: Bloke is a British slang term referring to a fellow, a man, commonly used in Britain, Australia and New Zealand. It was first recorded in England in the 1820s and appeared in a glossary by the late 1830s, spelt "bloak" and defined as "a gentleman." During the second half of the 1800s, it had fairly common usage in American English, from underworld slang to more general use but has been little heard there since the 1930s. The term appears in the title of Australian silent film The Sentimental Bloke (1919), based on the 1915 Australian book The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke by C.J. Dennis. Its origin is unknown but It is sometimes attributed to the Shelta language spoken by the travelling people in Ireland. In Quebec. bloke is used by the French to describe an anglophone. Bloke may also refer to: * Bloke (artist), an Israeli electronic music producer * Bloke (Slovenia), municipality and town * Bloke (comics), a fictional character in the Marvel Universe * Blokesworld, an Australian television series * William Modisane, aka Bloke Modisane * Bloke, a 2000 song by Australian comedian Chris Franklin. May 03 09, 9:09 PM

zbeckabee

Bloke -- "Fellow," 1851, London slang, of unknown origin, perhaps from Celt. ploc "large, stubborn person;" another suggestion is Gypsy and Hind. loke "a man." http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=bloke&searchmode=none May 03 09, 9:40 PM