Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New atlas comes to the Great Land of the Tattooed (Cities renamed for etymological origins)
The Telegraph (U.K.) / Various ^ | December 4, 2008 | Oliver Smith

Posted on 12/07/2008 12:24:08 AM PST by Stoat

A fascinating new atlas, featuring cities that are renamed to reflect their etymological origins, is now on sale.

Etymologists and wordsmiths will take particular interest in a new set of maps going on sale in time for Christmas.

The traditional names for the world's cities, countries, rivers and mountains have been altered on an atlas to reflect their origins and literal meaning.

Chicago, for example, is renamed Stink Onion and Cameroon is called the Land of Shrimps.

The logic behind each place name is explained on the back of the maps. Cameroon comes from the Portuguese word camaroes, meaning shrimps or prawns – an allusion to the abundance of these crustaceans in the Sanaga River. Chicago is derived from a Algonquian (a subfamily of native American languages) word: checagou, meaning wild onions or skunk – a reference to the smell of sodden marshland, which is what Chicago was built on.

Other bizarre names include Dominate the East! (Vladivostock), Realm of the God of the Underworld (Madras) and Great Land of the Tattooed, which, rather unhappily, belongs to Great Britain.

"The maps are not definitive works on the etymological roots of geographical names but more of a stimulus, and a very amusing one at that, to make us think about why places are called as they are," explains Sean Quigley of Outstanding Map Distributors, the firm which has brought the maps to Britain from Germany, where they were originally published.

 

 

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature; History; Reference; Travel
KEYWORDS: atlas; etymology; godsgravesglyphs; history; maps; placenames; wordorigins; words
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061 last
To: Stoat

ping


61 posted on 12/11/2008 3:58:03 PM PST by ebiskit (South Park Republican ( I see Red People ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson