Having blogged samples of my books on English place names and also examined the etymologies of the nations of the world and their respective capitals I thought it time I cast my net a little wider. As English place names share some links to other tongues it would be interesting to see if any of the elements contributing to our place names could be found elsewhere. Continuing an alphabetical tour of the world and a look at the largest Eswatini or Swaziland cities.
Nhlangano is a name meaning 'meeting place'.
Piggs Peak is named after William Pigg, who discovered a gold reef here in March 1884.
Bulembu is named from the siSwati word for 'spider's web'. I don't care why, it's a fabulous idea.
Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.
Saturday, 25 April 2020
Sunday, 19 April 2020
Suriname Place Names Explained
Having blogged samples of my books on English place names and also examined the etymologies of the nations of the world and their respective capitals I thought it time I cast my net a little wider. As English place names share some links to other tongues it would be interesting to see if any of the elements contributing to our place names could be found elsewhere. Continuing an alphabetical tour of the world and a look at the largest of Suriname's cities.
Kawemhakan comes from the Wayana language and means 'high riverbank'. Locals still refer to the place as Anapaike, the name of the last granman or chief of the Maroon nation.
Witagron comes from the local tongue and means 'land of my forefathers'.
Brokopondo Reservoir is a misnomer, named as such for the dam stands close to the village of Brokopondo. Correctly this is the Professor Doctor Ingenieur W. J. von Blommenstein Meer and named after the Dutch engineer who desiged it.
Sipaliwini is the name of a district, a village and, originally, a river. The river's name comes from the thornback ray, known as the sirari in the local tongue.
Friendship took this simplistic name from the plantation established here before the town developed.
Lelydorp is named after the Dutch governor of Suriname in 1905, Cornelius Lely.
Onverwacht is the Dutch word for 'unexpected', and your guess as to what they had not expected to discover is as good as mine.
Paramaribo is named from the tribe who, in turn, take their name from the Tupi-Guarani words para 'large river' and maribo 'inhabitants'.
Tepu takes its name from the Tiriyo language and means 'high'.
Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.
Kawemhakan comes from the Wayana language and means 'high riverbank'. Locals still refer to the place as Anapaike, the name of the last granman or chief of the Maroon nation.
Witagron comes from the local tongue and means 'land of my forefathers'.
Brokopondo Reservoir is a misnomer, named as such for the dam stands close to the village of Brokopondo. Correctly this is the Professor Doctor Ingenieur W. J. von Blommenstein Meer and named after the Dutch engineer who desiged it.
Sipaliwini is the name of a district, a village and, originally, a river. The river's name comes from the thornback ray, known as the sirari in the local tongue.
Friendship took this simplistic name from the plantation established here before the town developed.
Lelydorp is named after the Dutch governor of Suriname in 1905, Cornelius Lely.
Onverwacht is the Dutch word for 'unexpected', and your guess as to what they had not expected to discover is as good as mine.
Paramaribo is named from the tribe who, in turn, take their name from the Tupi-Guarani words para 'large river' and maribo 'inhabitants'.
Tepu takes its name from the Tiriyo language and means 'high'.
Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.
Sunday, 12 April 2020
Sudan Place Names Explained
Having blogged samples of my books on English place names and also examined the etymologies of the nations of the world and their respective capitals I thought it time I cast my net a little wider. As English place names share some links to other tongues it would be interesting to see if any of the elements contributing to our place names could be found elsewhere. Continuing an alphabetical tour of the world and a look at the largest Sudan cities.
Omdurman is from the Arabic Umm Durman and translates as 'mother of Durman', however we have no idea who she may have been and what role she played.
Khartoum's origins are uncertain, although most often given as from Arabic khutum meaning 'trunk' or 'hose' and thus referring to the strip of land between the Blue Nile and White Nile before they meet. Others cite the Dinka tongue, where khar-toum would refer to 'where the rivers meet' and thus the same geographical feature, albeit looked at from a different angle. Captain J. A. Grant thought the name came from the Arabic qurtum 'the safflower', known to science as Carthamus tinctorius, grown extensively here as it was used as a fuel. Some point to the Nubian word Agartum 'the abode of Atum', while others look to the Beja language and see hartoom 'meeting'.
Nyala comes from the Daju tongue and means 'the place of chatting'.
Port Sudan takes the name of the nation, itself coming from Arabic bilad as-sudan and meaning 'the land of the blacks'.
El-Obeid comes from the Arabic al-Abyad meaning 'white'.
El-Gadarif is derived from the Arabic Alli qada-Ye-rif meaning 'he who has finished selling or buying should leave'. This comes from the announcement at the end of market day, when Arab noamdic tribes would return to the plains.
Al-Fashir took its name from the word fashir, an itinerant court.
Ar-Rahad is from the Arabic and means 'the water shrine'.
Kosti was founded shortly after 1899 by the Greek merchant Konstantinos 'Kostas' Mourikis and named in his honour.
Suakin was known as U Suk which may be from the Arabic suq or 'market'.
Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.
Omdurman is from the Arabic Umm Durman and translates as 'mother of Durman', however we have no idea who she may have been and what role she played.
Khartoum's origins are uncertain, although most often given as from Arabic khutum meaning 'trunk' or 'hose' and thus referring to the strip of land between the Blue Nile and White Nile before they meet. Others cite the Dinka tongue, where khar-toum would refer to 'where the rivers meet' and thus the same geographical feature, albeit looked at from a different angle. Captain J. A. Grant thought the name came from the Arabic qurtum 'the safflower', known to science as Carthamus tinctorius, grown extensively here as it was used as a fuel. Some point to the Nubian word Agartum 'the abode of Atum', while others look to the Beja language and see hartoom 'meeting'.
Nyala comes from the Daju tongue and means 'the place of chatting'.
Port Sudan takes the name of the nation, itself coming from Arabic bilad as-sudan and meaning 'the land of the blacks'.
El-Obeid comes from the Arabic al-Abyad meaning 'white'.
El-Gadarif is derived from the Arabic Alli qada-Ye-rif meaning 'he who has finished selling or buying should leave'. This comes from the announcement at the end of market day, when Arab noamdic tribes would return to the plains.
Al-Fashir took its name from the word fashir, an itinerant court.
Ar-Rahad is from the Arabic and means 'the water shrine'.
Kosti was founded shortly after 1899 by the Greek merchant Konstantinos 'Kostas' Mourikis and named in his honour.
Suakin was known as U Suk which may be from the Arabic suq or 'market'.
Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.
Sunday, 5 April 2020
Sri Lanka Place Names Explained
Having blogged samples of my books on English place names and also examined the etymologies of the nations of the world and their respective capitals I thought it time I cast my net a little wider. As English place names share some links to other tongues it would be interesting to see if any of the elements contributing to our place names could be found elsewhere. Continuing an alphabetical tour of the world and a look at the largest Sri Lankan towns and cities.
Colombo has a couple of theories as to the origins of its name. As it was first recorded as such by the Portuguese, it could be they have taken it from the classic Sinhala Kolon thota or 'port on the river Kelani'. Alternatively this could be Sinhalese kola amba thota or 'harbour with green mango trees'.
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia has a number of tales told about it. One speaks of Diya Wala, which translates as 'depression filled with water', while another says it refers to a forest of lime trees.
Sri Jayawardhanapura translates as 'resplendent city of growing victory' following its conquest by the Jaffna kingdom in 1391.
Negombo is a Tamil name, where Neerkolombu was corrupted by the Portuguese. The Sinhalese name for this place is Migamuva or 'village of the honeycomb'. Both names refer to the legend of King Kavantissa's army finding honey bees in a canoe on the shore.
Kandy is an Anglicised version of Sinhalese Kanda Uda Rata or 'the land on the mountain'.
Galle was known as Gimhathitha in early records, this probably from classical Sinhalese meaning 'port near the river Gin'. The present name likely comes from gaala or 'where cattle are herded'. While herds of cattle do not grace the city, bullock carts are a common sight in the area.
Trincomalee is an Anglicised version of the Tamil Thiru-kona-malai or 'lord of the sacred hill'. Other translations suggest 'sacred peaked hill' or 'three peaked hill'.
Batticaloa is from Portuguese, a translation of the original Tamil name of Matakkalappu or 'muddy swamp' - it would be difficult to find a swamp which wasn't muddy.
Jaffna is a corrupted form of Yalpanam, itself from a legend. A king is said to have visited a blind musician, a Panan, who was skilled in playing the Yal. So delighted was the kind he gifted a sandy plain to the man who went to his home and brought all his people to live here.
Ratnapura translates, in both Tamil and Sinhala, as 'city of gems' and remains the traditional centre for trading gems in Sri Lanka.
Sri Pada or Adam's Peak is a mountain which is held sacred by Buddhists as it is said to have a rock formation known as Sri Pada, the Sanskrit for 'sacred footprint'. Clearly it is the footprint of Adam when referring to Christian or Islamic tradition.
Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.
Colombo has a couple of theories as to the origins of its name. As it was first recorded as such by the Portuguese, it could be they have taken it from the classic Sinhala Kolon thota or 'port on the river Kelani'. Alternatively this could be Sinhalese kola amba thota or 'harbour with green mango trees'.
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia has a number of tales told about it. One speaks of Diya Wala, which translates as 'depression filled with water', while another says it refers to a forest of lime trees.
Sri Jayawardhanapura translates as 'resplendent city of growing victory' following its conquest by the Jaffna kingdom in 1391.
Negombo is a Tamil name, where Neerkolombu was corrupted by the Portuguese. The Sinhalese name for this place is Migamuva or 'village of the honeycomb'. Both names refer to the legend of King Kavantissa's army finding honey bees in a canoe on the shore.
Kandy is an Anglicised version of Sinhalese Kanda Uda Rata or 'the land on the mountain'.
Galle was known as Gimhathitha in early records, this probably from classical Sinhalese meaning 'port near the river Gin'. The present name likely comes from gaala or 'where cattle are herded'. While herds of cattle do not grace the city, bullock carts are a common sight in the area.
Trincomalee is an Anglicised version of the Tamil Thiru-kona-malai or 'lord of the sacred hill'. Other translations suggest 'sacred peaked hill' or 'three peaked hill'.
Batticaloa is from Portuguese, a translation of the original Tamil name of Matakkalappu or 'muddy swamp' - it would be difficult to find a swamp which wasn't muddy.
Jaffna is a corrupted form of Yalpanam, itself from a legend. A king is said to have visited a blind musician, a Panan, who was skilled in playing the Yal. So delighted was the kind he gifted a sandy plain to the man who went to his home and brought all his people to live here.
Ratnapura translates, in both Tamil and Sinhala, as 'city of gems' and remains the traditional centre for trading gems in Sri Lanka.
Sri Pada or Adam's Peak is a mountain which is held sacred by Buddhists as it is said to have a rock formation known as Sri Pada, the Sanskrit for 'sacred footprint'. Clearly it is the footprint of Adam when referring to Christian or Islamic tradition.
Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.
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