Common Place Names

[Carol]

I have heard that Chicago is a mispronounciation of an Indian word meaning smelly river or creek.

The original word She-ka-kwaa can mean either onion or skunk. Its definitely a name meaning something smelly :lol:

The French transcribed the city as "Chicagoua", where the Ch- is soft (like sh--) and the -ou- sounds like a w in English...we might transcribe it as She-ka-gwa had we heard it.

English speaking people read the French "Chicagoua" and it became "Chicago"

 

[Bill Mattocks]

What I appreciate the most are place names in the USA that have been absolutely massacred by their current inhabitants. This gives me great joy.

I lived in "San Jose, Illinois" once. Pronounced "San Joe-z" and not "San Ho-zay."

I also lived near "Papillion, Nebraska." Pronounced "Pap-ill-yun," not "Pap-eee-yon."

It's "Detroit (Dee-troyt)" and not "Deh-twah."

I enjoy that we rudely steal place names from other countries and then obliterate the pronunciation. Hehehehe.

 

[crushing]

I was born in Fremont and now live near Whitehall.

I've known about this town:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Michigan
But this one is new to me:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_California

 

[frank raud]

I realize Muddy York was a disparaging name. But is was entrenched deeply enough that the people wanted to distance themselves from it. If you see Toronto during Spring thaw, you can see how difficult it would be to live down that name.

You know it was a disparaging name, I know it was a disparaging name. But when large sections of the rest of the world believe we Canadians live in Igloos, cowering in fear from the polar bears roaming our city streets, it would be nice to clarify little points of our history for them.

 

[Big Don]

You know it was a disparaging name, I know it was a disparaging name. But when large sections of the rest of the world believe we Canadians live in Igloos, cowering in fear from the polar bears roaming our city streets, it would be nice to clarify little points of our history for them.

You mean you don't :erg: ?
Now there is no reason for me to visit Canada.

 

[Steve]

Seattle was named after Chief Sealth. The town in which I work, Auburn, WA, was originally named Slaughter, WA after the locals decided that it was just downright embarrassing.

It's an interesting mix around here of native names, such as Puyallup, Sequim, Hoquiam, Issaquah, Yakima and a dozen others, and places like Kent, WA.

 

[elder999]

The original word She-ka-kwaa can mean either onion or skunk. Its definitely a name meaning something smelly :lol:

The French transcribed the city as "Chicagoua", where the Ch- is soft (like sh--) and the -ou- sounds like a w in English...we might transcribe it as She-ka-gwa had we heard it.

EOh, those French. :lol:

A French Jesuit missionary, saw natives playing what they called "the Creator's game" in 1637. The game was played on a great field with hundreds of men per side, all wielding hooked sticks and chasing after a handmade ball. Perhaps because the sticks resembled a bishop's crook, or crosier, or perhaps because it reminded him of field hockey, le jeu de la crosse, rather than call the game baggataway the Jesuit called it lacrosse, and it eventually evolved into the only sport truly native to the North American continent. And we have several places, Lacrosse, Indiana and La Crosse, Wisconsin among them, where settlers and explorers saw the game played, and thus the place was named......

 

[Big Don]

places like Kent, WA.

Named after newspaper man Clark?

 

[Carol]

EOh, those French. :lol:

A French Jesuit missionary, saw natives playing what they called "the Creator's game" in 1637. The game was played on a great field with hundreds of men per side, all wielding hooked sticks and chasing after a handmade ball. Perhaps because the sticks resembled a bishop's crook, or crosier, or perhaps because it reminded him of field hockey, le jeu de la crosse, rather than call the game baggataway the Jesuit called it lacrosse, and it eventually evolved into the only sport truly native to the North American continent. And we have several places, Lacrosse, Indiana and La Crosse, Wisconsin among them, where settlers and explorers saw the game played, and thus the place was named......

....and no places were named after Baggataway (or any of its spelling variants). The French only saw the sport, they didn't see how baggataway was used to settle human conflicts, or carry deeper spiritual meaning. The natives here told stories about how the Northern Lights meant their ancesters were playing Baggatway in the spiritual realm.

And don't even get me started on the abuse of the number 8...

 

[granfire]

Named after newspaper man Clark?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

You have not read 'Fool' by Christopher Moore!


But speaking of Kent (drove by there plenty of times...)

How about Auburn? I know of at least 2....

And Oxford.....

 

[granfire]

Seattle was named after Chief Sealth. The town in which I work, Auburn, WA, was originally named Slaughter, WA after the locals decided that it was just downright embarrassing.

It's an interesting mix around here of native names, such as Puyallup, Sequim, Hoquiam, Issaquah, Yakima and a dozen others, and places like Kent, WA.

Is Puyallup Faire over yet?

 

[Tez3]

Catterick was named by the Romans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catterick,_North_Yorkshire

York (the original one!) just down the road was called Eboracum by the Romans then Jorvik by the Vikings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York

 

[Big Don]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

You have not read 'Fool' by Christopher Moore!

Yes, yes, I have. What a great concept.

 

[David43515]

Well Lake Erie, the big and little Erie rivers in Ohio are all named after the local Indians‘ word for "panther". You`d never know it now because they haven`t been around for over 100 years, but Ohio used to be crawling with panthers and black bears. I remember reading a journal where one of the settlers in what is now Cinncinnatti mentions a hunter killing 5 black bears in one day.

 

[frank raud]

Kitchener, Ontario used to be Berlin, but the name was changed in 1916 du to anti-German sentiments at the time. Swastika Ontario has resisted any name changes, as the town had the name before the Nazis co-opted the word.