New maps have come into Stanfords that are truly unique – the atlases of true names around the world and Europe.
These maps are the first to use etymology – the study of the origin and history of words – to provide an unusual insight into familiar geographical names – with intriguing results.
Once the names have been taken back to their roots and translated into English, it is apparent that our world also has an affinity with Middle Earth – the mythical continent in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
The etymological world map reveals place names such as Italy to be ‘Land of Calves’; Scotland as ‘Land of the Wanderers’; the Sahara as ‘Sea of Sand’; Burma as ‘Land of the Quick and Strong Ones’ and Antarctica as ‘Opposite to the Bear’s Land’.
While the etymological map focusing on Europe shows the true names of towns, cities, regions and mountain ranges in and around the continent. For example, London is ‘Hillfort’; Brighton ‘Bright Helmet’s Town’; Paris is ‘City of Boatmen’; Oslo is ‘Plain of the Gods’; Sicily is ‘Sickle Island’ and the Pyrenees, ‘Mountains of Secret Fire’.
Many geographical names are clearly rooted in man’s observation of his natural environment – the physical location of a settlement: Terrace Bay (Taiwan), the character of an important water course: Mysterious River (Syr Darya) or even just the local vegetation: Mango Leaves (Colombo).
Some places are even named after the answers natives gave to explorers upon their discovery – Yucatan is ‘I don’t understand you!’ – the Maya answer given to Spanish explorers asking ‘What’s the name of the region?’ and Nome – Indian no-me (I don’t know) – the natives’ answers to all questions put to them. Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire translates as ‘We’ve just been cutting leaves’ – a misunderstanding between colonists and natives.
Istanbul could be derived from Greek for ‘into the city’, or a mutilation of conSTANtinoPOLis. Meanwhile, poor old Namibia translates in Namibian to “Place where there is nothing”.
Take a look at the world through fresh eyes!
Author: Rachel Ricks