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fastspawn
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Topic: Origin of etymology of countries Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 00:10 |
This is just a follow-up of the origin of england.
Like illustrate why your country is named this way.
Singapore is anglicized of the sanksrit word singapura, meaning lion city.
It is rumored the prince Sang Nila Utama, landed here and saw a lion,
and as a lion was a sign of good fortune, maned this island singa-pura.
It is highly disputable, since lions are not native to South-East Asia.
More or less likely, he saw a strange animal, and one of his entourage
told him it was a lion. (some people believed he saw a tiger and
mistook it for a lion. I would disagree with them, since tigers are
extremely common animals and it is not likely for a well-travelled man
like Sang Nila Utama and his entourage not to recognize a tiger for
what it was)
Previously the island was named Temasek, meaning sea island, or sea
country. Some people like to use Temasek also to address our country.
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 05:21 |
Netherlands
from Nederland meaning low land. Because the Netherlands are very low.
The plural Netherlands originates from the time (1588-1795) when the Netherlands were a confederacy of 7 states. (Republiek der zeven verenigde Nederlanden - Republic of the seven united Netherlands). The Dutch word for the Netherlands (Nederland) isn't a plural.
Holland
Etymology unsure. Probably meaning low land as well, or woodland (the county of Holland started in an area with many forests).
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demon
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 07:06 |
The word Brazil originated from Brazill wood, a common type of tree that was found in Bahia, where the first explorers set foot on. Now they are almost gone due to human activity...
Brazil-Brazilwood
The word Korea originated from Corea(The Japs changed the initial to K so that their country came before), originated from French Coree(last e with accent), originated from Arabic Coreia, which originated from Gori(Kori,高麗, a Korean country which was named to follow Koguri(Goguri,高句麗). The Arabs got Goryo because in Goryo dynasty the gov was open to foreign trade while in Choson era, they closed the country except to China and Japan.
Ko=Big, Guri=Koguryo language meaning fortress, highland.
So Koguri= Big Fortress
Korea-Corea-Cory-Coree'-Corei-Gori-Goguri
EDIT: I figured out that Goryo, Goguryo came from Japanese brainwash. The true korean word for these two are Gori and Goguri.
EDIT2: There are maps saying Korea to be Cory, and Turkish word for Korea is Corei, so I changed the Arabic transition to a more logical one.
Edited by demon
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Grrr..
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Styrbiorn
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 07:32 |
The Nordic lands, and dependancies.
Sweden
In old English this was Sweoland or Sweorici, which simply mean "Land of the Swedes", "Realm of the Swedes" (Svar in Old Norse), and via the 17th century Swedeland evolved into Sweden. The Swedish term Sverige has the same origin, from Old Norse Svarki.
Norway
From Old English Norweg, the "Northern Way". Whether the Norwegian names Norge (bokml) and Noreg (nynorsk) derives from Old Norse Norvegr or Norki (northern realm) is disputed.
Finland
The old Scandinavian name of the Suomi, as the Finns call themselves, was finnr, which mean nomad, wandering man. Finland was the land of the Finns, the South-western coast of the modern Republic of Finland (the province that now is called Egentliga Finland=Proper Finland). Much later, in the 17th century, "Finland" came to apply all the eastern half of the Swedish realm (earlier called sterland, Eastland).
Denmark
Old English Denamaerc, meaning Borderland of the Danes - originally the area that no is Slesvig.
Iceland
The first - rather egocentric - name of the island was given by the Swede Gardar Svavarsson: Gardarsholm, meaning "Gardar's isle". The Faeroese Naddod later named the island Snland,"Snowland", but eventually a name that stuck was created by the Norwegian Floke Vilgerdsson - sland, of which Iceland is a literal translation.
The Faeroes
From Old Norse Freyar, meaning Sheep Islands.
Greenland
The name given by Erik the Red. The Inuits' name of the island is Kalaallit Nunaat - Man's Land.
land Islands
Another autonomous region, but unfortunately the etymology is unknown.
Edited by Styrbiorn
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Cornellia
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 08:35 |
The etymology of the United States is obvious.
Texas comes from the Tejas Indians and Tejas means friend.
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Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas
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Gorkhali
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 10:34 |
India from the Greek inability to pronounce the name of the river Sindhu. They called it Indus, from which we got India. Hindu also comes from the word Indus.
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Cywr
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 11:02 |
Originally posted by MixcoatlToltecahtecuhtli
Netherlands
from Nederland meaning low land. Because the Netherlands are very low.
The plural Netherlands originates from the time (1588-1795)
when the Netherlands were a confederacy of 7 states. (Republiek der
zeven verenigde Nederlanden - Republic of the seven united
Netherlands). The Dutch word for the Netherlands (Nederland) isn't a
plural.
Holland
Etymology unsure. Probably meaning low land as well, or woodland (the county of Holland started in an area with many forests). |
I've been told by Dutch people that Nederland is more accuratly
translated as downland (Neder is an old word for 'neer'), and inturn
comes from the french 'Le pays bas', from teh time of the burgundies,
implying that it was territory downriver. Once upon a time what is now
Belgium was also refered to as Netherlands (Spanish or Austrian) as
well as being part of Le Pays Bas. Its not very flat or low
Holland is supposed to mean woodedland.
India from the Greek
inability to pronounce the name of the river Sindhu. They called it
Indus, from which we got India. Hindu also comes from the word Indus. |
The Greek came not directly from Sindhu, but indirectly from the
Persian Hind (which is the direct root of Hindu/Hindustan etc.), the
Greeks were calling it India before they had come into contact with it
or heard the word Sindhu, they learned of it from their Persian
neighbours.
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Arrrgh!!"
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Cywr
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 11:16 |
Wales, from the Anlgo-Saxon wealas meaning 'foreigners' (Germanic root - Walh).
The Welsh name being Cymru, basicly meaning compatriots, the people are
the Cymry and the land Cymru, and the language Cymriag. Certain grammer
rules mean that in certain contexts it will be spelt Gymru, for
example, when you cross for border from England in to Wales, you will
see the Croeso i Gymru (Welcome to Wales) signs.
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Arrrgh!!"
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Styrbiorn
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 11:20 |
Originally posted by Cywr
I've been told by Dutch people that Nederland is more accuratly translated as downland (Neder is an old word for 'neer'), and inturn comes from the french 'Le pays bas', from teh time of the burgundies, implying that it was territory downriver. Once upon a time what is now Belgium was also refered to as Netherlands (Spanish or Austrian) as well as being part of Le Pays Bas. Its not very flat or low
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Very probable. "Neder-" literally means lower (as in "below", not as in low or flat) in modern as well as old Swedish, and those words tend to keep their meanings.
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boody4
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 11:43 |
Poland, in English, basically just means "land of the Poles". Poles take their name from the Polanie, the founding tribe of the country who lent their name to the country. "Pole" means "plain". The Polanie were people who did a lot of agriculture in the plainy part of Poland. I'm going to guess that they chose their name because of this. So logically Polska(in polish) means "land of plains".
Edited by boody4
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Gorkhali
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 12:03 |
The Greek came not directly from Sindhu, but indirectly from the Persian Hind (which is the direct root of Hindu/Hindustan etc.), the Greeks were calling it India before they had come into contact with it or heard the word Sindhu, they learned of it from their Persian neighbours.
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Very True. You're absolutely right
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Cywr
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 12:11 |
It also makes more sense, IIRC, Greek speakers don't have problems with
pronouncing 's' sounds, but from my travels there, a few of them
pronounce some funny 'h's
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Gorkhali
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 12:12 |
Fastspawn, about the etymology of Singapore... I've also heard that it comes from the Sanskrit "Singh a Pur", "City of Lions."
However, I don't believe it refers to the actual animals. "Pur" also means fortress or citadel. When the Hindu Cholas of South India attacked Singapore, its defenders fought so bravely, that it earned the name, "Fortress of Lions."
Edited by Gorkhali
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Guests
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 12:34 |
Originally posted by demon
The word Brazil originated from Brazill wood, a common
type of tree that was found in Bahia, where the first explorers set
foot on. Now they are almost gone due to human activity...
Brazil-Brazilwood |
IIRC I read somewhere once that during the Middle Ages there were
stories of a legendaric island in the Atlantic called Brasil. When the
first Europeans reached Brazil they thought it was the island Brasil.
Do you know whether this is true?
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fastspawn
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 12:53 |
Originally posted by Gorkhali
Fastspawn, about the etymology of Singapore... I've also heard that it comes from the Sanskrit "Singh a Pur", "City of Lions."
However, I don't believe it refers to the actual animals.
"Pur" also means fortress or citadel. When the Hindu Cholas of
South India attacked Singapore, its defenders fought so bravely, that
it earned the name, "Fortress of Lions." |
i have never heard that story. However it is highly unlikely that the
Southern Indians would have attacked singapore because before sang nila
utama landed on Temasek, it was just a small island with virtually no
significance. And it is of course surrounded by large empires like
Majapahit and the Srivijayans, which would not have permitted the
Cholans from attacking them at their heart. (a land battle is of course
even more improbably because it would mean they have to go through
north india, the yunnan province of china, the indochine countries, the
malaccan empire, blah blah).
I have no knowledge of sanskrit, but i am quite sure the etymology is singa-pura, not singh-a-pur.
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Cyrus Shahmiri
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 13:26 |
Iran
The word 'Iran' derives from the Avestan Airyana, Sanskrit Arya-yan or the 'Land of the Aryans' that becomes Irya-an or Iran.
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Dawn
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 14:19 |
The name Canada comes from the Huron-Iroquois word Kanata, which means village or settlement. The term was used to describe Stadacona (the current site of Quebec city) by two Amerindians who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his 1535 return voyage from France.
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Guests
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 17:15 |
Russia
The origin of the word Rus' seems to have Nordic origins and means 'boatsmen' or 'army', although Slavic or even Turkic origins have also been suggested (there are, for instance, several rivers/places in central Ukraine that seem to be derivatives).
Rossiya, the current name, is taken IIRC from the Byzantine name for the Rus' state. This was acquired at the end of the 15th C, when there was a sense of inheritance of Byzantine culture and responsibilities, since by then the Russian states (by that time already dominated/heavily influenced by Muscovy) were the last independent Orthodox states. (Thus the Moscow as 'Third Rome' idea, etc).
Belorus (or Belorussia) is litteraly 'White Russia'. Ukraine is, I've been told although I can't confirm, is 'Little Russia'.
Russia, is just the English name for Rossiya.
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Mosquito
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 18:18 |
Originally posted by boody4
Poland, in English, basically just means "land of the Poles". Poles take their name from the Polanie, the founding tribe of the country who lent their name to the country. "Pole" means "field". The Polanie were people who did a lot of agriculture in the fieldy part of Poland. I'm going to guess that they chose their name because of this. So logically Polska(in polish) means "land of fields". |
I would rather say that it is land of plains not fields. Polans were the tribe who was living on plains and thats what it really means. At least thats how most of historians explain it.
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Mosquito
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 18:22 |
Originally posted by Lord Anatolius
Belorus (or Belorussia) is litteraly 'White Russia'. Ukraine is, I've been told although I can't confirm, is 'Little Russia'.
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Well, iv been told that word Ukraine means or meant in the past "border lands" or "border country" altough im not sure. But im sure it doesnt come from "Little Russia".
Edited by Mosquito
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