Avon (was "Cafol")

From: Viktor Haag <vhaag_at_...>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 16:09:37 -0400


Jane Williams writes:
> --- Roderick and Ellen Robertson
> <rjremr_at_...> wrote:
>
>
> > > Why are there three (more?) Avon Rivers in the UK?
>
> More. Lots, lots more.
>
> "Avon" is a Welsh (and generic Celtic, if you vary the
> spelling a bit) word meaning "river". So the invading Saxons,
> Vikings, or whoever asked the locals what that river was
> called, and, not speaking the local lingo, ended up with a
> River Avon. And a Bredon Hill (that's hill-hill Hill). I don't
> *know* of anywhere in Britain called "your finger you fool",
> but it's probably out there somewhere :)

A similar phenomenon happened here in the New World when the Europeans first started interacting with the (sometimes very cheeky) Amerindians living here at the time.

I.e. 'Toronto' from 'tkaronto' meaning "place where there are trees standing in the water" or "last bloody place you'd want to build a village".

Also, 'Winnipeg' from 'winnipi' meaning "dirty water" (also, see translations for 'tkaronto'...)

-- 
Viktor Haag : Software & Information Design : Research In Motion
                              +--+
                 "Stupid, stupid rat creatures!"

Powered by hypermail