GalacticCactus Forum
Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Tante Shvester on April 06, 2010, 11:37:12 PM
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European place names often have fascinating etymologies.
Germany, for instance, was so named because of frequent plagues, while Hungary was so named because of frequent famine. Russians were famous for being in a hurry, and Greece, obviously, led the ancient world in olive oil production.
England, as we all know, took its name from the tribe of the Angles, who invented geometry and used that knowledge to construct Stonehenge, which still stands, to this very day, in modern day England.
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Fascinating!
And what is France? I mean, aside from the place where the naked ladies dance?
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Finland is so named for its preponderance of fishermen.
France was named after the Frankish tribe, whose love of hot dogs was legendary. At one time, France and Germany were sworn enemies, but the Frankish people got together with the folks from Hamburg for a barbecue summit, and had a wonderful time.
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I really want you to keep going with these, for the whole world, and write a children's book. Seriously. I'll illustrate it for you.
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Poland's name has an interesting story. The people there lived in a Country With No Name, and the leaders couldn't decide what name to use for their country. The list of possible names was winnowed down to ten, and public opinion polls were conducted to see which of these the people favored. While results were split, the people and government leaders were so enamored of the public opinion polls that they decreed that no politician should henceforth ever declare a political position without first taking a poll. And since this was the law of the land, the land came to be known as Poll-land.
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I can't wait to hear Moldova.
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Does GC recognize Sealand (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Sealand)?
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I'm not sure what it would even mean for a web site to recognize an alleged nation.
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Given Sealand's tenuous legitimacy I think your recognition would mean quite a lot. :P
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I recognize the Wikipedia link; I'd seen it before.
Does that count for anything?
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I can't wait to hear Moldova.
Moldova is so named for its damp basements. They do tend to get mold over the walls and stuff.
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What about Israel? Loving the previous entrees btw.
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The founding of the State of Israel was controversial at the time. Other nations were reluctant to officially recognize the fledgling country, and the debate at the time was whether the state is real or isn't real. "Is real" won out in the end, though.
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"Syria" sounds like a bowel disorder.
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Kyrgyzstan, is the homeland of the Kyrgyzs, a people best known for cheating at Scrabble.
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Kyrgyzstan, is the homeland of the Kyrgyzs, a people best known for cheating at Scrabble.
Perhaps that's why the opposition party has toppled the government. Best definition ever btw.
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Those are awesome, Tante! :D
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What about Haiti? China? Brazil?
(Trying to make you stretch here.)
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I want to know why Iceland is warmer than Greenland.
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Brazil was backformed from the SuperGasBras (http://www.supergasbras.com.br/) corporation.
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It is a very common misconception that the apostrophe in General Tso's chicken indicated a possesive. In fact, it actually indicates a contraction. General Tso, after ordering the famous army retreat of 1850, was widely mocked for his cowardice. Restauranteurs particularly enjoyed the sly dig of serving the general chicken (as in "you are what you eat") whenever he frequented their establishments. Of course, the other patrons insisted on ordering the same chef's special as the general was served ("I'll have what he's having"). And, of course, it was a hot riot to be able to say, "General Tso's chicken" right within earshot of the General himself. And when he'd get all enraged and stamp his feet and demand that they stop calling him that, they'd go all wide-eyed and innocent and say, "What? I was just ordering that tasty-looking fried chicken covered in gloppy sauce."
And the general knew that they were all mocking him, but he couldn't do anything about it.
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:D But what about Peking Duck?
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The unfortunate Flemish are prone to chest colds and allergies.
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OCD is remarkably prevalent among the Czechs.
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That one took me a minute.
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I don't get it.
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People with OCD keep checking things over and over. Like did they leave the oven on, only they already checked it, but they don't feel like they checked it enough.
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*groan*
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Taste, these are fantastic. I don't know when I've been so entertained by a thread.
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Thanks. I had fun making them.
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:lol:
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Bloodshed is where Mormon vampires keep their food storage.
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Hahaha! (http://instantrimshot.com/)
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Thanks. I had fun making them.
I still think you should take Annie,up on her offer. It would be a great book.
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I just read this thread. It's AMAZING.
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You have to be crazy to live in Michigan. That's where all the Michiganers live.
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:peek:
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Tick, the parasitic bloodsucking creature, is derived from the Old English ticia from the West Germanic *tik. And poly, of course, if from the Greek for many or much.
Thus politics and, of course, politicians, "many parasitic bloodsucking creatures"
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Also, before I posted that, I got this warning:
Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.
Hey, this is Galactic Cactus. If we keep churning out new topics willy-nilly, it will devalue our entire topic economy!
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Tick, the parasitic bloodsucking creature, is derived from the Old English ticia from the West Germanic *tik. And poly, of course, if from the Greek for many or much.
Thus politics and, of course, politicians, "many parasitic bloodsucking creatures"
It all makes so much sense!
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I know, right?
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When something is confined in a pen, it is "penned" or, alternatively, "pent". Something "pent up" is confined or restricted.
Penthouses, those abodes of the fabulously well-to-do, are thus named because they are they trappings of wealth.
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;D
Tante, sometimes your humorous explanations on various things remind me much of the character Cliff Clavin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Clavin) from Cheers
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LOL, totally!