Sunday, November 23, 2008

Halifax? 'Remote Corner Where Rough Grass Grows'

The Atlas of True Names traces etymological roots of global place names and translates them into English. The 'City of Boatmen,' for example, is also known as Paris. The Land of the Firekeepers is Azerbaijan. Italy comes from the Latin word vitulus, which means 'calf.'

That dot on the East Coast of the US looks like it should be New York, but it's labelled 'New Wild Boar Village.' (York, in England, derives from the Old English eofor for wild boar and the Latin vicus, for village.) Up our way there's a 'Remote Corner Where Rough Grass Grows' that we know as Halifax.

On the back of the map is an index of all place names, both current and etymological. To order a copy, go here. For a photo gallery, go here.