Re: CHAT: geographical nomenclature [was Re: Language of Tetril]

Thomas Wier writes:

>Because wherever Anglophone settlers moved in the US, and
>in most of the rest of the former British Empire, they very
>often gave the name of their settlement the same name as one
>from their homecountry, or one they happened to admire.
And, think about California with it's towns with Spanish names.

California also has:

Albany, Ontario, Pittsburg, Mecca (!), Dublin, Princeton, Richmond (2),
Stratford, Nashville, Malaga, Manchester, Minnesota, Monrovia, Cambria,
London, Karnak, Inverness, Johannesburg, Lafayette, Loch Lomond, Valencia,
Venice, Antioch, Arabia, Cadiz, Capetown, Alhambra, Essex, Exeter, Fairfax
(and those are just a handful of names i culled)

Some of those cities are names of other cities in the US. So you can see
why we in the US frequently add which country and to be more specific.
Without telling which country, or state, you get conversations like this:

"I'm going to Pittsburg tomorrow"

"Oh, Pensylvania?"

"No, Pittsburg California"


Or (as in a conversation over AIM or ICQ to a friend not familiar with
your area):

"I'm driving to Mecca tomorrow"

"Um.....i thought you were in California?"

"I am, Mecca is a city here too"

Anyway, you get the picture, I hope

Note: I frequently have to tell people from Mexico over chat that i dont
live in Mexico when I say I live near Monterey (usually they "point out"
that i've spelled it wrong :)).

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