Dislikes

[Subedai]

Not really a dislike but an observation on the differences within the American language. Why is the name of the state of Arkansas pronounced Arkansaw but Kansas and Texas have the same final two letters but are pronounced -not with a 'w'- but with the 's' intact?  Do different states have different linguistic applications?

Hoping for enlightenment.

Confused

[Roy]

American State names. Don't know the answer, but I reckon it might have something to do with the natural inhabitants of the areas, or the Spanish Empire.

Taken from Wikipedia:

Arkansas: Its name is of Siouan derivation, denoting the Quapaw Indians.

Kansas: It is named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name (natively kką:ze) is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind", although this was probably not the term's original meaning.

Texas: (Spanish: Texas or Tejas [ˈtexas]). The term "six flags over Texas" refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory. Spain was the first European country to claim the area of Texas. France held a short-lived colony in Texas. Mexico controlled the territory until 1836 when Texas won its independence, becoming an independent Republic. In 1845, Texas joined the United States as the 28th state. The state's annexation set off a chain of events that caused the Mexican–American War in 1846. A slave state, Texas declared its secession from the United States in early 1861, and officially joined the Confederate States on March 2 of the same year. After the consequent Civil War and the restoration of its representation in the federal government, Texas entered a long period of economic stagnation.

[d_Guy]

American State names.

Actually -off the top of my - so possibly wrong - there are bunches that use names of indigenous peoples (or thier place names)
Massachusetts, Conneticut, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Utah, the Dakotas, Alaska, Hawaii,Kansas and maybe others.
Of course European rulers gave us Maryland, the Virginias, the Carolinas, and Louisiana. The origin of New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire are obvious. an English Admiral gave us Pennsylvania. Rhode Island I know not.

[fsn]

Rhode Island I know not.

It was named after a chicken.

[Ithoriel]

A communist chicken?

[fsn]

I thought Pennsylvania was after William Penn, noted Quaker, pacifist and least likely person to be an admiral after The Wicked Witch of the West who had the whole "I'm melting" thing.

So did Missouri get named after the tribe after the river or vice versa?

"Oh! Hi Io."
"How are you Tah?"
"Bit down. I miss Ouri."
"Yeah, and Inoi still isn't well."
"Ill Inoi? Too bad. Oh, I asked her about her husband."
"Mrs Ippi? What happened to Mr Ippi?"
"I don't know. I'll ask her again."

***Enter Geordie t**t  ***

"Hawaii mon. Haws about ya? D'ya like ma new jersey?"
"Hows your girlfriend Geordie t**t?"
"Flo? Ride 'er every day. Cos I says to her I don't want no virgin in ere. It's a waste virgin in 'ere."
"You're a t**t, Geordie t**t"
"Aye. Fair enuff. But she does need a slap. In fact I owe her one."
"You're maine to her. Bet you even tell her how to dress."
"Aye. I say 'Della, wear that', and she does."
"Hey! have you seen this Bambi painting by numbers?"
"Wahay! Cool man! I'd lik to colour a doe."
"Well we've got to be going Geordie t**t. I'm picking up my sister from the airport."
"Really, what time does Mary land?"
"As if I'd tell you. She's come over to watch Wimbledon."
"I lik tennis, see it all the time on the telly, lik."
"I'm sure you do, Geordie t**t. Now be a good Geordie t**t and t**t off will you?"

[d_Guy]

Not really a dislike but an observation on the differences within the American language. Why is the name of the state of Arkansas pronounced Arkansaw but Kansas and Texas have the same final two letters but are pronounced -not with a 'w'- but with the 's' intact?  Do different states have different linguistic applications?

Hoping for enlightenment.

Confused

Sorry - in a rush this AM - I missed your question and responded about indigenous names. That is a dang good question! And I remembered something about French - any way I found this article which offers an explainations:
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-we-pronounce-kansas-and-arkansas-differently-2014-2

[d_Guy]

I thought Pennsylvania was after William Penn, noted Quaker, pacifist and least likely person to be an admiral after The Wicked Witch of the West who had the whole "I'm melting" thing.

So did Missouri get named after the tribe after the river or vice versa?

"Oh! Hi Io."
"How are you Tah?"
"Bit down. I miss Ouri."
"Yeah, and Inoi still isn't well."
"Ill Inoi? Too bad. Oh, I asked her about her husband."
"Mrs Ippi? What happened to Mr Ippi?"
"I don't know. I'll ask her again."

***Enter Geordie t**t  ***

"Hawaii mon. Haws about ya? D'ya like ma new jersey?"
"Hows your girlfriend Geordie t**t?"
"Flo? Ride 'er every day. Cos I says to her I don't want no virgin in ere. It's a waste virgin in 'ere."
"You're a t**t, Geordie t**t"
"Aye. Fair enuff. But she does need a slap. In fact I owe her one."
"You're maine to her. Bet you even tell her how to dress."
"Aye. I say 'Della, wear that', and she does."
"Hey! have you seen this Bambi painting by numbers?"
"Wahay! Cool man! I'd lik to colour a doe."
"Well we've got to be going Geordie t**t. I'm picking up my sister from the airport."
"Really, what time does Mary land?"
"As if I'd tell you. She's come over to watch Wimbledon."
"I lik tennis, see it all the time on the telly, lik."
"I'm sure you do, Geordie t**t. Now be a good Geordie t**t and t**t off will you?"

Holy suffering succotash and little green apples!! Bravo!

I will state here emphatically that you are absolutely right! It was William Penn's father William who was the admiral. As I age everything shrinks and memory conflates!

Many on this forum have travelled in the the States (or live here) so you know that we have tribal names and expressions all over the place. The interesting thing about this is a lack of agreement about what many of them mean. What is "the beautiful green mountain with streaming clouds" my get translated as "the giant steaming pile of buffalo dung" not forty miles down the road.

fsn's song may not be far off the mark.

[Leman]

Didn't Columbus discover that?

[Subedai]

Sorry - in a rush this AM - I missed your question and responded about indigenous names. That is a dang good question! And I remembered something about French - any way I found this article which offers an explainations:
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-we-pronounce-kansas-and-arkansas-differently-2014-2

Enlightenment gained, ta for that.

[Tawa]

Didn't Columbus discover that?

The detective with the dirty raincoat?

[Techno]

 

Coat !

Cheers - Phil.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Shirley - DIRTY COAT

IanS

[Techno]

I think Nobby's  cleaned it already, Ian.
Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Nobby - CLEAN IT !!!!!!

IanS

[Tawa]

It hangs the coat up on the stand or it gets the hose again!!!!

[Leman]

Don't call me Shirley!

[ronan]

Have you read Amin Maalouf's "The Crusades through Arab eyes"? I found it a very readable history

Cheers
Ian

I'll second that ! Great book !
Amin Maalouf is one of the greatest writer in french, I hope the english translation is fine.

[Last Hussar]

Is that the one that upset TMP before Christmas?  That was an awful lot of sound and fury.

[JeffNNN]

Well if it upset TMP it must be good.😎