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#180432 - 11/19/08 07:37 AM Portmanteaux
Andrew Robinson Offline
stranger

Registered: 10/16/08
Posts: 22
Loc: Ireland
Here's a verse I wrote about the curious portmanteau-name invented for Native Americans:

I'm an Amerind, nominally,
By combining two names, as you see.
But the merchant of Florence
And Hindustan's torrents
Mean equally little to me.

The name Amerind (American Indian) is derived from Amerigo Vespucci and the Indus river in Hindustan. Vespucci mapped the coast of South America, establishing the fact that it was not India after all.

http://www.oedilf.com/db/Lim.php?LimerickId=11902

Since writing that, I have come across claims that America is more likely named after Richard Americke, a sponsor of John Cabot's voyage of annexation http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/americaname_03.shtml


Edited by Andrew Robinson (11/19/08 07:40 AM)
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#180434 - 11/19/08 08:20 AM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: Andrew Robinson]
zmjezhd Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 08/13/05
Posts: 1837
Loc: R'lyeh
Since writing that, I have come across claims that America is more likely named after Richard Americke

Some believe so, but I do not find the argument convincing.

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#180448 - 11/19/08 07:52 PM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: Andrew Robinson]
Faldage Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 11845
Originally Posted By: Andrew Robinson


Since writing that, I have come across claims that America is more likely named after Richard Americke, a sponsor of John Cabot's voyage of annexation http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/americaname_03.shtml


Dave Wilton, of wordorigins.org, has some things to say about the Americke (or Ameryk. Spelling, even of names, hadn't quite jelled in those days) hypothesis. They may lead you to other sources, if you're interested in pursuing the matter.

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#180484 - 11/22/08 08:09 AM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: Faldage]
Andrew Robinson Offline
stranger

Registered: 10/16/08
Posts: 22
Loc: Ireland
Dave Wilton's piece is convincing all right; ". . . most of the claims by supporters of the Ameryk hypothesis are not supported by anything other than a coincidence in spelling and a fierce, English patriotism that wishes the tale were true."

What Amerigo-round.

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#180493 - 11/23/08 03:05 AM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: Andrew Robinson]
The Pook Offline
old hand

Registered: 02/20/08
Posts: 957
Loc: Tasmania
Originally Posted By: Andrew Robinson
What Amerigo-round.

Ha ha laugh

I find this all quite interesting. I had never really thought about the name. I guess I had some vague idea that it probably had something to do with a friendly Roman goddess.

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#180495 - 11/23/08 08:52 AM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: The Pook]
Faldage Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 11845
Way I heard it Amerigo is from a Gothic name cognate with the German Himmelreich. That would make America mean 'kingdom of heaven'.

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#180496 - 11/23/08 12:24 PM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: Faldage]
zmjezhd Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 08/13/05
Posts: 1837
Loc: R'lyeh
Himmelreich

And, I always heard that Amerigo (Americus) was the Italian (Latinized) form of Emerich (d.h., immer reich 'always rich'), but it may be from a toponym, as there is an Emmerich (9th century in the Latin form villa Embrici) on the Rhine in Germany. (The Hungarian name Imre is also though to be related.) More speculation may be found here.

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#180499 - 11/23/08 02:05 PM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: zmjezhd]
BranShea Online content
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 2312
Loc: Netherlands, the Hague
Speculation and 'always rich'... this is definitely a hot item,
Jim, laugh

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#180502 - 11/23/08 06:09 PM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: BranShea]
zmjezhd Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 08/13/05
Posts: 1837
Loc: R'lyeh
And, Brannie, I see Emmerich's just a couple of stones throw up the Rhine from Arnhem and a holler or two from Nejmegen.

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#180503 - 11/23/08 06:36 PM Re: Portmanteaux [Re: zmjezhd]
BranShea Online content
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 2312
Loc: Netherlands, the Hague
Oh!! Emmerik! Now I see . That's the border. Used to be a passport control place before.Wait! Portmanteau for a song. For when there will be a rainbow over Emmerich.
It consists of two parts, try to hear them out both.
Where classics meet the the classics smile


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