Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Some names have Amerindian origins. Which of these is based on a Muskogean word for "old town"?
2. Some U.S.A. Names have their origins in French. An example is Teton Mountains and Grand Teton. What did Teton originally mean?
3. Catskill in the State of New York is supposed to have Dutch origins. What did the name originally mean?
4. Saints' names were very popular in those areas of U.S.A. that had first been conquered by the Spaniards. Which place-name in Texas counts six letters and originally refers to St. Augustine?
5. The full name of L.A. is or was : Nuestra Senora de los Angeles de la Porciuncula. What does Porciuncula mean in this very long name?
6. Settlers tended to give names to their new locales that reminded them of their origins. Which of these names in or near New York does not refer to a place in the Netherlands, but to a suburb of Antwerp in Belgium?
7. Giving names after famous people was a very current phenomenon in the U.S.A. Inspiration was found among the U.S.A. presidents ( Jefferson; Madison; Monroe..), the Founding Fathers (Franklin), antique celebrities (Cicero). Occasionally a local settler, or even a character from a movie might be "commemorated". However, the inventiveness of Americans went far beyond such "easy solutions". For which of these names was the source of inspiration NOT a person at all, but a linguistic joke?
8. Often the origin of a place-name is a matter of discussion among etymologists. One of the explanations for Rhode Island sees a reference in it to the Aegean Island of Rhodes. The other story links it with a colourword in:
9. Which old U.S. City was given a name from Greek that was meant to stamp it as a City of Brotherly Love ?
10. Names of mountains and rivers often referred to visual impressions. Occasionally they also referred to what was found in the area. Which of these names occurs in Arizona?
Source: Author
flem-ish
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
thejazzkickazz before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.