We have recently had a thread about place names and their citizens. Take Our Word For It has a splendid discussion of this. Well worth checking out if you haven't already.Issue 152
http://www.takeourword.com/page1.html
Whooyah, Cool-o, Daddy-o, Good motorvating Bill, your urling site of designators of geographical occupiers swings.
Away with the bland, I say, let originality live, least we die.
(or to put it another way)
mumble, mumble, mealy mouth, hi-pitched mutter,
Thank you Bill, I dearly loved your URL.
Some of the best books I ever read were those of (pen-name) James Herriot. He called himself a Glaswegian.
People from Tasmania are often called Taswegians. Don't think it has any official status, but it's a beauty. And I read somewhere that they tried to call people from Sydney Sydonians. Clearly didn't stick!
Glad for the Taswegians they didn't get labelled Tasmaniacs. Too obvious, of course.
People from Tasmania are often called Taswegians.
Where did we get the Tasmanian devil then? I truly thought those from Tasmania, were Tasmanians, and have never heard the term Taswegians.
Folks from Phoenix, AZ are known as Phoenicians.
Angel - the Tasmanian Devil is a critter - a ferocious marsupial carnivore. The name has been lent to various sporting teams but is not used to describe the populace - as previously mentioned they are Tasmanians or the incorrect, more "familiar", "Taswegians".
Did I get it right paulb?
stales
"Our man in Tasmania" reports:
I have no idea how the term 'Taswegian' came about -- I'll let you all know if I do.
Meanwhile here's a site about Tasmanian devils, including a movie. Enjoy!
http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/BHAN-5358KH?open
[Bear with me, folks, until I get my mark-ups under control]
Here you go, Sweetcakes:
http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/BHAN-5358KH?openOh my, that thing...are you sure that all of that sound track is animal, not human? Yow. Could someone please explain the "real" name of this creature?
The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) I was struck by the similarity to sarcophagus.
I found something that actually fits this thread (sort of)!
Devils are readily seen at the Narawntapu (formerly Asbestos Range) Why would anyone give a mountain range the name Asbestos?
One more question:
Both devil and quoll populations naturally swell dramatically each summer when young disperse into the wild. What's a quoll, please?
Why would anyone give a mountain range the name Asbestos?Not taking the time to LIU, but my guess is that, since asbestos is a mineral, there are deposits of it in the mountains.... But now I'll have to go LIU, just to see if I guessed right
.
Asbestos has an interesting etymology, from a root meaning "inextinguishable". I wonder how it ever got to mean impossible to ignite.
Well, Dr Bill, I suppose that it
is impossible to extinguish anything that has not taken fire?
And at the time the substance was named, I would think that no scientist (or anyone else, probably - maybe a devil-worshipper?) had managed to achieve a high enough temperature to ignite asbestos. (Anyone any idea how hot that is, BTW?)
Drar RC: my dictionary says it originally referred to unslaked lime, which can "burn" like hell if you get it on you.
As an interesting aside to this, Dr Crippen - a well known muderer who was arrested on a ship returning from the USA in company with his new lady-love (what was her name?)- made the fatal mistake of burying his wife's body together with lime which he then slaked. The result was that instead of destroying the body, it preserved it for the police to find. You would think a medical doctor would know better. (than to slake the lime I mean).
Oh my, that thing...are you sure that all of that sound track is animal, not human?Blimey. I didn't realise anyone was taping me waking up in the mornings. Will have to close my windows.
unslaked lime, which can "burn" like hell if you get it on you.
Aha - perhaps that explains the "unquenchable" bit then?
I've tried to find a better explanation, but that's as best as I can do.