I'm a member of a bulletin board entitled Scientific Whims
(http://www.livejournal.com/users/scientificwhims/). Yesterday, a fellow
posted a rather interesting question, which I have copied bellow.

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Does anyone here know what the names of the major continents mean, or why
they were named as such?

Africa
Antarctica
Asia
Australia
America
and Europe (especially this one)

I find it curious that Europe is the only continent not starting with "A." I also find it interesting the Europe could also be pronounced Ur-op, which brings in interesting formulations to the beginnings of Sumerian (Mesopetamian) cities, which mostly all started with "Ur."

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So far he's gotten an explanation for:

America (from articles viewable here:
http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa050498.htm and here:
http://www.brainevent.com/be/WackyWeek/twwih/20020304/show_article_then_toc)

Antarctica, as it is somewhat easy to see that it is the "Anti-Arctic" region.

And someone gave the explanation of the naming of Europe as follows: "Europe was named by the Greeks [or romans?] after Europa, who fell into the mediteranian after being kidnapped by Zeus/Jupiter in the shape of a bull - something like that."

But we still don't know about Asia, Australia, or Africa.

Anyone here know?

Thanks!

Abraham Feinberg
www.artlair.com/vertigoo

Abraham Feinberg
www.artlair.com/vertigoo