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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Greenland v. Iceland #128667 05/20/2004 1:12 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 428 Cape Cod, MA, US Flatlander addict Flatlander addict Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 428 Cape Cod, MA, US No, I'm not proposing an unlikely World Cup pairing, but recently, a friend brought up the old saw about how these countries got their names. If you haven't heard it, it says that the first settlers of Iceland found it a very amenable home, what with all the geothermal activity to warm it up, but they named it Iceland because it was so small, they didn't want people horning in on their good thing. Conversely, the settlers of Greenland found a desolate wasteland, but wanted to encourage more settlers, so they named it Greenland in the ultimate example of false advertising. I learned it way back in elementary school, and it has the whiff of one of those fictionally acronymic word origins (Port In Starboard Home, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, etc.). Any truth to it at all? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Greenland v. Iceland #128668 05/20/2004 1:53 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 428 Cape Cod, MA, US Flatlander addict Flatlander addict Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 428 Cape Cod, MA, US The good Doctor Bill (wwh) guides me via PM to the ultimate repository of human knowledge, The Straight Dope: http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/micegreenland.html The kind folks there answer my question five ways from Sunday, if you are interested. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Greenland v. Iceland #128669 05/20/2004 3:15 PM Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,692 UK dxb Pooh-Bah dxb Pooh-Bah Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,692 UK Yes, that was interesting. Thank you. If the Norse settlement finally failed, in part due to climatic conditions - then come global warming there might be a resurgence of interest. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: A 21st Century Saga? Read the Runes ... #128670 05/20/2004 9:29 PM Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,624 Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok Capfka Pooh-Bah Capfka Pooh-Bah Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,624 Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok I'll clear the mouse nests and dead birds out of the longship next week and put a few patches on the sail, Dixbie. I'll have to buy some new oars, though. How many of you will be travelling with me? I could do with about twenty on a side. People experienced at working in a shieldwall would probably be useful, too. The locals may not be too impressed with us just turning up unannounced. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Greenland v. Iceland #128671 05/20/2004 10:45 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Garðarshólsmur is just too good to touch. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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