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Posted By: Andrew Robinson Portmanteaux - 11/19/08 12:37 PM
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
Posted By: zmjezhd Re: Portmanteaux - 11/19/08 01:20 PM
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.
Posted By: Faldage Re: Portmanteaux - 11/20/08 12:52 AM
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.
Posted By: Andrew Robinson Re: Portmanteaux - 11/22/08 01:09 PM
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.
Posted By: The Pook Re: Portmanteaux - 11/23/08 08:05 AM
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.
Posted By: Faldage Re: Portmanteaux - 11/23/08 01:52 PM
Way I heard it Amerigo is from a Gothic name cognate with the German Himmelreich. That would make America mean 'kingdom of heaven'.
Posted By: zmjezhd Re: Portmanteaux - 11/23/08 05:24 PM
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.
Posted By: BranShea Re: Portmanteaux - 11/23/08 07:05 PM
Speculation and 'always rich'... this is definitely a hot item,
Jim, laugh
Posted By: zmjezhd Re: Portmanteaux - 11/23/08 11:09 PM
And, Brannie, I see Emmerich's just a couple of stones throw up the Rhine from Arnhem and a holler or two from Nejmegen.
Posted By: BranShea Re: Portmanteaux - 11/23/08 11:36 PM
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

Posted By: Andrew Robinson Re: Portmanteaux - 11/30/08 09:58 PM
Meet is hardly the word . . . more like rifle?
Posted By: LukeJavan8 Re: Portmanteaux - 12/06/08 01:21 AM
The Catholic Church has patron saints for almost everything, and
considering the status of world affairs in many minds, a little heavenly help would be of great advantage. At any rate St. Emerich has been a 'secondary patron saint' of the USA because of
Vespucci's first name Amerigo (Italian). This at least gives a
certain credence to the claim zmjezhd makes that America is from
Amerigo. The patron being assigned centuries ago.
Posted By: Faldage Re: Portmanteaux - 12/06/08 02:46 AM
Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8
St. Emerich has been a 'secondary patron saint' of the USA because of Vespucci's first name Amerigo (Italian). This at least gives a certain credence to the claim zmjezhd makes that America is from Amerigo. The patron being assigned centuries ago.


Not that it needs any more credence than it already has.
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