Toponymy is the study of place names (toponyms), their origins, and their meanings, and it can be quite an interesting subject.
There are 195 countries in the world today and they have all sorts of names. But where do these names come from?
The answer to that question is both easy and interesting. What if I told you that there is a country in the world whose name means “unknown southern land”, and another which means “frizzy-haired men”?
Toponymy tells us that basically every country under the sun is named after one of four things: either a feature of the land, or a directional description of the country, or a tribe name, or an important person.
Let’s have a closer look:
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Well, if the origin of the name “Frank” means fierce or brave, we can say that my country has changed as a lot of them are without courage and often no fair! We live in individualist society which likes more and more power and money. Then, there is jealousy and today still wars…
However, France inspired M. Polnareff, a French singer, with this beautiful song starting as this:
“Once upon a time
You and me
Never forget it
You and me.”
But listen to it if you like.
…and often unfair!
We live in an individualist society…
…like this:
An individualistic society
Fortunately, there are a lot of interesting facts about history of France: women’s suffrage, abolition of death penalty, the first of may, our crisp baguette :-), and not a fact but the incontestable beautiful capital to visit again and again and this expression: “Voir Paris et mourir”, which means that Paris is one of the most beautiful city we must visit before die…
Finally, about the question: “If you could start a country of your own”… I would like to live in “Freedomandlove”. Beautiful country, isn’t it?
…the first of May,our….
…beautiful City we must visit before to die…
one of the most beautiful cities
… before dying