Re: Language

[Francine Bernier <f_bernier@videotron.ca>]

Title: Re: Language

on 21/01/01 14:04, Niven Sinclair at niven@niven.co.uk wrote:

> At 01:15 19/01/01 +0000, you wrote:
> > Hi Niven
> > Dose that mean Cymric is now a lost language?
> > All the best 
> > Kermit
>
> Yes, except where it exists in place-names.
>
> I have always found the study of place-names to be exciting because they
> tell us something about the 'history' of the area.  For example, in my 30
> years in Africa, the first thing I would do is to find out the meaning of a
> place name e.g.
>
>                         Nairobi                 =       river of black water
>                         Nanyuki =       river of red water
>
> The 'na' prefix told me that it was derived from the Masai language whereas:
>
>                         Lulindi         =       place of deep water
>                         Kilindini               =       the village in the place of the seep water
>                         Malindi         =       the town in the place of the deep water
>
> Quite simply, every name and place-name has a meaning which, when known, can add immeasurably to our
> knowledge.
>
> Niven Sinclair

Dear Niven, jambo sana! 
It's a small world: I lived in Mombasa, Kenya in 1981-82 with my husband (on a World Bank project, two 735 KV hydro powerlines, one that goes through Tsavo Park, the other from Muhoroni, Lake Victoria to Nairobi). 
As for names, they sometimes tell a side of history, for instance, you can guess just how Catholic early Canada was with nearly all the villages, schools, hospitals and streets named after saints... 

Francine