The record-union., 1892-12-09
CUR IEE0RMATIoN BUREAU.
Reponses TO Correspondents Seeking
Substantial Information.


For responses to questions of practical
value. Mere puzzles, and the curious and
common, answers to which ought to be found
in the ordinary home library, will receive no
attention. Queries published without re-
sponses are invitations to furnish answers, to
| make this department an information eN-
| change also. Communications must be brief
and signed with name and address,
| EDS. RECORD UNION: Why is America
| so called instead of Columbia? / have
read about it, but it is not clear to me yet.
c. S. NJ, Willows.
! 1t is SO called because of usage that
probably had its source without intent to
name the continent. Americus Vespucius
was contemporaneous with Columbus,
ana, like him, an explorer. When he
publlshed his map of his voyage and the
line Of the continental coasts as he be-
ileved them to be, geographer called the
land America Terra, or Americus' Land.
Ihose who wrote or spoke of it used that
designation, and SO it grew to be spoken
OF as America.
| EDS. RECORD UNION: From what does
the State of Maine take its name?
&. D., Sacramento.
From the Province of Maine in France,
SO called after the Queen OF Charles l.,
henrietta, who was its owner.
| EDS. RECORD UNION: Please tell me
through your paper what is meant by
| ''Iicklenburg." EMMA, Willows.
An old-fashioned fabric of coarse linen,
no longer made. 1t was sent to Ticklen-
hurg Hall, Prussia, to be measured and
inspected; hence the name.
! EDS. RECORD UNION: l wish to know
the origin of the title Captain" Can
you tell me? c.. p. Chico.
1t is from caput, the head or chief, and
thane, a Saxon title of honor. By the
statute Of King Athelstan it was conferred
on any merchant who had three times
crossed the high seas on his own account.
EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN: What gave rise
to the use of the word 'jag'' for a
drunken condition?
SYLVIA, Sacramento.
Jag is from the Gael, g0gaich; Bret,
gGge', to stutter; Bav., gagkeni, to cluck as
hen; Gael, COG, to nod the head, or a
noddIng OF the head. Jag is also Gael,
and IT., cleft, to split. So if one shutters,
mods his head, clucks as a hen, and his
head aches FIT TO split" shall we not say
he has "a jag on" As to the extent of
these manifestations of inebriety to con-
stitute jag. we leave to your imagina-
tlon-we hope not to your experience.
EDS. RECoRD-UN Can you tell me
why in some English books [ find the
Duke Of Wellington referred to as ''Old
Conchy?" Please answer and oblige.
M. G. NJ, Sacramento.
Because of the shape of his nose some
would-be wits so dubbed him.
EDS. RECORD UNION: Am I justified
by good usage in using the word ''antici-
pate" in the sense of expectation?
MINNA L., Wheatland.
| By no means. Yet it is much used in
that way, but not by good writers and
| speakers.
j. F. NJ, Davisville. furnishes this an
swer to the question, ''Why is the nine of
diamonds called the curse of Scotland ?"
After the battle of Culloden the Duke
OF Cumberland's victorious army was
pursuing the defeated Scots; he ordered
an oIhcer to pursue and destroy them.
The order seemed so cruel that the officer
asked for written order. The Duke
looked for paper to write on, but could
not find any. He found a card and wrote
the order on the card; the card was the
nine of diamonds"
Z. D., Sacramento, must observe the
rule and sign his name to the communi-
cation he sends relative to the CITY Free
Library. No answers will be made to
| questions not OiUnD character bo -,