The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-27
NAMES OF COUNTRIES.
The Meaning of Some Which Are
Most Commonly Known.

From the Philadelphia Times.
Everybody knows the origin of the
name America, but not so many are aware
that Europe means broadface in Greek;
that Asia is the land of dawn, and that
Africa comes from Phoenician word
meaning a black man, and is literally 1.-THE
land of the blacks" The Latin word aus
trails, southern gives a name to Australia.
The ancients knew only the lands around
the Mediterranean, and for this reason
considered that sea Tin the middle of the
world" The Adriatic is named from the
city of Adria, the black town, which was
so called because 1t was built up on the
black soil brought down by the River Pc.
The origin of the name Canada is un-
known. Mexico comes from nexitl, the
Aztec war god Honduras means deep
water; Costa Rica, rich coast, and Mica
ragua, sweet water. Venezuela, meaning
little Venice, was so named because some
of its people built their houses over the
water as the Nenetians did. When the
Spaniard asked the Indians of part of
Central America the name of their coun-
try, they answered. "Junca tam" C'What
do you say?') and the country was called
Yucatan in consequence. Brazil was so
named because the wood of a certain tree
of that country was thought to resemble
in color the Goals in a brazier. Ecuador
means equator; Argentine, silver; Chile,
the land of snow; Patagonia, the land of
big feet, and Paraguay, the river of wat
ers Only men from bleak northern 'ati-
tudes could have named Greenland and
Labrador, the last meaning land that
might be cultivated.
Britain is a word of uncertain origin.
The name may come from the Celtic bril-
til, painted, applied to the inhabitants, be-
cause they painted their bodies; or from
the Phoenician baratanic, the land of tin,
because the Phoenicians visited Cornwall
for tin. England is Angle-land, the An
giles being one of the Teutonic tribes that
of Scots, or wanderers" Ireland may
derive its name from Ir, Spanish chief,
who invaded the country early In the
Christian era.
The German Franks, who settled among
| the Celtic tribes of Gaul, gave their name
10 France, themselves deriving il from
franca, a kind of spear with which they
were armed. Belgium takes it name from
| the Belgia who possessed one of the three
| pars of IAN Gaur' in Caesars time The
| Suevi, another tribe mentioned by Caesar,
| gave their name to Sweden. Holland
means marsh ground. and nearly the same
| meaning is preserved in the present name
OF the country-Netherlands the under
| lands. or lowlands. Denmark is plainly
| the march or territory of the Danes.
Austria is Oesterrelch the eastern en-
pire. Prussia Is the land of the Borrusi.
and Russia is the country of the Russ,
\ a Swedish tribe which overran a part of
the land and founded the empire at Now
gorod.
The name Germany is of uncertain orig
1 In. BY some IL is supposed to be derived
| from Dschermania, the name Of a region
| in Central Asia. The Germani, a tribe
| whose name means followers of Bnudd-
! ha," lived in Persia in the days of Hero
] dotuS. Switzerland gets IL name from
/ Schweiz the name of the three cantons
! that first asserted their independence of
! Austria. Spain, Latin Hispania, comes
from the Phoeneclau spahan a rabbit.
| the country IN early times abounding In
| these animals. Portugal is derived by
some from POrtus, Gale. the ancient name
/ Of Oporto; others find In the word portus
Gallae, the gateway OF Gaul. Italy comes
| either from ltalus, an early tribal chief
| of the country, or from the Greek Italus.
young bullock. The Greeks call their
| country Helas, and themselves Hellenes.
but the Romans named the land from the
| Graecil, tribe of Epirus
Turkey means tributary people: Persia
/ the land OF brightness; Arabia the dis
/ trict OF the desert man; Hindustan, fixed
| dwelling place; Siam. dark land. from the
color OF the soil, and Coylon lions. japan
| Is a corruption Of Zipangu, the name OF
the country as given by Marco Polo the
| Venetian traveller who visited Il IN the
| thirteenth century.
The derivation OF Egypt Is unknown.
Morocco Is the territory Of the Afoors. and
| Barbary that OF the Berbors. soudan
means the district OF the blacks. THE
Desert OF Sahara" Is a needless repetition
| for Sahara means desert. Gibraltar As
the mountain OF Tariff" who, with a sa-
racen army, built a castle on the rock IN
the eighth century. In South Africa,
1ransvaal ~ the country beyond the Vaai
river and Natal owes It's name TO tho fact
that II was discovered on Christmas. Tho
dies natalis OF Christ.