Translate el Lugar
July 12th, 2007 Posted in Cheap Latin America Travel, Destination reports, General
I think it was when I saw a TV show telling me that Ecuador means “equator” that I realized I am a total idiot in terms of knowing what place names I’ve heard my whole life are in Spanish. I may be well-traveled and I like to think I’m worldly-wise and well-read. Nevertheless, like most people with my mind on something else, I just hear a place name and don’t think twice about what it means. It is what it is.
So here’s a rundown for anyone who would like to feel less ignorant than I am. The funny thing is, learn these and you’ll probably know more than the people who actually live there. I’d love to see a survey of San Franciscans or people from Boca Raton on how their home city translates. I would be pleasantly surprised if over 50 percent had it pegged.
San ___ – Saint whoever. San Fransisco is St. Francis, San Jose is St. Joseph, etc.
Santa ___ – Holy something. Santa Fe is “holy faith.” (Where are the megachurches?)
Los ___ – The whatever, plural. So Los Angeles really is “the angels” and Las Vegas is “the fertile plains.” Well, a great number of babies have been conceived there anyway. Los Cabos is “the ropes,” from the fishing past I guess.
Rio ___ – The River something.
Boca ___ – Mouth something. So Boca Raton basically translates to “rat’s mouth.” Nice. Something tells me you couldn’t get a million dollars for a house in the “Rat’s Mouth” subdivision if you really spelled it out.
Puerto ___ – Port of somewhere. So Puerto Progreso is “port of progress.”
And that lovely town of Salinas, California? “Salt Mines.”
If you’ve had your own personal Espanol “Duh!” revelation, put it in the comments so the rest of us will be less clueless.
3 Responses to “Translate el Lugar”
By Mike on Jul 12, 2007
One of my new obsessions is the “Washington State Place Names” book (I’m from Washington) because it explains the history and etymology behind Seattle, Pe Ell, Index and Ilwaco, among other cities & towns. I’m sure there’s a place-names book for every state… probably not every country, though.
By Darrin on Jul 13, 2007
Panama has some goodies. The ever-popular Bocas del Toro translates to “Mouths of the Bull.” That’s right, not just one mouth.
Arraijan is a town outside Panama City which got its name when Panamanians asked the US servicemen from the Canal Zone how to get to place X (X must have been the old name). The Americans answered “On the right hand side,” which was Spanish-ized into “Arraijan.” Bingo.
Also near Panama City is Cerro Patacon. Patacon can either mean “coin” or, in more modern use, a fried plantain disc. Too bad that Cerro Patacon is a landfill. Still hungry?
By estan on Jul 17, 2007
Santa also refers to female saints like Santa Lucia.