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We All Need a Break [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-02-12
Well, since there is nothing more important for Congress to do, MTG has proposed legislation to make English the official language of the United States. (Oh, and defund USAID.) In the spirit of cooperation (and in tribute to Mollie Ivins) I have done Ms. Greene’s homework for her. (Surely not the first time she’s benefitted in this way.) It appears that forty states have some tough choices to make.
Alabama the traditional story is that "Alabama" comes from the native American Creek language (meaning "tribal town"). Other sources claim it is derived from the Choctaw language, translating as "thicket-clearers" or "vegetation-gatherers." Alaska “The Mainland” Aleut
Arizona “silver-bearing" or "place of the small spring." Apache
California The name California originates from the Spanish conquistadors, after Califia, a mythical island paradise.
Colorado “colored” Spanish
Connecticut “beside the long tidal river” Algonquin
Delaware named for Sir Thomas West (Lord De La Warr), the first governor of the English colony, although it sounds kind of French to me.
Florida “flowery” Spanish
Georgia named for King George II
Hawaii “homeland” Hawaiian
Idaho is a word invented by Mining lobbyist George M. Willing. Does that make it English?
Illinois "Illiniwek," which is the tribal name of the Illini tribe. Literally, the name means "best people."
Indiana “Land of the Indians"
Iowa named for the the
native American Iowas (or Ioways), a Sioux tribe.
Kansas “People of the Southwind” Kansa
Kentucky “meanings, including the Iroquois word "ken-tah-ten," which means land of tomorrow.
Other possible meanings for the name Kentucky:
meadow lands, cane and turkey lands, or dark and bloody ground. Let’s put this one to a referendum.
Louisiana named for French king Louis XIV. French? French!
Maine is probably a practical nautical term which refers to the region being a mainland (separate from the many surrounding islands).
Maryland is named for Queen Henrietta Maria of England.
Massachusetts "at or about the great hill.” Algonquian
Michigan “great water," Chippewa
Minnesota “cloudy water" or "sky-tinted water." Dakota
Mississippi “Great River." Anishinaabe (Ojibwe or Algonquin)
Missouri “wooden canoe people, he of the big canoe, or river of the big canoes.” Dakota Obviously another candidate for a referendum.
Montana “mountain” Spanish
Nebraska “flat water” Oto
Nevada "covered in snow" or "snow-capped" Spanish
Almost all the “New” states get a pass having been named for English locales, except for the problematic New Mexico,
“place of Mexitli" (an Aztec god)
The Carolinas were named for King Charles I.
The Dakotas for the Sioux peoples who lived there.
Ohio “The good River” Iroquois
Oklahoma “Red People” Choctaw
Oregon from the Oregon river, native people not specified.
Pennsylvania “Penn’s Woodlands” Latin, sort of.
Rhode Island "red island" (because its red clay is similar to the Greek island of Rhodes) Greek, via a Dutchman and an Italian.
Tennessee “Land of the Tennessee,” Cherokee
Texas “friends or allies” Caddo.
Utah "people of the mountains” Apache
Vermont “green mountain” French. French! Again!
Virginia “virgin” named for Queen Elizabeth I of England. Ditto West Virginia. It becomes West Virgin.
Washington named for George Washington. We’ll give him a pass. It’s the least we can do after what our current president is doing to George’s legacy.
Wyoming “alternating mountains and valleys,” likely from a Delaware word.
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