SR - Naming the region

[Jodi McMaster]

At 11:31 AM 8/19/98 PDT, you wrote:
>Salut Cozyns,
>
>Lyonel aisai.
>
>Daniel de says:
>
>>For "Cibola": would someone please check an Ecyclopedia
>>Britannica to see if it's listed?  If it is, it's protected
>>from conflict and so we couldn't register it.
>
>Sorry, gang.  Here's what the Online Britannica has:
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>Spanish LAS SIETE CIUDADES DORADAS DE CMBOLA, l
>
>It's also a county in New Mexico.
>
>So, I guess Cibola is out.
>

Is it?  It doesn't seem to take much to get a difference for names--and the
more common usage in the US is "the lost cities of Gold" or "El Dorado"
etc. rather than just "Cibola."  If the entry is the full Spanish version,
there might be weasel room for those who really like the name--Daniel?.  I
would suggest, though, that if you want it to be "new" Cibola, go with the
Spanish "Nueva Cibola."  Or (shameless plug for the old hometown) "San
Alamo de Nueva Cibola." (just kidding; I know that's a no-no)


Part of the problem with period naming practices is that places were often
named for tribes, peoples, gods, saints or famous individuals.  The first
two don't fit our situations, the second two are problematic/prohibited and
the last would seem to be a bucket of worms.  So the remaining practice
that would seem to fit is that which reflects geographic features.


"Tierra del Calor" seems appropriate after this summer--"Tierra del Fuego"
is a good model; "Cuestas de Cedros" "slopes of cedars" (and any other
allergen you care to name) could work.  It **appears** that in Spain there
are some placenames that are just nouns: Leon (lion), Castile (castle), La
Mancha (the stain/spot).  There was probably some connection to a
well-known story or some such explanation--we can delve into this further
if someone has a particular name they'd like to justify.  "Fortaleza" is
"fortress"--that would seem to be in the same class as "castle." 

Babbling on,

AElfwyn
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