"No pork on my fork"

[Dennis R. Preston]

I deal with these myths in my "Place Name Legends in Southern
Indiana," published in Indiana Names (or maybe Midwest Folklore, both
defunct I thinkn) back in the 12tyh or 13th Century. The Narbonne
"story" seems well-documented, at least as well-documented as what we
take for pretty sure etymologies (which, in another arena, could be
called the "legends of the educated").

dInIs

PS: I did have the title and century wrong. Here it is:
l973 Southern Indiana place-name legends as reflections of folk
history. Indiana Names 4,2:51-61.


>>And back then I objected to the Chili nomination, countering with
>>southern Indiana's Gnaw Bone (derived from the French Narbonne).
>>Still the winner in my opinion since more than pronunciation is
>>involved.
>>
>>dInIs
>
>Well, yours certainly does win the Picketwire Memorial Award for
>creativity, whipping up on Chili > Chai-lai.  I'd even toast it with
>a prize-winning Gnaw Bone Pale Ale, only they don't seem to be
>carried in Connecticut.  BUT (a big but):  Are we really sure this
>isn't an etymythological creation story?  According to at least one
>site, http://www.southernin.com/Pages/archives/march_01/names.html,
>the Narbonne version is one of several on the market.  Note the
>reference to "an educated guess, or perhaps legend of the
>educated"--sounds a lot like etymythology to me, if Ms. Willis can be
>trusted.  Y'unnastand I'm not saying, I'm just saying...
>
>Larry
>===========
>
>
>Wanda Willis is a Hoosier Folklorist and Historian who contributes to
>SouthernIN.com and also makes regular appearances at the Indianapolis
>Public Library System.
>
>What's in A Name?
>By Wanda L. Willis
>
>There are narratives explaining the origin for most of the unusual
>names. These intriguing accounts are legends often believed and may
>or may not be based in fact. If there'd been some truth in the
>beginning, through years of retelling today they're more legend than
>fact.
>
>Let's begin exploring a few of these Hoosier place names. If you're
>curious about your own home place please send a query to the editors
>and I will try to give you an answer.
>
>There are several legends surrounding Brown County villages. One
>story about Gnaw Bone states the Hawkins family had built a store and
>sawmill there. When one man asked another if he had seen Hawkins, the
>latter replied, "I seed him settin' on a log above the sawmill
>gnawin' a bone." An educated guess, or perhaps legend of the
>educated, is that French settlers named the town for a French city,
>Narbonne. Through time it became pronounced and spelled Gnaw Bone.
>
>Peoga [pee-O-guh] (Brown) also has an interesting story. The origin
>of the name is uncertain, but some villagers claim it's a Native
>American word for "village." According to local legend, however, the
>name comes from a holler a farmer used every morning to call his hogs.
>
>Doc Jesse Isaacs was acting postmaster in the Jackson County
>community of Surprise and is supposedly responsible for its name. As
>the story goes he expressed his surprise that the village got a
>railroad through it and a post office - hence, the name.
>...


--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African Languages
A-740 Wells Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 432-3099
Fax: (517) 432-2736
preston at msu.edu