50 "weird" U.S. place names

[Laurence Horn]

On Jan 19, 2014, at 1:14 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

>> I don't see these names as "weird" but rather merely unusual.
>
> But that's what "weird" has meant in the _vox populi_ for longer than I can
> remember. Cf. the current journalistic denaturing of "eerie."
>
> Many will remember "Weird Harold."  Long before that people would say
> "That's weird" when all they meant was "Hmmm. That's funny [peculiar]."
>
> From the vault:
>
> 1915 _Scribner's_ (Jan.) 118: "She used to be a newspaper cartoonist."
> "That's weird enough, for a beginning. How'd she ever strike that work?"
>
> JL

So "Get a load of those weird sisters" doesn't necessarily refer to witches, just quirky women into veganism and ice sculpture.

LH
>
>
> On Sun, Jan 19, 2014 at 12:06 PM, Cohen, Gerald Leonard <gcohen at mst.edu>wrote:
>
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>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Cohen, Gerald Leonard" <gcohen at MST.EDU>
>> Subject:      Re: 50 "weird" U.S. place names
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> And don't forget Toad Suck, Arkansas, plus several towns in Missouri
>> "Peculiar," "Tightwad", "Barely Do", "Clever," etc. Btw, I don't see these
>> names as "weird" but rather merely unusual.
>>
>> Also, btw, about 35 years ago the police chief in Clever was arrested for
>> something, and the headline for the story in my local newspaper said:
>> "Clever Police Chief Arrested."  Maybe I was the only one who noticed this,
>> but I couldn't help thinking: "If he was so clever, what was he doing
>> getting arrested?"
>>
>> Gerald Cohen
>> Rolla, Missouri
>>
>> ________________________________________
>> Jonathan Lighter wrote, January 19, 2014 10:50 AM:
>>
>> <snip>
>> And where on the list is Hog Eye, Arkansas?
>>
>> JL
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Jan 19, 2014 at 11:41 AM, Jonathan Lighter
>> <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
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>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
>>> Subject:      Re: 50 "weird" U.S. place names
>>>
>>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> That's my guess, but I don't see the joke either.
>>>
>>> But remember, these journalists spell "butt" with an E.
>>>
>>> Maybe they're French.
>>>
>>> JL
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, Jan 19, 2014 at 11:28 AM, Spanbock/Svoboda-Spanbock <
>>> spanbocks at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>
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>>>> Poster:       Spanbock/Svoboda-Spanbock <spanbocks at VERIZON.NET>
>>>> Subject:      Re: 50 "weird" U.S. place names
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> I guess because neighborhoods that are called 'Little' are called that
>>>> because they derive their character from another place that is a large
>>> and
>>>> established cultural center? Here in L.A., we have Little Tokyo (but we
>>>> also have the less known Little Osaka.) In Miami, they have Little
>>> Havana.
>>>>
>>>> On Jan 18, 2014, at 10:33 PM, Mark Mandel wrote:
>>>>
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>>>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>>>> Poster:       Mark Mandel <thnidu at GMAIL.COM>
>>>>> Subject:      Re: 50 "weird" U.S. place names
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>> I must be missing something. What's funny about Little Compton? (I
>> know
>>>>> it'll hit me as soon as I hit SEND.)
>>>>>
>>>>> Mark
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, Jan 14, 2014 at 5:12 PM, Jonathan Lighter <
>>>> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>> http://screen.yahoo.com/buzzfeed/50-weirdest-city-names-50-221140519.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Observe how some people seem to think "butt" is spelled with a B.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> JL
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
>>>> truth."
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>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
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