LL-L "Names" 2005.10.21 (01) [E]

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21 October 2005 * Volume 01
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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Names" 2005.10.20 (02) [E]


  This also goes for rivers, mountains, etc., especially those that have 
much
  spiritual or other types of meaning in the area, such as Mount Chomolangma
  which came to be named Mount Everest despite such knowledge.


  Regards,
  Reinhard/Ron

  Ron,

  While I generally agree regarding indigenous names, the story of Everest 
is rather different.  In fact Chomolongma was never applied to Everest, it 
was a general name for the range. In the 19th Century the Everest region was 
so remote and uninhabited, the mountain had no name.  It was actually 
visible from the nearest settlement, but due to perspective it was an 
unimpresive little thing, barely noticeable.

  The British India Survey had a strict policy of indigenous names if at all 
possible; if two ethnic groups had a name for the same feature, they used 
both on maps, in alphabetical order.  This policy was instigated by...George 
Everest!

  When "Peak 12" was discovered to be the worlds highest point, they looked 
for a local name, and Chomolongma was considered, but as it already had 
another application, and wasn't the in the language of the nearest people, 
it was rejected.  They finally decided to name it after the man who had done 
so much for both surveying, and native place names.  Note that all the other 
peaks in the group (Lhotse, Anapurna, Nanga Parbat etc.) have native names, 
and the same goes for nearly all Himalayan mountains.  The second highest 
mountain, K2 in the Karakorum range, is sometimes informally called 
Godwin-Austin; it lacks a native name for same reason Everest did - nobody 
had given it one.

  Just as an aside: Everest has recently been re-surveyed, and it comes out 
nearly 4m lower than previously thought!

  Paul

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Names

Paul,

Thanks loads for sharing all that fascinating information!  Much 
appreciated.*

Have a great weekend!*

Reinhard/Ron

* I just realized how very American all this "sounds" ...  ;-)  My two 
stars-and-stripes decades and a bit are taking their toll.  Just as well I 
recently turned "legit." 

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