What a coincidence that Canada has a total of 13 Provinces/Territories to coincide with my Thursday Thirteen Meme!
Thursday Thirteen
Provincial & Territorial Name Origins
Provincial & Territorial Name Origins
- Alberta -named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria
- British Columbia - chosen by Queen Victoria, the name was proclaimed in 1858. Columbia refers to the Columbia River named by American Captain Robert Gray for his ship columbia.
- Manitoba - probably comes from the Ojibwa word "manito-bah" meaning "strait of spirit" in reference to The Narrows of Lake Manitoba. The roaring noise of pebbles on a beach on Manitoba Island in Lake Manitoba was the source of an Indian superstition that a "manito" or spirit was beating a drum.
- New Brunswick - named after the British Royal House of Brunswick.
- Newfoundland & Labrador - John Cabot first used the term "new found isle" in 1497. The name Labrador is from the Portuguese word "lavrador" or small land-holder, and is probably attributable to Joao Fernandes, a Portuguese explorer. The term was first applied to a section of the coast of Greenland. In 2001, an amendment to the Terms of Union officially approved a name change from the province of Newfoundland to the province of Newfoundland & Labrador.
- Nova Scotia - means new Scotland.
- Northwest Territories - this one speaks for itself
- Nunavut - means, in Inuktitut, "our land."
- Ontario - Iroquois word meaning beautiful lake or beautiful water and was first used for Lake Ontario.
- Prince Edward Island - named after Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathern, the father of Queen Victoria
- Quebec - comes from the Algonquin word meaning narrow passage or strait. It originally referred to the area of Quebec City and the narrowing of the river at Cape Diamond.
- Saskatchewan - comes from the Cree, who called the Saskatchewan River "kisiskatchewani sipi", meaning swiftly flowing river.
- Yukon - from the Locheux native word "yuk-un-ah" which means great river. It refers to the Yukon River which flows across the Yukon Territory into Alaska.
27 comments:
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing. I find post like this very enjoyable.
My T13 is up too.
I thought it was just a ti-i-iny bit snarky, creating a province largely for Natives...that's stuck so far north. It's about as pleasant a spot as the Badlands (where America stuck many reservations.)
A friend taught me a good way to remember the name of the newest province: All of it, Some of it, None of it (Nunavut). Which kind of tags back to the whole "stuffed up above the Arctic circle" thing...
Laughing Muse - I have to agree...
Thank you for the lesson. I had forgotten a lot of this.
Wow, great info! I grew up on the US shore of Lake Ontario and I knew none of this (not even the origin of "Ontario"). Thanks!
Oh I love hearing the sources of our native words and their meanings...wonderful!
wow, I've learned a lot this week and am so excited from reading your posts and studies for test the nation. Do you all think you can tape the episode for me? I would LOVE LOVE to see it!!!! I am so excited for you and Amy and Christine.
Best of fun and luck.
I finally did it...a SHORT Tt list this week of male rock singers...
http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/2007/03/best-male-rock-singers.html
Cheers,
Candy
Very interesting list! I love ethymology, the origin of words.
Thanks for visiting my handbag TT!
Excellent post! Very informative. Canada is certainly a vast and diverse nation, and I hope to visit some day.
It's about time us Americans learned more about Canada. Thanks, Wylie!
One of my life goals is to spend some serious time crossing Canada by train. I'm not even sure they still run it anymore, but I'd love to. xs
We live south of winterpeg.
Terrific Thursday Thirteen!
Thank you for your visit.
Have a wonderful day!
Happy TT'ing!
*^_^
(=':'=)
(")_ (")Š
Raggedy
So many places to visit!
Interesting! I wouldn't want to begin to try one for all 50 states! ack
I grew up in North Dakota (went into Canada to drink when I turned 18, lolol) so some of this was familiar, but not most of it!
Hey, I learned something while blog hopping! Valuable info to use while watching Jeopardy ;-)
Great list, only two more days? Silent Screams and Paces of Asses anyone. Ok that's getting really old.
Are you sure you want to sit next to me?
I wanna go to Nova Scotia.
Hey, what's the test the nation thing?
I think they did just plan it for you!
Great list, I was always curious about Saskatchewan and Manitoba, well because I am a dork.
I have never even heard of nunuvit
It's funny how we don't really stop to think about where these names come from. Thanks for posting! Now I just have to remember them for Saturday. :)
Thanks for doing the research on all this! Very cool idea!
Happy T13!
Great List - nice to know where they originated. Good Luck on Saturday
LOL Gotta love Canadian Trivia.
Nice 13.
Aline
Interesting info! Thanks for sharing! :)
cool list. i love the etymology of words and names. i lived on the Columbia river in Washington state growing up so I knew that one. I visited Saskatchewant twice--age eleven and nineteen as one of our affiliated churches was in Rockglen. but i don't remember learning where it got its name.
my TT #24 is continued from last week:
http://joystory.blogspot.com/2007/03/thursday-thirteen-24.html
13 more research projects impacted by the impending library closure.
Also I posted an explanation of the closure last weekend. Sort of.
Three weeks plus one day. Somebody stop the clock pleeease...
I am always PROUD when I read Canadian content.
My post is up too: all about chickens, art and life.
Have a great weekend.
What at great T13 this week. I always love learning new stuff about home - and I've called so many of these provinces home over the years...
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