What’s in a Place Name?

A lot, especially if that name happens to be “Whorehouse Meadow,” “Squaw Tit” or, say, “Cripple Brush Creek.” Syracuse University geographer Mark Monmonier takes up the subject of controversial place names in a new book, From Squaw Tit to Whorehouse Meadow: How Maps Name, Claim, and Inflame. In the book, Monmonier writes that “how a nation manipulates and preserves its place and feature names says a lot about its respect for history, minority rights and indigenous culture.” Critic Michael Kenney reviewed the book in today’s Boston Globe and writes that it’s “an entertaining and enlightening excursion.” We’re intrigued.

Related on World Hum: Goodbye “Calcutta,” Hello “Kolkata.” What’s in a Name?

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