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Re: Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Tropez
in reply to a message by Swiff
The name Nazaire is the French form of the Latin name Nazareus, from the Ancient Greek name Nazarios. It means "from Nazareth". In Italian and Spanish it is Nazario, in Catalan is Nazari, in Romanian Nazarie. Saint-Tropez, as a toponym, seems to be an archaic deformation of the name of a Saint called "Caius Silvius Torpetius". Other forms of this name (in Latin, French and Italian) are Torpetius, Tropesius, Torpès, Tropez, Torpete, Torpè, Torpes, Torpezio, Tropezio. It's not uncommon for a toponym to have an ancient, regional, deformed, alternative, mistaken name of a Saint. There is an Abbey in Füssen dedicated to "Saint Mang" (Saint Magnus). Sankt Pölten, a city in Austria, is derived from Saint Hippolytus. "San Rossore" (literally "Saint Blush"), a place in Italy, is in reality dedicated to San Lussorio (Saint Luxorius).
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Saint-Mammès?I stayed in a little town in France called Saint-Mammès (pronounced mah-meh), but have never been able to find out who Mammès may have been. Do you know if it's a deformation or what?
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Well, Mammès seems to be the official (non altered) French name of an obscure Greek Saint [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Mamm%C3%A8s_%28martyr%29].
His name should mean "one who has been breastfed", but its etymology is uncertain.
Other names (from Wikipedia):
Catalan- Mamet, Mamès, Mamas
English- Mammes, Mamas, Mammas, Mammet.
German- Mamas, Mammas.
Greek- Μάμας, Μάμαντος
Italian- Mamante, Mamete, Mamas.
Portuguese- Mamede
Spanish- Mamés.
Russian/Ukrainian- Мамант
P.S.: Just for fun, there is a place in Italy called "San Mango sul Calore". It means literally "Saint Mango on the heat"...
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Thank you!
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