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ArchivesRe: Pagan alert!
in reply to a message by Phyllis
Some of these foreign names supposedly came from linguistic misunderstandings.
"Llama", for example. It's said an early Spaniard pointed to a llama and asked a Quechua Indian, "what's that called?" In Spanish, "called" would be "llamas", and that's the word the Indian repeated back. The Spaniard (not too bright, apparently) assumed it to be the animal's name.
Similarly with "kangaroo". This may have been an Aboriginal word for "I don't understand you", in reply to a similar question.
"Llama", for example. It's said an early Spaniard pointed to a llama and asked a Quechua Indian, "what's that called?" In Spanish, "called" would be "llamas", and that's the word the Indian repeated back. The Spaniard (not too bright, apparently) assumed it to be the animal's name.
Similarly with "kangaroo". This may have been an Aboriginal word for "I don't understand you", in reply to a similar question.
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The Nootka, a native tribe of western Canada, were named by Captain Cook who thought they were introducing themselves when in fact they were telling him to go away.
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