WHAT'S IN A NAME?: Our Capital Cities

Pisanu blogging from
Kuala Lumpur
13 - 23 Sept 2007
Cuti-cuti Malaysia!


Yangon is a combination of the two words ''yan'' (enemies) and ''koun'' (run out of). It is also translated as "end of strife". "Rangoon" most likely comes from the British corruption of the pronunciation of "Yangon". The new capital, Naypyidaw means "Royal Palace/City", but is also translated as "abode of kings". The capital's official name was announced in March 2006.

"Bandar” is a Persian word for "port" or "haven" and it also means "town" in Malay. “Begawan” is a name given to Bruneian royalty who have abdicated. Sir Omar Ali Saifuddin – Sultan Bolkiah’s father abdicated in favor of his son in 1967. The Sultan renamed the city to Bandar Seri Begawan in honor of his father in October 1970. Its original name was Bandar Brunei.

Manila got its name from “may Nilad” -- Tagalog for "there is Nilad". A Nilad is a mangrove plant that grows along the bay where the city is located. Maynilad was a Muslim settlement before the Spanish came and made it as the colonial center to control the whole of the Philippines. Maynilad eventually became "Maynila" through the centuries and the Americans corrupted the word to “Manila”.

Singapore came from the Malay words “singa” (lion) and “pura” (city). According to legend, the name was given by a Malay prince from Sumatra in the 1300s. It is said that when the prince landed on the shores of the island after a thunderstorm – he spotted what he believed to be a lion. Experts believe that what the prince had actually seen was, more likely, a tiger.

Hanoi had many names through history. When Vietnam was dominated by Chinese empires, the city was named Tống Bình, Long Đỗ, and Đại La. The Nguyen Dynasty renamed it Hà Nội which means “Between Rivers” or “River Interior”.

The pioneers of Kuala Lumpur are Chinese tin miners employed by the Malay Chief of Klang. They were sent up river to open new tin mines and set camp on the muddy bank where the rivers of Klang and Gombak meet. “Kuala” means the point where 2 rivers meet and “Lumpur” means muddy. The original spot where the pioneers flourished is where the Jamek Mosque stands today.

Phnom Penh was named after a Buddhist temple on top of a hill called Wat Phnom Daun Penh in the 1300s. The temple was in turn, named after a wealthy old widow Daun Penh or Grandma Penh.

Jakarta is known as Sunda Kelapa before the arrival of the Europeans. It is the center of the Kingdom of Sunda. The city fell to Muslim conquerors in 1557 and changed the name to “Jayakarta”, which means "Great Accomplishment" or "Complete Victory". The Dutch changed it to Batavia until 1942 and the Japanese changed it again to Jakarta based on the original name.

Vientiane came from the native Lao word “Viangchang” which means “City of the Moon”. “Viangchang” is also believed to have come from the Pāli language meaning "The king's grove of sandalwood". The French changed the spelling to "Vientiane" because they have difficulty in pronouncing the “ch” part of the Lao word – as they did to the spelling of Laos.

It is believed that Bangkok’s name came from 2 sources: [1] “Bang” (town or village on a riverbank) and “Makok” (a kind of fruit bearing plant), [2] “Bang” and “Koh” (island). The island is in reference to the area’s landscape where islands are formed by rivers and canals.

The official name of Bangkok is listed on the Guinness Book of Records as the longest place name in the world. It is a requirement for local school kids to memorize and recite our city’s official name:
*in one breath, if possible*

Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit

We only use the first 2 words *for obvious reasons* -- “Krung Thep”. Which simply means the “City of Angels”. *now, if you'll excuse me, I have to practice my harp*


****



You liked this post? - Subscribe to BISEAN