LittleSister
Well-known member
The USA's, er, government has recently declarated (sic) that the Gulf of Mexico should henceforth be known as the Gulf of America.
Ignoring the politics and practicalities of this, it does highlight the opportunity to free ourselves of some of the maritime names cruelly forced on us by custom and tradition, in favour of those that better add to the gaiety of nations or tweak the noses of some group or other.
(There is, of course, precedent for this. The North Sea was previously known to Brits as the German Sea (and even German Ocean) until that suddenly fell out of favour for some reason in the early 20th Century, other names have inevitably changed over millennia, and particular ones became standardised with the advent of printed maps and documents. The French still stubbornly persist in calling 'La Manche' what is rightfully the English Channel, etc.)
So what areas or features do you propose might benefit from renaming? Perhaps you already have your own pet names for some?
Are there any takers, or better ideas, for my own suggestions? -
Atlantic >>> The British Ocean
Thames Estuary >>> The Slough of Despond
Solent >>> The M25
French Riviera/Cote d'Azur >>> The Moneybags Coast
Great Yarmouth >>> Not-So-Great Yarmouth
Western Approaches >>> Eastern Goings
Dover Straits >>> The Moat of England
Studland >>> Seahorse End
Ignoring the politics and practicalities of this, it does highlight the opportunity to free ourselves of some of the maritime names cruelly forced on us by custom and tradition, in favour of those that better add to the gaiety of nations or tweak the noses of some group or other.
(There is, of course, precedent for this. The North Sea was previously known to Brits as the German Sea (and even German Ocean) until that suddenly fell out of favour for some reason in the early 20th Century, other names have inevitably changed over millennia, and particular ones became standardised with the advent of printed maps and documents. The French still stubbornly persist in calling 'La Manche' what is rightfully the English Channel, etc.)
So what areas or features do you propose might benefit from renaming? Perhaps you already have your own pet names for some?
Are there any takers, or better ideas, for my own suggestions? -
Atlantic >>> The British Ocean
Thames Estuary >>> The Slough of Despond
Solent >>> The M25
French Riviera/Cote d'Azur >>> The Moneybags Coast
Great Yarmouth >>> Not-So-Great Yarmouth
Western Approaches >>> Eastern Goings
Dover Straits >>> The Moat of England
Studland >>> Seahorse End
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