Off the Map: The Curious Histories of Place-namesThis amusing, fact-filled book recharts geography--from Ptolemy to the break-up of Yugoslavia--through the eyes of intrepid seafarers, arrogant imperialists, feuding neighbors, gullible map-makers, and bumbling tourists. 50 maps. |
Contents
WHEN ETHNIC CULTURAL AND POLITICAL | 19 |
THE WAR BETWEEN DISTORTION AND ACCURACY | 35 |
WHY SOME NAMES SEEM TO MISS THE TARGET | 69 |
Copyright | |
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Africa alphabet Amerigo Vespucci ancient appears Arab Arabia Asia Atlantic Atlas became Belize Benin boundaries British called Cape cartographer chart China Chinese coast collections colonial Columbus continent country's Desert Dictionary Dutch early east eastern Empire England English ethnic Europe European explorers French Geographic Names German globe Greek Greenland Guinea Gulf independence India island ISLES King labeled land language later Latin Library of Congress linguistic map shows mapmakers Mare meaning medieval Mountains Myanmar National Geographic native navigator North northwest Ocean official original percent Permanent Mission Pinyin place-names political Portugal Portuguese Prester Prester John pronunciation province Ptolemy Ptolemy's reference region renamed Reproduced Republic River Roman Roman alphabet Russian sailed Saint Brendan South America southern Soviet Spain Spanish spelling Spice Islands strait Terra Terre territory trade Treaty of Sèvres tribe United Nations Vespucci voyage Wade-Giles West western word world map York