Things unexpectedly named after people (2020)

Post by carlob » Thu, Feb 22, 2024, 10:53 AM UTC

Kwpolska wrote: post #161

yau8edq12i wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny enough, the French word for a garbage can is also named after someone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Poubelle the prefect who made the use of garbage containers mandatory in Paris.

Continuing with the trend, the Polish word for outhouse is sławojka , named after Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski, a prime minister who is responsible for making them mandatory in the countryside in the 1920s, and apparently touring the country to check how sanitary they are. https://pl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C5%82awojka

Post by carlob » Thu, Feb 22, 2024, 11:01 AM UTC

BerislavLopac wrote: post #196

A few more examples: King Street in Hammersmith, London, was named after John King, Bishop of London in 17th century. [0] Neanderthals were named after Joachim Neumann, a 17th century clergyman and composer who Latinised his surname to Neander (both literally meaning "new man"). He particularly loved a certain valley near Düsseldorf, so much in fact that it was renamed "Neandert(h)al" after him. [1] Sideburns, a once…

Post by pantulis » Thu, Feb 22, 2024, 11:07 AM UTC

unwind wrote: post #189

Rygian wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the relationship between the word "toro" (bull in Spanish) and lawnmowers?

This site [1] claims to be a Spanish dictionary and it doesn't agree, it claims the word is "la cortadora de césped". I guess it's possible that the word has become a generic trademark [2] like Kleenex, since of course (?) Toro [3] is a brand of lawnmowers and other equipment. Edit: switching Toro's site to Spanish [4] shows that they at least use the term consistent with [1], which seems to add credibility. :) [1]:…

Post by shahar2k » Thu, Feb 22, 2024, 11:24 AM UTC

Sniffnoy wrote: post #206

I think one of the most unexpected words in English to be named for a person is "guy"! From Guy Fawkes. The word went from meaning an effigy of Fawkes, to any doll, to a person.

Post by arnorhs » Thu, Feb 22, 2024, 11:29 AM UTC

lb1lf wrote: post #165

saithound wrote: post #62

The generic Hungarian word for trash cans, 'kuka', unexpectedly originates from the names of German industrialists Johann Josef Keller and Jakob Knappich. The story is quite involved, to the extent that one would be tempted to dismiss it as a folk etymology, if it wasn't ridiculously well-attested. Keller and Knappich founded an acetylene factory in Augsburg, Bavaria in 1898. They named it Keller und Knappich Augsbur…

Incidentally, 'kuk' is a Norwegian word, a somewhat pejorative synonym for 'penis', but almost as versatile as the four-letter word - it can be used as an adjective, a verb, an adverb, a noun etc. Saying that 'something is kuka/kuket' means it is messed up beyond repair. Even as I approach my fifties, I have to stifle a chuckle every time I see a KUKA robot. Kids never really grow up, I guess. As for things named aft…