Ask-A-Linguist Message Details
| Subject: | Geographic naming conventions |
|---|---|
| Question: |
Why does the lake come before in Lake Tahoe, but after in Eagle Lake? Are there any rules or conventions that govern this and similar situations? |
| Reply: |
A really good questions!! If I had to guess, I'd say that if the name is in some way descriptive, Lake comes second, but if it's named after someone or something, like an Indian tribe, it comes first. Examples: Third Lake, Lake Minnetonka, Cedar Lake, Lake Geneva, Lake Louise But there are counterexamples, e.g., Honeoye Lake, Keuka Lake (maybe the Finger Lakes are a general exception?), Lake Placid. |
| Reply From: | Susan Fischer click here to access email |
| Date: | 24-Sep-2012 |
