What makes a place so memorable that it survives forever in a word? In this captivating round-the-world tour, Paul Anthony Jones acts as your guide through the intriguing stories of how eighty places became immortalized in the English language. You’ll discover why the origins of turkeys, limericks, Brazil nuts, and Panama hats aren’t quite as straightforward as you might presume. If you’ve never heard of the tiny Czech mining town of Jáchymov—or Joachimsthal, as it was known until the late 1800s—you’re not alone, which makes its claim to fame as the origin of the word “dollar” all the more extraordinary. The story of how the Great Dane isn’t all that Danish makes the list, as does the Jordanian mountain whose name has become a byword for a tantalizing glimpse. We’ll also find out what the Philippines has given to your office inbox, what Alaska has given to your liquor cabinet, and how a speech given by a bumbling North Carolinian gave us a word for impenetrable nonsense. Surprising, entertaining, and illuminating, this is essential reading for armchair travelers and word nerds. Our dictionaries are full of hidden histories, tales, and adventures from all over the world—if you know where to look.  

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1. London, UK Kent Street ejectment 2. Vire, France vaudeville 3. Saverne, France zabernism 4. Spa, Belgium spa 5. Neander Valley, Germany Neanderthal 6. Amsterdam, Netherlands ampster 7. Copenhagen, Denmark Great Dane 8. Oslo, Norway Oslo breakfast 9. Ytterby, Sweden yttrium 10. Helsinki, Finland Finlandisation 11. Dubna, Russia dubnium 12. Balaklava, Ukraine balaclava 13. Istanbul, Turkey turkey 14. Nicosia, Cyprus copper 15. Abdera, Greece Abderian laughter 16. Sofia, Bulgaria buggery 17. Skopje, Macedonia macédoine 18. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Balkanisation 19. Zagreb, Croatia cravat 20. Kócs, Hungary coach 21. Raków, Poland Racovian 22. Jáchymov, Czech Republic dollar 23. Kahlenbergerdorf, Austria calembour 24. Magenta, Italy magenta 25. Jura Mountains, France/Switzerland Jurassic 26. Monte Carlo, Monaco Monte Carlo fallacy 27. Porto, Portugal port 28. Jerez de la Frontera, Spain sherry 29. Gibraltar Siege of Gibraltar 30. Tangier, Morocco tangerine 31. Algiers, Algeria Algerine 32. Canary Islands canary 33. Timbuktu, Mali Timbuktu 34. Conakry, Guinea guinea 35. Brazzaville, Congo conga 36. Stellenbosch, South Africa Stellenbosch 37. Mocha, Yemen mocha 38. Cairo, Egypt fustian 39. Bethlehem, Palestine bedlam 40. Mount Nebo, Jordan Pisgah 41. Samarra, Iraq appointment in Samarra 42. Qumis, Iran Parthian 43. Bukhara, Uzbekistan buckram 44. Kabul, Afghanistan Afghanistanism 45. Deolali, India doolally 46. Colombo, Sri Lanka serendipity 47. Samut Songkhram, Thailand Siamese twins 48. Phnom Penh, Cambodia gamboge 49. Shanghai, China Shanghaiing 50. Shangdu, China Xanadu 51. Kagoshima, Japan satsuma 52. Manila, Philippines Manila paper 53. Makassar, Indonesia antimacassar 54. Tasmania, Australia vandemonianism 55. Karitane, New Zealand Karitane 56. Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands bikini 57. Klondike, Canada Klondike 58. Admiralty Island, Alaska, USA hooch 59. Hollywood, California, USA Hollywood no 60. Jalap, Mexico jalapeño 61. San José, Costa Rica Panlibhonco 62. Panama City, Panama Panama hat 63. Lima, Peru Lima syndrome 64. Stanley, Falkland Islands Falklands effect 65. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Brazil nut 66. Cayenne, French Guiana cayenne pepper 67. Daiquirí, Cuba daiquiri cocktail 68. Hamilton, Bermuda Bermuda 69. Buncombe, North Carolina, USA bunkum 70. New York, USA tuxedo 71. Toronto, Canada Toronto blessing 72. Labrador, Canada Labrador 73. Geysir, Iceland geyser 74. Limerick, Ireland limerick 75. Dublin, Ireland donnybrook 76. Glasgow, UK Glasgow magistrate 77. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Newcastle programme 78. Gotham, UK Gothamite 79. Coventry, UK send to Coventry 80. Porlock, UK person from Porlock Epilogue Select bibliography Acknowledgements