Speaking of the unpredictable evolution of language, the NYT shares this map of many formerly innocuous placenames in Britain which, over time, have become inadvertently profane. Apparently there are so many embarrassing locale that they've become the topic of two books:
Mr. Bailey, who grew up on Tumbledown Dick Road in Oxfordshire, and Mr. Hurst got the idea for the books when they read about a couple who bought a house on Butt Hole Road, in South Yorkshire.
The story isn't that surprising, but seeing this ridiculous little map in the sober Gray Lady just made me smile.
- Log in to post comments
More like this
Over at fellow SBer {Worlds Fair][worldsfair}, they've put up an unofficial "Ask a ScienceBlogger" question, about childrens books:
Are there any children's books that are dear to you, either as a child or a parent, and especially ones that perhaps strike a chord with those from a science…
The BBC has done a poll about unread books, and found some results that at first might appear surprising:
Some 35% of those who bought or borrowed Vernon God Little, DBC Pierre's story of a US high school massacre, admitted not finishing it.
The figure was 32% for the fourth instalment in the…
SteelyKid's second-grade teacher sent home a couple of books about kids dealing with the loss of beloved pets-- one of which, The Tenth Good Thing About Barney is surprisingly atheistic. We read them at bedtime the other night, which was a little rough.
After we finished, and moved her to her bed (…
Just when you think Joseph Farah can't get any more absurd, he does. Exhibit A: this column about evolution and creationism. I especially like this tidbit at the beginning:
I was stunned the other day when I asked evolution-believing listeners to my nationally syndicated radio show to call in and…
FWIW, Penistone is pronounced Pennistun, so doesn't sound as bad.
Unlike Scunthorpe, which not only sounds bad, but is.
Embarrassing names don't seem to affect property values much considering what the average house in the UK is going for these days.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!
When I retire I want to go live in Wetwang!
Winkle Street, on the Isle of Wight.
Bottom and Tit are pretty common name components.
When I was a kid, we always drove through Frazier's Bottom, West Virginia on the way to visit my grandparents. Our big question was, "Where the heck is the rest of Frazier?"
Not so funny as Wetwang, but we thought it was hilarious.
There are three hills in Cumbria called the Cockups. In the suburbs of Manchester there is a Nob End.
Not unintentionally rude, but there is at least one village called Pity Me.
This is very funny, particularly since they are so unintentional! My six-year-old is very into stuff like this. When I told her about the couple on Butt Hole Road, she couldn't get over it, and of course is telling all her friends. But most of them don't believe her...
The stream through North Piddle is called the Wyre Piddle. There used to be a winery in the area (it may still exist) that called their wine 'Chateau Piddle'.
My boyfriend and I were discussing this and agreed that the mapmakers seem to be making some sort of scathing commentary by deliberately sticking London on there as well!
I'll have to recommend "North Piddle" to my uncle, who lives in Britain--it might be an upgrade from his current domicile, which is located in a village that received several pages' attention in a book called "Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places to Live in the UK".
Love this - and it's not just names of places that tittilate!
http://www.beyond-the-pale.org.uk/phallic2.htm