When, do you imagine, will the nationalist (Mallorcan) left in Palma present the motion for a decree to change the name of Plaça Espanya? There wouldn't be anything so mad as altering it officially to Plaza España (which officially it used to be), for clear reasons of politico-linguistic correctness, or Anglicising it as Spain Square (which would be utterly ridiculous). Rather, there would be an entirely different name. Anyone care to offer some alternatives? Perhaps there should be a referendum, otherwise known in Palma-land as a citizens' consultation.
One possibility might be Plaça Més in recognition of all things Mallorcan nationalist. Or how about pre-empting the elevation of the mayor-in-waiting to the rank of mayor next year? Rename it Plaça Antoni Noguera, the deputy mayor who models cities, or one in particular. While they're at it, just rename Palma, but for God's sake leave off the "de Mallorca": Antoni Noguera, the new capital of Mallorca, named in his own image.
Why might they even consider a renaming of the square? The clue, quite clearly, is in the current name. Espanya (aka España): Spain, a concept of nationalism at variance with the one promoted by Més. Think they might not? Well think again. The Més brethren in Sencelles have succeeded in getting the town's Spain square converted to, erm, the Town square, Plaça de la Vila.
Sencelles isn't of course Palma. It is a rural backwater known principally for its wine and for the youth of the municipality haring around the streets on old Mobylettes while being hosed down with water (drought, what drought?) and then rolling two giant bales of hay into the square (Espanya or otherwise) before proceeding to throw the hay at each other. But notwithstanding its comparative inconsequence in the scheme of Mallorcan things (everywhere is inconsequential compared with Palma), Sencelles may act as the spur for Palma to follow the lead of somewhere in the sticks rather than presuming that it must always lead others.
For Palma, for Més and for its republican tendencies, there is an additional justification. Més in Sencelles weren't simply objecting to Spain being the name of the square, there was also the fact that it was "Francoist denomination". And in this regard, Més were absolutely correct. The Spain name was applied following the Civil War, so the renaming is a case of going back to how things were. Few people actually call it Plaça Espanya in any event.
A similar situation applies to Palma's Plaça Espanya. Once upon a time, certainly from the seventeenth century, an area was known as the Plaça de la Porta Pintada in reference to the gate in the mediaeval walls through which it is said that King Jaume I entered in his conquest of 1229. The square was for a time also known as Joanot Colom. He was one of the leaders of the sixteenth-century Germanies uprising that was eventually put down by Carlos V, the Holy Roman Emperor. Colom was beheaded, drawn and quartered, and Porta Pintada was one of the locations for his remains to be put on show. This name endured for a couple of decades before it became Eusebi Estada, who was the chap mainly responsible for building Mallorca's railway. A further couple of decades on, and along came Franco.
In 1990, the Castellano Plaza España was officially dropped in favour of the Catalan. Around the same time, the name Plaça de la Porta Pintada was restored, but it refers only to a part by Olms street.
Going back in time, the historical legacy of the smaller square might suggest that the whole of Plaça Espanya should revert to its seventeenth-century name. Moreover, and apart from direct nationalist sentiments, there is also the fact of the statue of Jaume I and so the link to the days of the conquest and the tale of the Porta Pintada. However, given a desire for historical accuracy, Porta Pintada cannot claim to be the whole square, as it didn't used to occupy the area it now does.
Might there be a change of name? In Sencelles it probably doesn't cause too many issues, but in Palma it would do. Plaça Espanya is very well known and referenced. But as has been seen with the Feixina monument and the intention to demolish it, the current town hall is not averse to seeking to eliminate Francoist symbolism.
There are of course plenty of other Spain squares knocking around. Inca has one, for instance. As it also has a calle Héroes del Baleares, a reference to the same circumstances surrounding the monument. Més have been calling for it to be done away with for years. The street has another name, La Balanguera (the Mallorcan hymn), but the very fact that there are two names creates confusion.
Change the name of Plaça Espanya? Well maybe, but the confusion would be immense.
Showing posts with label Names. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Names. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 09, 2016
Friday, March 13, 2009
Memories We've Been Sharing
What's in a name, as in a bar or restaurant name, or even a sandwich bar name? I bring this up as in front of me I have a card for Sandwich and Moments. This is a sandwich place by the yacht club roundabout in Puerto Pollensa, and "sandwich place" may actually be instructive. What is a moment in the context of a sandwich? The card does say that if you call them, they will prepare your moment. Which is extremely good of them, but what on earth does it mean? Does one really have a sandwich moment, a somewhat orgasmic occurrence or something, the consequence of roast loin in a baguette, or how does it work? "Oooh, ooh, I'm having a sandwich moment." I've got to say that I'm struggling with this one. Anyway, whatever it means, I'm sure that it's very good, and so are the sandwiches which, incidentally, seem all to be named after names, as in male or female names. But I am rather uncertain about "roast beef and cheese to the thin grasses (herbs)", which goes under the title of "dudu". Anyway, bon appetit or bon profit, as they say here, and enjoy your moment.
This is all a roundabout way of getting to names, and how effective they can be, or not. Sandwich place is, I feel, instructive, because my guess is that few people say "oh, let's go to Sandwich and Moments" but do in fact say "oh, let's go to the sandwich place", which may be why sandwich places have, in the past, been called The Sandwich Place. It's not, incidentally, as though the name is particularly meaningful for Spaniards either. There are, it seems to me, types of establishment that, regardless of what name is used, are known by a generic, and to the sandwich place, one can add Indian and Chinese restaurants and even the likes of tex-mex. Who actually calls Dakota, Dakota? It's always the tex-mex in rather sneering tones. To back up what I'm saying about Chinese places, there has been an exchange on the puertopollensa.com forum about the Chinese next to Sandwich and Moments - maybe it's something about that particular roundabout. In that exchange, the actual name has not been used, unless I've overlooked it. It is in fact Luna de Miel, but the name itself is largely beside the point. Further evidence of this lack of name recognition comes in the form, for example, of mentions of Taste of India off The Mile; it is only ever referred to, on the internet anyway, as the Indian, as it was when it was previously Agra.
How important are names, the names of restaurants or bars, or indeed sandwich places? (See, I can't stop using sandwich "place".) I can feel a series coming on. Are local or international names preferable? Are name changes always desirable, as in when a new owner takes over? Is enough attention paid to any implications for different nationalities in terms of names used? So, watch this space. I'm sure you can't wait.
A name that has a good deal of currency, certainly in the boating world, is Fairline. Given something of an interest in the boat fair that takes place in Puerto Alcúdia at the start of April, I had a chat with the Fairline folk yesterday, and found out that there will be a Fairline as it were fair of its own the weekend following that of the boat fair, i.e. 10-12 April. So, there you are. Dates for your diary. Boat (and cuttlefish) fair, 4-5 April; Fairline, a week later - in the Alcudiamar marina.
And ever more about the train
There we were thinking that the route of the train from Sa Pobla and the location of the station in Alcúdia was getting towards some settlement, when along comes a pact of Alcúdia local politicos - the mayor and the main opposition - to present a case against the siting in the town itself, with a preference by the Linkin' Donuts Roundabout, otherwise known as the Magic Roundabout. Apparently the location in the town would ago against some plan or other, while a station in the port would be far better for tourists. The argument goes that the main reason for financial support for the train extension is that it would be as a further aid to tourism. Anyway, more on this tomorrow I think, as there are all sorts of figures which may or may not be of interest.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Who else would give you a steam engine live? The Thompson Twins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y_91nGEDYw). Today's title - a line from a 1957 song about "moments". If it doesn't get better than Lily Allen now, it didn't get better than (whom) back then. Not that I personally remember, I would just add.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
This is all a roundabout way of getting to names, and how effective they can be, or not. Sandwich place is, I feel, instructive, because my guess is that few people say "oh, let's go to Sandwich and Moments" but do in fact say "oh, let's go to the sandwich place", which may be why sandwich places have, in the past, been called The Sandwich Place. It's not, incidentally, as though the name is particularly meaningful for Spaniards either. There are, it seems to me, types of establishment that, regardless of what name is used, are known by a generic, and to the sandwich place, one can add Indian and Chinese restaurants and even the likes of tex-mex. Who actually calls Dakota, Dakota? It's always the tex-mex in rather sneering tones. To back up what I'm saying about Chinese places, there has been an exchange on the puertopollensa.com forum about the Chinese next to Sandwich and Moments - maybe it's something about that particular roundabout. In that exchange, the actual name has not been used, unless I've overlooked it. It is in fact Luna de Miel, but the name itself is largely beside the point. Further evidence of this lack of name recognition comes in the form, for example, of mentions of Taste of India off The Mile; it is only ever referred to, on the internet anyway, as the Indian, as it was when it was previously Agra.
How important are names, the names of restaurants or bars, or indeed sandwich places? (See, I can't stop using sandwich "place".) I can feel a series coming on. Are local or international names preferable? Are name changes always desirable, as in when a new owner takes over? Is enough attention paid to any implications for different nationalities in terms of names used? So, watch this space. I'm sure you can't wait.
A name that has a good deal of currency, certainly in the boating world, is Fairline. Given something of an interest in the boat fair that takes place in Puerto Alcúdia at the start of April, I had a chat with the Fairline folk yesterday, and found out that there will be a Fairline as it were fair of its own the weekend following that of the boat fair, i.e. 10-12 April. So, there you are. Dates for your diary. Boat (and cuttlefish) fair, 4-5 April; Fairline, a week later - in the Alcudiamar marina.
And ever more about the train
There we were thinking that the route of the train from Sa Pobla and the location of the station in Alcúdia was getting towards some settlement, when along comes a pact of Alcúdia local politicos - the mayor and the main opposition - to present a case against the siting in the town itself, with a preference by the Linkin' Donuts Roundabout, otherwise known as the Magic Roundabout. Apparently the location in the town would ago against some plan or other, while a station in the port would be far better for tourists. The argument goes that the main reason for financial support for the train extension is that it would be as a further aid to tourism. Anyway, more on this tomorrow I think, as there are all sorts of figures which may or may not be of interest.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Who else would give you a steam engine live? The Thompson Twins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y_91nGEDYw). Today's title - a line from a 1957 song about "moments". If it doesn't get better than Lily Allen now, it didn't get better than (whom) back then. Not that I personally remember, I would just add.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
Monday, February 02, 2009
Belongs To Us
Birmingham council has apparently banned apostrophes from street signs. Which might be the excuse for a cheap joke at the expense of Brummies were it not for the fact that they are not the only ones who don't know what an apostrophe is. How many speakers of the Queen's English, one must ask, are fully conversant with the correct use of the apostrophe? And does it matter?
Some of you will know that I have had my moments on this blog; moments of despair as to English and its use locally. Most recently, there was the piece of 30 November (I Can't Help Myself) and the "excellent quality" that was (incorrectly of course) "open for lunch and dinner". You will note that there was an apostrophe in the title of that piece. Gather a group of ten inhabitants of Birmingham, and one of them might venture the reason - omission - which is one of the purposes of the apostrophe. The other is to indicate possession. This may all sound - to some of you - like basic English, but, trust me, there are many here who had a note from their mother the day they did the apostrophe at school: I did once have to explain to someone (British) the difference between "its" and "it's" and the fact that the former is an exception to the possession rule. And while on matters English, don't get me started on fewer versus less. No-one seems to know this one, and those Spaniards who may use English newspapers in order to learn English are going to come unstuck when it comes to - for example - something like the "nowadays you get less/fewer euros to the pound" conundrum. Perhaps I should do a multiple-choice quiz, except in this instance it would only be a multiple of two. Is it "less euros" or "fewer euros"? Answers, as always, to the email address below.
But coming back to the apostrophe, its use to demonstrate possession is often apparent in the names of bars - JK's, for instance. There is also a theory that names which end in "s" are, in some way, better than others. The basis of this theory - such as it is, and theory is rather overstating it, one fancies - seems to be that it (the "s") implies a certain homeliness and familiarity. It is a theory I have heard expounded on more than one occasion, normally when significant amounts of cold drink have been consumed. The question then, though, is whether there is an apostrophe and, if there isn't, whether there should be. All important stuff, I'm sure you'll agree.
Many years back now, Barclays - as in the bank - dropped the apostrophe. Strictly speaking, it should be Barclay's (the bank of Barclay). Other businesses also dispensed with the apostrophe. In sport, you are as likely to read Lords Cricket Ground as Lord's (it should be the latter - the ground of Thomas Lord). In the case of Barclays, and other businesses, there was a marketing reason for dumping the apostrophe - it just gets in the way when it comes to graphics. But more fundamentally, the apostrophe just seemed to become unnecessary. Barclays was the name, whether it implied possession or not. And the sound of the "s" was and is as important as anything else. The company may have collapsed, but Woolworth was always Woolworths; there was no need for an apostrophe, but the addition of the "s" made it sound as though it "belonged". For all of us as customers, we like things to belong to us; the mere use of a letter can make them seem to do so. Hence, therefore, that theory about homeliness and familiarity associated with names that end in "s". Whether apostrophe or not - and I really don't know that it matters - that "s" in the name can, one is led to believe, make all the difference. There again, it might all be complete bollocks.
I would like to thank Rod Liddle in "The Sunday Times" for drawing my attention to the sorts of Christian names you would not encounter on upmarket holidays, which - by implication - means that you would encounter them on downmarket ones. He was referring specifically to a company called Activities Abroad whose boss was the one who identified the chav names that would not be registered on one of its holidays. So, get yourself booked in for a fortnight at one of this area's chavvest all-inclusives, of which there are a few, if you happen to be named thus - Dazza, Britney, Chardonnay, Shannon or Candice. And to that list, one can add Kylie, Jordan, Wayne, Tyler, and on and on. You know, there is something in the Spanish rules about Christian names after all.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Robert Plant, but here is a version by Alison Krauss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmrdh8jO5lc). Today - "because the night belongs to us ..." Who?
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
Some of you will know that I have had my moments on this blog; moments of despair as to English and its use locally. Most recently, there was the piece of 30 November (I Can't Help Myself) and the "excellent quality" that was (incorrectly of course) "open for lunch and dinner". You will note that there was an apostrophe in the title of that piece. Gather a group of ten inhabitants of Birmingham, and one of them might venture the reason - omission - which is one of the purposes of the apostrophe. The other is to indicate possession. This may all sound - to some of you - like basic English, but, trust me, there are many here who had a note from their mother the day they did the apostrophe at school: I did once have to explain to someone (British) the difference between "its" and "it's" and the fact that the former is an exception to the possession rule. And while on matters English, don't get me started on fewer versus less. No-one seems to know this one, and those Spaniards who may use English newspapers in order to learn English are going to come unstuck when it comes to - for example - something like the "nowadays you get less/fewer euros to the pound" conundrum. Perhaps I should do a multiple-choice quiz, except in this instance it would only be a multiple of two. Is it "less euros" or "fewer euros"? Answers, as always, to the email address below.
But coming back to the apostrophe, its use to demonstrate possession is often apparent in the names of bars - JK's, for instance. There is also a theory that names which end in "s" are, in some way, better than others. The basis of this theory - such as it is, and theory is rather overstating it, one fancies - seems to be that it (the "s") implies a certain homeliness and familiarity. It is a theory I have heard expounded on more than one occasion, normally when significant amounts of cold drink have been consumed. The question then, though, is whether there is an apostrophe and, if there isn't, whether there should be. All important stuff, I'm sure you'll agree.
Many years back now, Barclays - as in the bank - dropped the apostrophe. Strictly speaking, it should be Barclay's (the bank of Barclay). Other businesses also dispensed with the apostrophe. In sport, you are as likely to read Lords Cricket Ground as Lord's (it should be the latter - the ground of Thomas Lord). In the case of Barclays, and other businesses, there was a marketing reason for dumping the apostrophe - it just gets in the way when it comes to graphics. But more fundamentally, the apostrophe just seemed to become unnecessary. Barclays was the name, whether it implied possession or not. And the sound of the "s" was and is as important as anything else. The company may have collapsed, but Woolworth was always Woolworths; there was no need for an apostrophe, but the addition of the "s" made it sound as though it "belonged". For all of us as customers, we like things to belong to us; the mere use of a letter can make them seem to do so. Hence, therefore, that theory about homeliness and familiarity associated with names that end in "s". Whether apostrophe or not - and I really don't know that it matters - that "s" in the name can, one is led to believe, make all the difference. There again, it might all be complete bollocks.
I would like to thank Rod Liddle in "The Sunday Times" for drawing my attention to the sorts of Christian names you would not encounter on upmarket holidays, which - by implication - means that you would encounter them on downmarket ones. He was referring specifically to a company called Activities Abroad whose boss was the one who identified the chav names that would not be registered on one of its holidays. So, get yourself booked in for a fortnight at one of this area's chavvest all-inclusives, of which there are a few, if you happen to be named thus - Dazza, Britney, Chardonnay, Shannon or Candice. And to that list, one can add Kylie, Jordan, Wayne, Tyler, and on and on. You know, there is something in the Spanish rules about Christian names after all.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Robert Plant, but here is a version by Alison Krauss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmrdh8jO5lc). Today - "because the night belongs to us ..." Who?
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
Sunday, July 13, 2008
That's Not My Name
There has been an election. Not a political one, but the people have spoken; the people of Pollensa. So long as you are over 16 and registered in the town, you can participate in this act of local democracy, the one to choose who plays whom during the climax to the annual Patrona fiesta in Pollensa. The two plum gigs are that of the hero Joan Mas and the Moorish pirate Dragut - Christian and Moor, all part of the re-enactment of the battle between the Christians and Moors which saw the latter repelled. You can see a representation of Joan Mas in the square by Saint Domingo; arm raised and sword at the ready, he was the defender of Pollensa and the vanquisher of the Moors.
It must, one presumes, be quite an honour to be nominated as Joan; less so perhaps Dragut, but somebody's got to do it, though whoever it is knows that he cannot reverse the truth of history - Dragut always gets bested. The honour this year has fallen to one Miquel Cifre, and "one" is quite apt as there are a lot of Miquel Cifres knocking around. I don't know the most popular combination of male names here, but Miquel Cifre must be hovering somewhere at the top of the list.
It should, I suppose, come as little surprise that on an island with a relatively small indigenous population that there is such a lack of diversity in names, both Christian and surname. In the case of Christian names, this has more to do with the sheer constraints that exist - saints names and a strict code that does not allow "new" names mean that males are Joans, Peps or Miquels, females are Joanas, Catis or Marias. At times it can feel like that old Python sketch about Australians - Bruce, Bruce and Bruce. The restrictions on Christian names creates a homogeneity of appellation; personally, I prefer the free-for-all that exists in Britain. It does little for a sense of individuality when everyone seems to have the same name. One of the reasons for imposing this restriction is to prevent the child being in some way demeaned by an embarrassing name. There is some sense in this; the downside of the free-for-all is that it does not always reflect the child's best interests among his peers as he or she grows up. The Mallorcan would not only not call his kids Wayne or Kylie, he could not. The Christian name stock is only enlivened by incomers who bring with them Shane or Scarlett.
The surname, and bear in mind that there are two surnames, seems even more uniform. Two of my neighbours are Claderas. This, together with the likes of Cifre, Rotger and Ferrer, appears to cover most of the population, most of whom also seem related in some way or another. When I'm handed a personal cheque, it is remarkable the repetitiousness of the surnames that one reads; when I'm with a Mallorcan, it is also remarkable the number of cousins and second cousins who can happen to pass by. It has been said to me that some Mallorcan surnames do not sound very Spanish, by which I guess people mean that anyone from Spain should be called Gonzalez or Garcia. But the names reflect a different heritage - certain ones, such as Vanrell or Plomer, appear quite divorced from "Spanish".
And so one comes back to Patrona and this year's "Joan". One good thing perhaps is that if someone asks who's doing Joan this time, then replying Miquel Cifre would be a pretty good guess - and it would happen to be right.
Note by the way that the name Joan is pronounced like the girl's name in English - Joanne. The "j" is basically as it is in English and not the h-sound of, say, Juan in Spanish. Note also that some names, mine for instance, invariably get changed. I've given up (in truth I have never really bothered to protest) trying to get the name written with a w; instead it has a u or sometimes an iu. Whatever.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Queen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdt5QwssWY4). Today's title - very easy.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
It must, one presumes, be quite an honour to be nominated as Joan; less so perhaps Dragut, but somebody's got to do it, though whoever it is knows that he cannot reverse the truth of history - Dragut always gets bested. The honour this year has fallen to one Miquel Cifre, and "one" is quite apt as there are a lot of Miquel Cifres knocking around. I don't know the most popular combination of male names here, but Miquel Cifre must be hovering somewhere at the top of the list.
It should, I suppose, come as little surprise that on an island with a relatively small indigenous population that there is such a lack of diversity in names, both Christian and surname. In the case of Christian names, this has more to do with the sheer constraints that exist - saints names and a strict code that does not allow "new" names mean that males are Joans, Peps or Miquels, females are Joanas, Catis or Marias. At times it can feel like that old Python sketch about Australians - Bruce, Bruce and Bruce. The restrictions on Christian names creates a homogeneity of appellation; personally, I prefer the free-for-all that exists in Britain. It does little for a sense of individuality when everyone seems to have the same name. One of the reasons for imposing this restriction is to prevent the child being in some way demeaned by an embarrassing name. There is some sense in this; the downside of the free-for-all is that it does not always reflect the child's best interests among his peers as he or she grows up. The Mallorcan would not only not call his kids Wayne or Kylie, he could not. The Christian name stock is only enlivened by incomers who bring with them Shane or Scarlett.
The surname, and bear in mind that there are two surnames, seems even more uniform. Two of my neighbours are Claderas. This, together with the likes of Cifre, Rotger and Ferrer, appears to cover most of the population, most of whom also seem related in some way or another. When I'm handed a personal cheque, it is remarkable the repetitiousness of the surnames that one reads; when I'm with a Mallorcan, it is also remarkable the number of cousins and second cousins who can happen to pass by. It has been said to me that some Mallorcan surnames do not sound very Spanish, by which I guess people mean that anyone from Spain should be called Gonzalez or Garcia. But the names reflect a different heritage - certain ones, such as Vanrell or Plomer, appear quite divorced from "Spanish".
And so one comes back to Patrona and this year's "Joan". One good thing perhaps is that if someone asks who's doing Joan this time, then replying Miquel Cifre would be a pretty good guess - and it would happen to be right.
Note by the way that the name Joan is pronounced like the girl's name in English - Joanne. The "j" is basically as it is in English and not the h-sound of, say, Juan in Spanish. Note also that some names, mine for instance, invariably get changed. I've given up (in truth I have never really bothered to protest) trying to get the name written with a w; instead it has a u or sometimes an iu. Whatever.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Queen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdt5QwssWY4). Today's title - very easy.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
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