Names
The Roman town was called Solva. The Old Slavonic name, Strěgom, is explained meaning guarding or guard post (rel. Czech střeh – watching position). This name was taken over by medieval Latin as Strigonium. The Magyars added a vowel in front of the initial group of consonants, similar to the Hungarian adaption of 'Stephan' as 'Istvan'. The name Esztergom was first mentioned in documents in 1079. Nevertheless, some people believe the name 'Esztergom' is a combination of 'Ister' (a Latin name of Danube) and 'Gam' referring to the nearby river Garam). The Turkish and modern Slavic names are derived from the Hungarian one: Serbian Ostrogon and Estergon, Croatian Ostrogon, Turkish Estergon, Polish Ostrzyhom, Slovak Ostrihom and Czech Ostřihom (o is a familiar prefix in Slavic languages, and all-Slavic g is Czech and Slovak h). The German name is Gran (German: Gran), like the German name of river Garam.
Read more about this topic: Esztergom
Famous quotes containing the word names:
“Publicity in women is detestable. Anonymity runs in their blood. The desire to be veiled still possesses them. They are not even now as concerned about the health of their fame as men are, and, speaking generally, will pass a tombstone or a signpost without feeling an irresistible desire to cut their names on it.”
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)
“At night thousands of names and slogans are outlined in neon, and searchlight beams often pierce the sky, perhaps announcing a motion picture premiere, perhaps the opening of a new hamburger stand.”
—For the State of California, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“It is a sad truth, but we have lost the faculty of giving lovely names to things. Names are everything. I never quarrel with actions. My one quarrel is with words.... The man who could call a spade a spade should be compelled to use one. It is the only thing he is fit for.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)