Friday, January 23, 2009

forever twelve years old

What the hell, it's Friday...







From a Times article on British place names. Some other beauties:
Some are mostly amusing, like Ugley, Essex; East Breast, in western Scotland; North Piddle, in Worcestershire; and Spanker Lane, in Derbyshire.

Others evoke images that may conflict with residents’ efforts to appear dignified when, for example, applying for jobs.

These include Crotch Crescent, Oxford; Titty Ho, Northamptonshire; Wetwang, East Yorkshire; Slutshole Lane, Norfolk; and Thong, Kent.

Titty Ho. Awesome.

UPDATE: For extra Friday weirdness, the new hip-hop theme song for the Utah Jazz. (h/t The Cowhide Globe).

7 comments:

cowboyangel said...

Titty Ho! Isn't that how Brits say goodbye to each other?

This is great stuff. I love place names. Very fascinating.

I just got an email from my aunt that had a list of the funny/strange names of towns in Texas. I may do a post on that.

Here are a few:

Hoop And Holler, Texas
Ding Dong, Texas
Muleshoe , Texas
Gun Barrel City, Texas
Telephone, Texas 75488
Telegraph, Texas 76883
Tarzan, Texas 79783
Frognot, Texas 75424
Bigfoot, Texas 78005
Hogeye, Texas 75423
Cactus, Texas 79013
Notrees, Texas 79759
Dime Box, Texas 77853
Old Dime Box, Texas 77853
Cut n Shoot, Texas
Noodle, Texas 79536
Oatmeal, Texas 78605
Turkey , Texas 79261
Athens , Texas 75751
China , Texas 77613
Ireland, Texas 76538
Earth , Texas 79031
Venus , Texas 76084

Liam said...

I think I like "Earth, Texas" the most.

Deloney said...

P.G. Wodehouse had a grand old time making up names for English villages, but the real ones are every bit as strange and funny.

Garpu said...

My inner twelve-year old would want you to know that she would love living on Butt Hole Road.

crystal said...

This is paralleled by their names for food (spotted dick) - I sense a pattern.

Liam said...

Hi Deloney -- It does make you see where he got his inspiration.

Garpu -- I keep saying that I would love to end up on the faculty of Ball State University.

Crystal -- Excellent observation! I've always wondered... what in the name of all that is good and decent is "spotted dick"? And... do I really want to know?

cowboyangel said...

Fons Veritas: Spotted dick is a steamed suet pudding containing dried fruit (usually currants), commonly served with either custard or butter and brown sugar. Spotted refers to the dried fruit (which resemble spots) and Dick may be a contraction/corruption of the word pudding (from the last syllable) or possibly a corruption of the word dough.[1] Another explanation offered for the latter half of the name is that it comes from the German word for "thick," in reference to the thickened suet mixture.