Islands

Alright, so I was at work and this epiphany happened.

Islands are called islands because in the middle of the sea there is land.

Where there is land, you delete a space and call it island because it is land.

"Eye lands" as they're pronounced are spelled is lands because they is lands, well are lands really. Plural islands should be pronounced "arelands".

Ireland may have developed its name from this because "arelands" in a local accent could be irelands.

a reply to: Thrumbo

Sounds legit to me.

a reply to: Thrumbo
Check a dictionary.
The original word was "isle", which is still in use. The "s" is not pronounced nowadays, which is why it isn't pronounced in "island" either.
While "Ireland" comes from "Eire", which has become the official name of the country.

a reply to: Thrumbo

I can dig it. That's a fun line of logic.

But what if a group pf people came through and said these are our lands?

a reply to: Thrumbo
Well, it was a wasted epiphany cos in your explanations you use modern English language and as Islands have existed from before any English you have to seek what the ancient Egyptians called island or the ancient Chinese.

You could look at Tonga. The people of Tonga don't call it the island of Tonga, just Tonga. OR, look at Australia. That's technically an island but you don't call that the isalnd of Australia.

a reply to: crayzeed

Good to see you posted that explanation.

Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria is an example of the lingo regarding islands (dutch).

Australia was originally 'Terra Australis' then 'New Holland' later Australia,

Kind regards,

Bally