Torpenhow Hill (locally /trəˈpɛnə/, trə-PEN-ə) is claimed to be the name of a hill near the village of Torpenhow in Cumbria, England, a name that is tautological. According to an analysis by linguist Darryl Francis and locals, there is no landform formally known as Torpenhow Hill there, either officially or locally,[1] which would make the term an example of a ghost word.
A.D. Mills in his Dictionary of English Place-Names interprets the name as "Ridge of the hill with a rocky peak", giving its etymology as Old English torr, Celtic *penn, and Old English hoh.[2]
In 1688, Thomas Denton stated that Torpenhow Hall and church stand on a 'rising topped hill', which he assumed might have been the source of the name of the village.[3][4] Denton apparently exaggerated the example to a "Torpenhow Hill", which would quadruple the "hill" element, but the existence of a toponym "Torpenhow Hill" is not substantiated.[5]
In 1884, G.L. Fenton proposed the name as an example of "quadruple redundancy" in tautological placename etymologies, i.e. that all four elements of the name might mean "hill".[6] It was used as a convenient example for the nature of loanword adoption by Thomas Comber in c. 1880.[7]
^Fenton, G. L. (12 July 1884). "Torpenhow". Notes and Queries. 6th Series. 10 (237): 25–26.
^"the name thus meaning in reality hill-hill-hill-hill. Fortunately the Normans let it remain, and we are spared from having to call the place 'Torpenhow hill-mount'." Thomas Comber, "The Origin of the English Names of Plants", The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, Volume 15 (1904), p. 616.
October 21, 2023
torpenhow, hill, locally, trə, claimed, name, hill, near, village, torpenhow, cumbria, england, name, that, tautological, according, analysis, linguist, darryl, francis, locals, there, landform, formally, known, there, either, officially, locally, which, would. Torpenhow Hill locally t r e ˈ p ɛ n e tre PEN e is claimed to be the name of a hill near the village of Torpenhow in Cumbria England a name that is tautological According to an analysis by linguist Darryl Francis and locals there is no landform formally known as Torpenhow Hill there either officially or locally 1 which would make the term an example of a ghost word A D Mills in his Dictionary of English Place Names interprets the name as Ridge of the hill with a rocky peak giving its etymology as Old English torr Celtic penn and Old English hoh 2 In 1688 Thomas Denton stated that Torpenhow Hall and church stand on a rising topped hill which he assumed might have been the source of the name of the village 3 4 Denton apparently exaggerated the example to a Torpenhow Hill which would quadruple the hill element but the existence of a toponym Torpenhow Hill is not substantiated 5 In 1884 G L Fenton proposed the name as an example of quadruple redundancy in tautological placename etymologies i e that all four elements of the name might mean hill 6 It was used as a convenient example for the nature of loanword adoption by Thomas Comber in c 1880 7 See also EditList of tautological place names Cumbrian toponymyReferences Edit Francis Darryl 2003 The Debunking of Torpenhow Hill Word Ways 36 1 6 8 Mills A D 1993 A Dictionary of English Place Names Oxford University Press p 332 ISBN 978 0 19 283131 6 English Place Name Society 1950 The Place names of Cumberland p 326 Thomas Denton A Perambulation of Cumberland 1687 8 including descriptions of Westmorland the Isle of Man and Ireland page needed Francis Darryl 2003 The Debunking of Torpenhow Hill Word Ways 36 1 6 8 Fenton G L 12 July 1884 Torpenhow Notes and Queries 6th Series 10 237 25 26 the name thus meaning in reality hill hill hill hill Fortunately the Normans let it remain and we are spared from having to call the place Torpenhow hill mount Thomas Comber The Origin of the English Names of Plants The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society Volume 15 1904 p 616 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Torpenhow Hill amp oldid 1178364490, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
