In much of the "Old World" (approximately Africa, Asia and Europe) the names of many places cannot easily be interpreted or understood;[1] they do not convey any apparent meaning in the modern language of the area.
This is due to a general set of processes through which place names evolve over time, until their obvious meaning is lost.
Many topographical words convey not just an image of the place but also a wealth of information about the likely size, status and pattern of farming practised by the community living there.
For instance, examples from England: These basic elements can also be found in place names in other countries; e.g., Amsterdam ('River Amstel dam'), Liechtenstein ('Light-stone'), Copenhagen (equivalent to “chapmen’s haven”), Paris ('Home of the Parisii'), Shanghai (approximately 'Seaport'), Tashkent ('Stone city').
Countries which have seen repeated large-scale cultural and/or linguistic changes, such as England or France, tend to have more broken down place names, as the original meaning is forgotten and drifts more quickly.
Conversely, countries with a more uniform cultural and linguistic history tend to have less broken down and diverse place names – Wales for instance (especially when compared to neighbouring England).
Most English place-names are either Anglo-Saxon or Old Norse in origin but Celtic names are to be found over the whole country, most notably in Cornwall (see below) and counties bordering Wales.
In Cornwall most place-names are Cornish in origin, whilst in Cumbria there remain a number of place names in Cumbric, the Brythonic language of this region; examples including Carlisle, Helvellyn and Blencathra.
Cambridge, perhaps uniquely, illustrates both effects: originally Grontabricc, a bridge on the Granta, the name became Cantebruge and then Cambrugge, from which the river was renamed Cam.
The vast majority of place names in Wales are Welsh by origin, containing elements such as Llan-, Aber-, Pen- etc.
Along the south coast of Wales, where English has historically been more widely spoken, many place names are commonly anglicized, such as Pontypool, derived from Pont-y-Pŵl.
Welsh place names tend to be associated with natural features rather than people, hence elements describing rivers, hills and valleys are common.
The exceptions are places with the prefix Llan, meaning 'Church', which often contain the name of the Saint the church is dedicated to, e.g. Llansantffraid - 'Church of St. Bridget'.
In the islands of Scotland, particularly Orkney and Shetland, but also the Western Isles, there are many names of Norse origin; this is also true on Caithness and other coasts of the mainland.
In the Highlands, the names are primarily in Scottish Gaelic, with emphasis on natural features; elements such as Glen- (valley) and Inver- (confluence, mouth) are common.
The vast majority of placenames in Ireland are anglicizations (adaptations to English phonology) of Irish language names.
Many others are of French origin, such as Detroit, Michigan, which was established along the banks of the river they called le détroit du lac Érié, meaning the strait of Lake Erie.
Pasadena, California's early Anglo residents, looking for a pleasant sounding (euphonious) name for the town, used the Ojibwe word pa-sa-de-na, which means of the valley.
In some cases the native meanings of a place name are wholly lost, despite guesses and theories, for example Tampa and Oregon.
When Europeans began arriving in New Zealand from the 17th century they gave their own names to many geographical features and settlements, often after places in Britain or important settlers or famous British people.