[word-l] toponym

[word-l-admin at ransford.org]

The word of the day is:

        toponym         \TOP-uh-nim\, n.
                        Origin: Greek "topo-" (place) + "-nym" (name)

        * A place name.

        "Toponym" is in the Dictionary of Difficult Words[1] I mentioned
        a while back.

        I was thinking about Scandinavia today, after a long search to
        see whether there was a special typographical symbol designating
        the Swedish Kroner.  Then I remembered that Norway also uses the
        Kroner as its currency.  Then I recalled poring over a map of
        Norway in the school library when I was in third grade, looking
        for salient geographical features to mention in my social
        studies report, and finding a dot called "Hell" somewhere
        amongst the j's and ø's.  So today I wondered if I could
        register the domain name "HELL.NO" -- but apparently someone's
        already done so.

-ben

[1] http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/dictionaries/difficultwords/