Demonyms have nothing to do with demons, in case you were wondering. According to Merriam-Webster (that's a dictionary), a demonym is "a word (such as Nevadan or Sooner) used to denote a person who inhabits a particular place".
I know that people from London are Londoners and people from Liverpool are Liverpudlians. I know that people in the British Isles are Irish or Scottish or English or Welsh, but what about people who identify with the historic English counties like Yorkshire, Essex, Wessex, and so forth? Maybe Janice or Neil or Rachel can help here.
What are people who live in the various Australian states called? You know, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and so forth. Maybe kylie can help here.
What about the provinces of Canada? British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and so forth. Is Saskatchewanian a word? Maybe Red (Keith) can help here.
The 50 states in the United States cause confusion enough when it comes to demonyms. Some are easy but some make me scratch my head. There is no pattern for choosing -an or -ian as an ending. Do you agree or disagree with the following list? Help me out here:
1. Alabaman or Alabamian?
2. Alaskan
3. Arizonian?
4. Arkansawyer?
5. Californian
6. Coloradoan? Coloradan?
7. Connecticuter? Connecticutsan?, Also Nutmegger
8. Delawarian?
9. Floridian
10. Georgian
11. Hawaiian
12. Idahoan
13. Illinoisan? Illini?
14. Indianan?
15. Iowan
16. Kansan (why not Kansasan or Kansasian or Kansaser or Kansasite?). Also Jayhawker.
17. Kentuckian
18. Louisianan?
19. State of Mainer (no matter how much you like Maniac)
20. Marylander
21. Massachusettsan?, Bay Stater?, Massacusite
22. Michigander (fitting for a male, but shouldn't a female be a Michigoose?)
23. Minnesotan? Minnesotian?
24. Mississippian
25/ Missourian
26. Montanan?
27. Nebraskan. Also Cornhusker.
28. Nevadan
29. New Hampshirian? New Hampshirite?
30. New Jerseyite?
31. New Mexican
32. New Yorker
33. North Carolinian
34. North Dakotan
35. Ohioan
36. Oklahoman. Also Sooner.
37. Oregonian
38. Pennsylvanian
39. Rhode Islander
40. South Carolinian
41. South Dakotan
42. Tennesseean
43. Texan (originally it was Texian, actually)
44. Utahan
45. Vermonter
46. Virginian
47. Washingtonian
48. West Virginian
49. Wisonsinite? Wisconsiners? Also Cheese Heads
50. Wyomingite? Wyominger?
Do you even care? Many don't. As the old saying goes, "I don't care what you call me as long as you don't call me late for dinner."
For those who do care, however, give me your opinions in the comments. Maybe we can reach a consensus.
Although even I consider it a cute title I never liked being called a Michigander. A lot of citizens don't. Michiganians (with a long a sound between the g and n) is also acceptable. I like that better.
ReplyDeleteAh! Michiganian (with a long a sound) has a nice ring to it. I learned something today. Thank you, Emma.
DeleteEven tho, I have lived here most of my life, I had to check on Duck Duck Go. - I am an Illinoisan!
ReplyDeletePlease confirm that the s at the end of Illinois is not pronounced. It's 'Illinoyan' and not 'Illinoysan', right? Thank you, Ellen.
DeleteYou are correct.
DeleteCanada has lots of demonyms. I've never heard the term before. I live in Alberta so I'm an Albertan. Some other demonyms don't sound as easy or nice. I live in the city of Red Deer . Sometimes we are Red Deerians and sometimes we are a Red Deerite. Interesting post.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that it's 'Prince Edward Islander' and 'Nova Scotian' and 'Manitoban' and 'Quebecois', right? But what about New Brunswick (-er, -ite, or -ian?) and Ontario and Nunavut and Yukon and especially 'Newfoundland and Labrador'? Enlighten us, please! Thank you, Red.
DeleteNorfolk people are basically just called Norfolk people. Sometimes we are referred to affectionately as Norfolk Dumplings after the dumplings eaten here although I admit to never having made them myself although my mother did and we had dumplings and stew every week. There is no such county as Wessex; it was a medieval Saxon kingdom of the south of England consisting of many counties but that kingdom as such no longer exists. Yes, it was an interesting post. Rachel
ReplyDeleteI'll forget about Wessex then. What about Sussex? Isn't Norfolk a portmanteau diminuitive ofr 'Northern folk'? And Suffolk 'Southern folk'? Sometimes I am too curious for my own good. Thank you, Rachel.
DeleteI answered for current times as you asked. North Folk and South Folk was medieval times and not used today. Wessex is only 'county' error in your text. Sussex is a county.
DeleteBy the way I will always be a proud Cornhusker,
ReplyDeleteOur oldest son is a true Cornhusker, as he was born at Nebraska Methodist Hospital in Omaha in 1964 while we lived in Bellevue. From our neighborhood we could look across the Missouri River and see Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Thank you again, Emma.
DeleteIn Australia we have
ReplyDeleteVictorians
New South Welshmen ( rarely used and I have never heard a female form)
South Australian
Queenslanders
Territorians
Sand gropers (West Australians) I don't know why they are sand gropers
Tasmanians
and Canberrans. Canberra is a city and all the others are states but nobody would ever say they were from the Australian Capital Territory.
We also have a very specific category which isn't really a demonym but functions to give the same kind of information and that is FIFO (it refers to fly in, fly out miners)
I feel like local identity is a more important thing in the USA than it is here. We might mention our home town or place of origin in passing but probably wouldn't be introduced that way unless it happened to be football season.
I am a New South Welsh (wo)man but I am also a Sydneysider from the St George area. Saying I'm from St George area means something to long term Sydney residents but if I say I'm a St Georgian, that refers to my school and would probably only be used by another St Georgian.
haha, I thinkI just gave you the essay you never wanted!
No, you are wrong, your essay is exactly what I wanted. So people down under are -Ians, -ers, and -ans (Canberrans are definitely not Canberrians). Surely Sand Gropers is more of an unofficial nickname and not an actual demonym. In computer file talk, FIFO means first in, first out as opposed to a LIFO file (last in, first out). All very interesting. Thank you, kylie!
Delete