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California

English translation: It's from a story

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:California
English translation:It's from a story
Entered by: John Kinory (X)

01:19 Jan 10, 2002
Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO]
/ any
Spanish term or phrase: California
The word defintion of California.
Krissy
It's from a story
Explanation:
See
www.californiahistory.net/text_only/3_1.htm#ISL

Early in the sixteenth century, Spanish writer Garcí Rodríguez Ordóñez de Montalvo published a book called
Las Sergas de Esplandián (The Exploits of Esplandián). One of the characters in this fantasy was Calafía, the queen of California, "more beautiful than all the rest."

Montalvo described this mythical California as an island inhabited solely by black women who lived "in the manner of Amazons."

Historians assume that Montalvo's novel was known to the Spanish explorers who first sailed along the coast of the Baja California peninsula in the early 1500s. Apparently the explorers named the peninsula "California" after the mythical island in the novel. Hernán Cortés, the conqueror of the Aztec empire, reported in 1524 that he expected to find an island of Amazons along the northwest coast of Mexico.

Selected response from:

John Kinory (X)
Local time: 04:52
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5It's from a story
John Kinory (X)
4 +2California
Andrea Bullrich
4Hot oven
Judith Facio


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
It's from a story


Explanation:
See
www.californiahistory.net/text_only/3_1.htm#ISL

Early in the sixteenth century, Spanish writer Garcí Rodríguez Ordóñez de Montalvo published a book called
Las Sergas de Esplandián (The Exploits of Esplandián). One of the characters in this fantasy was Calafía, the queen of California, "more beautiful than all the rest."

Montalvo described this mythical California as an island inhabited solely by black women who lived "in the manner of Amazons."

Historians assume that Montalvo's novel was known to the Spanish explorers who first sailed along the coast of the Baja California peninsula in the early 1500s. Apparently the explorers named the peninsula "California" after the mythical island in the novel. Hernán Cortés, the conqueror of the Aztec empire, reported in 1524 that he expected to find an island of Amazons along the northwest coast of Mexico.




    Reference: http://www.californiahistory.net/text_only/3_1.htm#ISL
John Kinory (X)
Local time: 04:52
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X): I'll be darn!
17 mins
  -> Indeed :-))
agree  Atenea Acevedo (X)
2 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Alexandra Tussing: How interesting
2 hrs
  -> That's what I thought :-)
agree  athena22: I'd heard of Calafia, but never knew the rest... Amazing!
3 hrs
  -> Thanks :-))
agree  Sue Goldian: Amazing...I never knew that and I was born there!
4 hrs
  ->  And I've just been to San Francisco, one of my fav cities, and never knew that till today - not even about Calafia
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
California


Explanation:
Hi Krissy!

I'm not sure this is what you need, but in case it's just the name, it is the same in Spanish and in English. If what you need is information regarding the name "California", here's some info for you from the first site in the reference:

"How was California named?
The answer to the quiz question:
There are several theories regarding the naming of California. The US Governement produced a paper in 1878 in which the naming of California was mentioned. That paper suggested that the name was of Spanish origin, whereas two early Jesuits believed that the name was of Greek or Latin origin, and was a corruption or misinterpretation of an Indian word. There were other proponents for Indian naming, while some say that a book written in the early 1500's was the source. One early sailor who was with Cortes wrote that that was the name Cortes gave to the area now known as California."

The second site gives more information:
"The name California is first used in a romance novel published in Spain 1510 and written by Garcia Ordoñez de Montalvo, the translator of the Amadis de Gaul, and called Las Sergas de Esplandián, or "Adventures of Esplandian". The Sergas is often referred to as the fifth book of the Amadis. In this book, which was an extremely popular piece of literature at the time of the conquest of Mexico, there is an island called California. By "California" there was implied insularity coupled with riches."



HTH
Andrea



    Reference: http://www.jspub.com/
    Reference: http://www.walika.com/sr/cal-chron.htm
Andrea Bullrich
Local time: 00:52
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 435

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  athena22
3 hrs
  -> thanks :-)
agree  Alexandra Tussing
2 days 3 hrs
  -> thank you :-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Hot oven


Explanation:
This is not based on any legend or story, I am just guessing, from the words 'calor', 'caliente' (hot) and 'horno', wich in old Castillian would have not lost yet its original 'f' from Latin. Does anyone agree??

Judith Facio
Local time: 05:52
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 22
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