What's in a Name?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382412)
Rockingham, Australia
March 10, 2016 12:18am CST
I've just read an interesting post by Ron Ryband (@Ronrybs) about how the street names, Gunpowder Square and Wine Office Court, came about. These places are near Fleet Street and the names have relevance to the history of the area.
I was reminded of a sign we saw on a bridge in the wheatbelt area north of Perth, Western Australia. We were on a tour of the wildflower areas and passed over a bridge across a creek. The creek was called Gabbyquoiquoi. As I said in my comment on Rob's post, I can only imagine it is an English transcription of a local aboriginal word. I love the word and I like the photo. I hope you do too.
@silvermist googled the word as did I so I'll add this bit. It seems it is actually three words - Gabby Quoi Quoi and means 'water plenty plenty'. I pronounce it 'gabby kwoy kwoy'. Piece of cake! 
28 people like this
26 responses
@Missmwngi (12915)
• Nairobi, Kenya
10 Mar 16
Ha haa my sentiments as well
Can you read it?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 16
It means 'water plenty plenty' and I think it is pronounced 'gabby kwoy kwoy'.
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
10 Mar 16
I do like the picture.... and am curious as to how that place name would be pronounced .... lol's
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
11 Mar 16
@JudyEv thank you..... that helps.... we have a street here called calle colon.... but it does not mean the same in spanish as it does in the human body.... lol's
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 16
@sueznewz2 I was a bit surprised the first time I came across 'rathaus' in German. I knew 'haus' was 'house' or similar and I thought 'rat' couldn't possibly be the English rat. Even when I knew it was German for Town Hall I still kept processing it as 'rat house'.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
11 Mar 16
we've got purty borin' street names 'round here, lol. i love the sign's well, but please don't ask me to pronounce that! mercy...i've 'nough troubles with 'elm street'.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
11 Mar 16
@JudyEv now see? looks like it sounds purty 'n jest'd roll off the tongue now that'cha broke't down so this tired ol' redneck can get a grip'n how its 'pposed to be pronounced. :D
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
10 Mar 16
Very cute. Where I live, someone decided that naming streets in a foreign language would be fun. It isn't. Most people cannot pronounce them, spell them or remember them, since they do not know what they mean. I am too practical for this. I wish they were all simple, easy to spell and remember.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
11 Mar 16
@JudyEv So the US is not the only place to throw out common sense and make lives more difficult? Sad. 
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Mar 16
@ElizabethWallace We're right into 'make things difficult' don't you worry!
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@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 16
In an endeavour to be politically correct some of our names are aboriginal words which have obscure spellings. They are certainly not GPS friendly. No-one knows how to pronounce them either. They are not easy like 'gabby kwoy kwoy'.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Mar 16
Despite the constant building and naming of new roads and street6s, they arte usually several major roads in every town or city that have names from the very early days.
Two that immediately spring to my mind for my home town are Deansgate and Bradshawgate. These two major roads through the town centre date back to when Bolton was a small town and separate from it's neighbours. The paths led to the Gate towards Deane and the Gate towards Bradshaw.
1 person likes this
@zebra2222 (5268)
• United States
11 Mar 16
I wouldn't begin to figure out how to pronounce that.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
11 Mar 16
I do like the photo. We have weird names for creeks here also.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
10 Mar 16
Beautiful photo and the name is surely a tongue twister.
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11134)
• United Kingdom
10 Mar 16
I love some of the place names that come from Australia. I love that word too! I like words!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 16
I like words too and I love this one. I always have to say it at least twice!
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Mar 16
I watch a lot of Australian TV shows and there are lots of names I can't pronounce and assume they are Aboriginal.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382412)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 16
I wouldn't have thought we'd use a lot of aboriginal names but perhaps we do. I find the New Zealand ones really difficult too.
