Toponymy of Snagov
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Names of places in Snagov are mostly of Slavic origin, but some have Latin, Turkic, or even Arabic origin.
Etymology of Snagov
The name "Snagov" comes from the Proto-Slavic sněgъ, itself coming from the Proto-Balto-Slavic snáigas, meaning "snow". The "-ov" suffix is slavic and is commonly used for place names. The modern Snagovian word for "snow" is снєагъ. All Slavic languages' word for snow is similar. The first attested use of this name is from 23 March 1408, in a deed of Mircea the Elder, which referred to the Snagov Monastery.
It's theorized that the name has been used to refer to the region since the Slavic migrations to the Balkans in the 6th century. The Slavs probably named the region after the first thing they saw there, which was the frozen Lake Snagov, which resembled a sheet of snow.
Etymology of Siliștea
The name "Siliștea" comes from the Snagovian word siliște ("population centre"). The Snagovian word itself comes from Old Church Slavonic селище (selište), which comes from Proto-Slavic selište, which itself comes from the Proto-Slavic selo ("village") + Proto-Slavic -ište ("place of"). The name was used informally to refer to all the villages in the area, and in 1964, with the Siliștean unification taking place, it became official.
Etymology of Siliștean raions
| Etymology of Siliștean raions |
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The name "Cernograd" is a combination of two Snagovian words. Cern ("black") + grad ("town"). Both words are of Slavic origin. The name Black Town refers to the fertile black soils of the raion, where agriculture is practiced.
The name "Coadele" is an archaic plural version of the Romanian word coadă ("tail"). The word is of Latin origin. It refers to Lake Snagov's narrow river-like "tails" in the area of the raion.
The name "Maidanu" comes from the Romanian word maidan ("open space"), a Ottoman Turkish loanword, میدان (meydan, “square, open space”), from Persian میدان (meydân), from Arabic مَيْدَان (maydān). The name refers to the big square plain in the area of the raion.
The name "Coșarna" comes from the Romanian word coșarnă. The coșarnă is a traditional Snagovian basket made out of reed. The word is of Slavic origin. It's presumed the name was given to the area after the inhabitans who were known for producing these kinds of baskets.
The name "Dumbrava" comes from the Romanian word dumbravă ("small or young forest"), itself coming from Old Church Slavonic дѫбрава (dǫbrava), from Proto-Slavic dǫbrava. The name references the forests of the area.
The name "Pescari" is the plural version of the Romanian word pescar ("fisherman"). The word is of Latin origin. Even though the area itself does not border any body of water, its inhabitants were known for their love for fishing, travelling frequently to both the Ialomița river and to Lake Snagov to fish.
This raion was named after Anthim the Iberian, a priest of Georgian origin, who settled in the modern-day raion to work at the Snagov Monastery, where he printed thousands of books that were sold in markets all around the Old World. "Antim Ivireanul" is the Romanian form of his English name.
The name "Turbați" is the plural version of the Romanian word turbat ("person suffering from rabies"). The word is of Latin origin. This name traces its origin to the local church with the same name. People from all over the region, suffering from rabies came to get treated by the nuns at said church. The nuns used the locally infamous "tongue-cutting procedure".
This raion was named after Saint Nicholas. In the territory of the raion stands the Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, an important church in the village of Siliștea. "Sfântul Nicolae" is the Romanian form of his English name. |