Naming a Lake | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 7, 1882

Naming a Lake.

Years ago, it was discovered that a certain lake, which had long been considered the head of the Mississippi, had no claim to that honor. The explorers found a new and smaller lake from which the great river took its rise. A discussion arose as to what name would be appropriate for it. The story is that it was decided in this way:—

"Let's make a new name by coining a word," said an old voyageur. "Some one of you larned ones tell me what is the Latin for true."

"Veritas," answered a scholar.

"Well, now, what is the Latin for head?"

"Caput."

"Now write the two words together by syllables."

The scholar wrote on a strip of birch bark, "veritas-caput."

"Read it out."

The five syllables were read.

"Now drop the first and last syllables, and you'll have a good name for this lake." And "Itasca" it was.--Advance.