Place-names in the Sitiawan Area, Perak

K. E. Chan, George CHO, S. H. Khoo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

An exercise in nomenclature can throw interesting light on the settlement history of an area. The location, site and situation of each of the place-names could in fact be incorporated into each place-name, which can thus authenticate, or can be authenticated by, a feature or features on the landscape. Place-names, when taken in the context of the geography of the area, can also commemorate events or personages, real or mythical, a locality being thus imbued with associations at once romantic. Coloured by romance, however, historical verisimilitude then is but an incidental consideration. Frequently, place-names just serve the mundane purpose of designation, the convenient presence of such features as trees, rocks, bays and others providing the root terms for the names. Even here though, it is possible to be adventurous and the rocks and stones and trees can be conceived fancifully, or even in the full force of belief, in terms of their semblances of animals shapes or of their magical properties. They can also be interpreted as petrifications of human forms (usually heroes or heroines, or ill-fated lovers) or as having historical pertinence in being touched by, or sat upon, or having sheltered some legendary or supernatural personalities.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)185-194
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Southeast Asian Studies
Volume2
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1971
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Place-names in the Sitiawan Area, Perak'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this