[NatureNS] Peter or Peters Island

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:18:17 -0300
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Hi Dave, Paul, & Andy,

In the long run it would be worthwhile to do some historical research =20=

on the origins of the name to determine what spelling is correct. =20
"Peter" is not only a given name but "Peter" and "Peters" are also =20
surnames. Thus "Peter Island", "Peters Island", "Peter's Island", and =20=

"Peters' Island" are all possible spellings depending on the =20
historical origins of the name. It would be worthwhile consulting =20
either:

Wilson, I. (1975) A geography and history of the county of Digby, Nova =20=

Scotia. Bellville, Ontario: Mika, 471 pp.
Hill, A.M. (1901) Some chapters in the early history of Digby County, =20=

and its early settlers. Halifax, NS: McAlpine.

To see if there is any information there on how the name arose.

Getting back to Andy's present question, however, in terms of getting =20=

it "right" on an interpretive panel: for the time being I would go =20
with "Peter Island" since the Gazetteer of Canada and the various maps =20=

of Nova Scotia that I've looked at spell it this way. Other =20
organizations, such as the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society =20=

(http://www.nslps.com/) also call it "Peter Island".

Cheers,

Chris


On 10-Jul-08, at 8:00 AM, Paul S. Boyer wrote:

> Dave,
> I agree with you.  The authority (probably actually a low-level =20
> clerk or draftsman) sometimes assigns a name not even used by =20
> locals.  There also is a phobia against possessives in place names.  =20=

> That may be what is behind the desire to use Peter instead of Peters =20=

> (or really Peter's).  Who knows: maybe they think that they are =20
> making a smaller carbon footprint by saving on ink.
> They generally will not use an apostrophe where it is appropriate.  =20=

> Now Peter's Island sounds to me like a possessive: the island must =20
> have belonged to someone named Peter, or perhaps it was discovered =20
> by him, or he was shipwrecked on it, &c.  There should be an =20
> apostrophe in there, at least in the English language as ordinarily =20=

> used.
>
> Maybe it's early in the morning, or maybe I am just an overly =20
> sensitive English-speaker.  (Note that I am an "English-speaker", =20
> and I will feel strongly motivated to punch out anyone who calls me =20=

> an "anglophone".)
>
> =97Paul
>
> On Jul 10, 2008, at 6:28 AM, Dave/Sharon wrote:
>
>> As a Brier Island resident, born here over 60 years ago this is my =20=

>> slant on this topic: I beleive all the long time residents of =20
>> Westport & Freeport call Peters Island, Peters Island. This is the =20=

>> traditional name used when this island is refered to. Why should an =20=

>> outside, so called authority, give the island another name or have =20=

>> the authority to do so?  It would be like calling Halifax, Halifix. =20=

>> What a riot that would cause. I think the maping people & the =20
>> Gazetter of Canada should amend the name they have given Peters  =20
>> Island.
>> Next!!
>> Dave
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Christopher Majka
>> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>> Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 1:11 AM
>> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Peter or Peters Island
>>
>> Hi Andy,
>>
>> The Gazetter of Canada for Nova Scotia calls it Peter Island.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> On 9-Jul-08, at 11:46 PM, Andy Moir/Chris Callaghan wrote:
>>
>>> Does anyone know the official name of the island between Brier =20
>>> Island and Long Island.  The Nova Scotia map says Peter Island.  =20
>>> The Lighthouse Society website says Peter Island.  Many locals =20
>>> call it Peters Island (Peters is a long standing Islands name).  I =20=

>>> need to use the name in an interpretive panel, and I'd like to get =20=

>>> it right.
>>> Thanks,
>>> Andy
>>
>> Christopher Majka
>> Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  =20=

>> B3H 3A6
>> c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
>>
>>
>>
>>
>


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Hi Dave, Paul, &amp; =
Andy,</div><div><br></div>In the long run it would be worthwhile to do =
some historical research on the origins&nbsp;of the name to determine =
what spelling is correct. "Peter" is not only a given name but "Peter" =
and "Peters" are also surnames. Thus "Peter Island", "Peters Island", =
"Peter's Island", and "Peters' Island" are all possible spellings =
depending on the historical origins of the name. It would be worthwhile =
consulting either:<div><br></div><div>Wilson, I. (1975)&nbsp;A geography =
and history of the county of Digby, Nova Scotia. Bellville, Ontario: =
Mika, 471 pp.</div><div>Hill, A.M. (1901) Some chapters in the early =
history of Digby County, and its early settlers. Halifax, NS: =
McAlpine.</div><div><br></div><div>To see if there is any information =
there on how the name arose.</div><div><br></div><div>Getting back to =
Andy's present question, however, in terms of getting it "right" on an =
interpretive panel: for the time being I would go with "Peter Island" =
since the&nbsp;Gazetteer&nbsp;of Canada and the various maps of Nova =
Scotia that I've looked at spell it this way. Other organizations, such =
as the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society (<a =
href=3D"http://www.nslps.com/)">http://www.nslps.com/)</a> also call =
it&nbsp;"Peter =
Island".</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers,</div><div><br></div><div>Chris</=
div><div><br><div><br><div><div>On 10-Jul-08, at 8:00 AM, Paul S. Boyer =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: =
space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Dave,<div>I agree with =
you. &nbsp;The authority (probably actually a low-level clerk or =
draftsman) sometimes assigns a name not even used by local