Page:Artificial Indigenous Place Names in Brazil.pdf/11



5.2.1.4 Replacement of a Tupi origin name with another name of that same origin

Andirá (State of Paraná) and Abaetetuba (State of Pará) – Such names are examples of another modality of formation of appropriate artificial toponyms, in which a name of Tupi origin was substituted by another name in that language, both already incorporated in the Portuguese lexicon.

The municipality of Andirá, formerly called Ingá, was a district of Cambará, PR. When it was elevated to the category of municipality, in 1943, it had to change its name because there was already another municipality with the same name in the state of Paraná, which was forbidden by the above mentioned Decree-Law n. 5.901 of president Getúlio Vargas.

The place name Abaetetuba (composition of abaeté - very good man, a term incorporated into the Portuguese lexicon + tyba - assemblage, existence: assemblage of very good men) replaced a previous name, Abaeté, of a municipality in Pará, by virtue of the same Decree-Law n. 5,901 of 1943.

5.2.1.5 Original onomastic creation:

Itajá (State of Rio Grande do Norte) – This toponym is an example of an original name, not inspired by a previous name nor taken from Portuguese dictionaries. It was artificially attributed to the village of Lopes, elevated to the status of a municipality in 1992. It is a correct composition: itá - stone + îá: crowding, fullness: full of stones.

5.2.2. Inappropriate place names: examples of some modalities

5.2.2.1. Geographically inadequate toponyms

Miracatu (State of São Paulo) – This name is a correct composition in Nheengatu, spoken in Northern Brazil. Nevertheless, it was attributed to a place situated in Southeastern Brazil, where that Amazonian language was never spoken. It was attributed by state law in 1944.

Itaocara (State of Rio de Janeiro) – This is a correct composition in old Tupi, but it is a name given to the old Aldeia da Pedra, of the Puris and Coroados Indians, of the trunk Macro-Jê. The name of that city situated in state of Rio de Janeiro was given in 1850 and it is older than other artificial place names having Ancient Tupi origin.

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