Conanicut Island

English

Etymology

From Narragansett, said to be named after chief Canonicus.^[1] The name Canonicus is in turn a Latinization of Qunnouone,^[2] which has been said to be from *qunni (“long, tall”).^[3]^[4] The ending -ut indicates the locative.^[5] Some sources directly translate Conanicut as "long place".

Proper noun

Conanicut Island

An island in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, United States, comprising the populated part of Jamestown.

References

^ J. R. Cole (1888) “Town of Jamestown”, in Richard Mather Bayles, editor, History of Newport County, Rhode Island, New York: L. E. Preston & Co., →OCLC, page 723
^ James D. Knowles (1834) Memoir of Roger Williams, Boston: Lincoln, Edmands, & Co., →OCLC, page 307, quoting a 1659 deed, possibly by William Harris
^ Frederick J. Dockstader (1977) “Canonicus”, in Great North American Indians, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, →ISBN, page 49
^ James Hammond Trumbull (1903) “qunni”, in Natick Dictionary, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 140
^ William O. Bright (2004) “Conanicut Island”, in Native American Placenames of the United States, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, →ISBN, page 116

[1] J. R. Cole (1888) “Town of Jamestown”, in Richard Mather Bayles, editor, History of Newport County, Rhode Island, New York: L. E. Preston & Co., →OCLC, page 723

[2] James D. Knowles (1834) Memoir of Roger Williams, Boston: Lincoln, Edmands, & Co., →OCLC, page 307, quoting a 1659 deed, possibly by William Harris

[3] Frederick J. Dockstader (1977) “Canonicus”, in Great North American Indians, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, →ISBN, page 49

[4] James Hammond Trumbull (1903) “qunni”, in Natick Dictionary, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 140

[5] William O. Bright (2004) “Conanicut Island”, in Native American Placenames of the United States, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, →ISBN, page 116

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