Demerara

See also: demerara

English

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Demerara

Etymology

The placename derives from an Arawakan word. Perhaps Malali ("fast running stream"), which would have originally been the name of a section of rapids, from which the Dutch called the whole river de Malali ("the Malali"), which (with incorporation of the definite article into the name, and alternation of l and r) became Demerara.^[1] Alternatively, perhaps Immenary or Dumaruni meaning “river of the letterwood”. The sugar is so-called because it was grown in the region around the river.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɛməˈɹɛəɹə/, /dɛməˈɹɑːɹə/
(General American) IPA^(key): /dɛməˈɹɛɹə/, /dɛməˈɹɑɹə/

Proper noun

Demerara

The Demerara River, a river which rises in the rainforests of Guyana and flows north to the Atlantic Ocean, which the country's capital of Georgetown is situated on.
A region of Guyana in South America, Essequebo en Demerary (Essequibo and Demerara), formerly a Dutch (later British) colony, located around the lower courses of this river.

Noun

Demerara (countable and uncountable, plural Demeraras)

A type of natural, unrefined or partially refined cane sugar, which is light brown in colour, particularly used in pastries and biscuits like shortbread.
A dark rum, made in Guyana using molasses and this sugar, mainly used for blending.
- 2010, Charmaine A. Nelson, Ebony Roots, Northern Soil: Perspectives on Blackness in Canada, page 314, quoting Yardley (a seaman in Canada circa 1900):
  He related, “Down home we used to drink Demerara and when I was a lot younger than I am now I'd always get embarrassed, not being able to take it neat like most of them. You need a bull's gullet for neat Demerara."

Alternative forms

References

^ Silvia Kouwenberg, A Grammar of Berbice Dutch Creole (2011), page 583: Bennett (1985:10) gives the following etymology for Demerara: A few kilometers up the Demerara river is a series of rapids called Malali, which in Arawak means fast running stream. The entire river was given the name Malali. According to Bennett, the Dutch custom of writing 'de Malali' resulted in incorporation of the definite article into the noun, later followed by change of l to r."

[1] Silvia Kouwenberg, A Grammar of Berbice Dutch Creole (2011), page 583: Bennett (1985:10) gives the following etymology for Demerara: A few kilometers up the Demerara river is a series of rapids called Malali, which in Arawak means fast running stream. The entire river was given the name Malali. According to Bennett, the Dutch custom of writing 'de Malali' resulted in incorporation of the definite article into the noun, later followed by change of l to r."

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