Talk:Knysna

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Can I add a link to a non commercial Webcam at the Heads ?(Knysnamike 05:32, 10 July 2007 (UTC))

[edit] Origin of the name

Where did the funny name of the town come from? --89.55.165.50 09:00, 22 March 2006 (UTC) (de:Benutzer:RokerHRO)

A quick google delivers this:

There is confusion about the derivation of the name of the town, which in turn is taken from the river which forms a lagoon, along the shores of which the town has grown.

One authority claims that it is a corruption of two Khoikhoi words, !goa-//na, meaning “straight down”, and an allusion to the steep cliffs – the Heads – that guard the entrance to the harbour.

But it seems likely that the origin is a Khoikhoi word meaning “fern” or “fern fronds”.

and this:

Local legend has it that when George Rex first laid eyes on Knysna lagoon, he was so captivated by its beauty that he lent over to his wife and whispered: “Nice nê?” with great sincerity. Of course the word Knysna means ‘straight down’ in Khoi and describes the perilous appearance of The Heads. Still, the fictitious name origin is more amusing.

I guess there's no straight-forward answer, but the references to "straight down" seem more frequent than any other. dewet|™ 09:15, 22 March 2006 (UTC)

Thanks a lot for the fast answer. :-) I made a round-trip through S.A. three weeks ago and asked our tour guide. But she just said "The origin of the name is unknown" but her answer was unsatisfactory for me. ;-) --89.55.165.50 11:13, 22 March 2006 (UTC) (de:Benutzer:RokerHRO)

This is really interesting - surely it belongs in a Trivia section in the article itself? Justinep 10:49, 28 August 2006 (UTC)