214 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



forms are used in all of the government publications. This board does 

 not attempt to alter any existing usage, but simply where several forms 

 are in use to select the best, i.e., "that which is most appropiiate and 

 euphonious." Its decisions are, of course, not binding on any one except 

 the government bureaus, but no doubt the manifest advantage of con- 

 formity to it will lead to wide acceptance. We have in New Brunswick 

 many cases of irregular usage, such as Lepreau and Lepreaux ; Bay 

 Chaleur, Baie des Chaleurs; Nepisiguit, Nepisiquit, Nipisiquit; Meogones, 

 Manawoganish ; Kennebecasis, Kennebeccasis, etc. ; Noi-th Esk, Xorthesk, 

 and others. The application of the principles we have been considering 

 will always show which of the forms should be preferred. Thus, other 

 things being equal, a shorter form is preferable to a longer, partly 

 because more convenient and partly because words are tending that way, 

 and all surplus letters are better dropped. Kenehecasis and Misper are 

 better than the longer forms. The history of the word will often help ; 

 thus, Nepisi(jait, Lepreau and Chaleur are better than the other forms. 

 All signs, as the apostrophe, hyphens, etc., are better dropped, as not only 

 inconvenient to use, but also unnecessary in words which are no longer 

 common nouns but proper place-names ; thus Maces, not Mace's Bay, 

 and Teteât/aiiehe, not Tête-à Gauche. Words run together are better thus 

 Ihan separated; thus. Belledunc not Belle Dune. In the dictionary I 

 have tried to point out all such cases and to indicate the best forms, and 

 thus, in some measure, to make it a standard list of our place-names. 



As to the names for the future all that can be done is to suggest 

 some which would be both convenient and appropriate. The revival of 

 Indian names is not easy on account of ditlicultics of pronunciation, but 

 is possible, especially if the principles controlling the shortening and 

 fiimiliarization of the Indian names we now have could be codified and 

 applied to new ones. The result would be, I am sure, a great number of 

 dignified and melodious words ; but this is a delightful task for some 

 future student. But ready to our hands are many good names. There 

 are all the beautiful seigniorial names of the French period ; none could 

 be more pleasing, and if applied, as they should be, at or near their 

 proper localities, none could be more appropriate or useful in illustration 

 of the local history. Then there are some of the old township or grant 

 names possessing good qualities. There are also those of the leading 

 loyalists, the founders of New Brunswick. Some of them, but not all, 

 are thus honoured as they should be ; Edward Winslow is a conspicuous 

 omission. There are also a number of extinct Indian names available, as 

 Woolastook, Ourangahena, Mednrfir, Chai-odi, Mhiaqtia. 



It is surely better to revive these ancient names, part of our own 

 history, pleasant sounding and distinctive as they are, than to adopt 

 those which are the heritage of other countries, or those which, though 

 our own, are but trivial. 



