1914I Certain Place Names in the Georgian Bay 127 



ON THE DERIVATION OF CERTAIN PLACE-NAMES 

 IN THE GEORGIAN BAY. 



By Percy J. Robinson, M.A. 



{Read 14th February, 1914) 



It is proposed to consider the derivation of the following names: — 

 Penetanguishene, Matchedash, Waubaushene, Cognashene, Minnacog- 

 nashene, Waubic, Muskoka, Muskosh, Go-Home, Madawaska. 



1. Penetanguishene: 



Peter Jones gives the meaning "cavings and bank"; Dr. Scadding, 

 "the place of the falling sands"; Bonny castle, "white rolling sands"; 

 Another, "look it is falling sand". 



Besides the spelling given above the form Penetangushene occurs 

 in early maps. Kohl in "Kitchi-Gami" gives Penangouishing. Peter 

 Jones states that the word should be pronounced, Pe-nuh-dau-wung-o- 

 sheeng. Bonnycastle gives Pen-et-awn-gu-shene. 



The derivation is as follows (chiefly on the authority of Captain 

 Kelton) : Matawa = " sand ". The termination ika added to a noun means 

 plenty or abundance, e.g., minika = " plenty of berries" (mw = a berry). 

 Matawangka or mitawanga = 'a. sand bank", —ashk is a common ter- 

 mination meaning grass. So mitawangashk = " a. grassy sand bank". 

 — ing is a locative termination; niitawangashking = " place of the grassy 

 sand bank". The first part of the word is from the root of the verb pun- 

 geshin "to fall". Hence Punfmvangashking, " the place of the falling 

 grassy sandbank". The disappearance of the initial syllable of mit- 

 awanga is an illustration of a common rule in the formation of compounds 

 in Algonquin languages. 



The meaning given by Bonnycastle would seem to connect the word 

 with an Algonquin word penud "it is clear" instanced by Schoolcraft. 



2. Matchedash spelled also Matched ashk. 



Either from Ojibway "muchie'' or " matchi" ^had, and the termina- 

 tion — ashk == grass, alluding to the barrenness of the region to the north, 



