Not my evidence, but rather from an obscure series of books. The idea was apparently to tie in the Templars with Freemasons, (which the Simpsons spoofed so brilliantly via the Stonecutters!), the Shroud of Turin, and other relics. It was a looong time ago I read these things, and I forget the authors’ names, (they claimed to be Masonic insiders) but similar findings can be had in the easier-to-find Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, and The Temple and the Blood, by M. Baigent et al.
A picture of the stone in question was included in the book…it’s a badly weathered bit of rock with a Templar cross (similar to the one claimed as the Celtic Cross.)
Flimsy to be sure, but not at all impossible.
Latin certainly did have a G. At least classic Latin did. I suppose if you go back to very early Latin, it didn’t have one. I’m not sure that someone in the 16th century would change a G to a C for that reason.
I think it’s more likely the -ica was seen as a geographical ending, as in Africa, Amorica, Corsica, Illyrica, and more that don’t occur to me right now.
I don’t know if I’m correct, but did anyone consider that perhaps the man who wrote it didn’t know how to spell Amerigo’s name right and guessed a ca instead of a go? Or that his name was America in reality but over time it got truncated into Amerigo? Or that the land was Amerigo and got truncated into America? Or that both are a mistake and some kind of middle is correct, as, say, Ameriga?
If you do not understand satire, discontinue reading this post.
Maybe an American from the future came back in time and suggested to Vespucci’s mom that she name her child America. Only said time traveller didn’t spell it out for her, so her best guess was Amerigo. So Amerigo got that name spelled Amerigo but pronounced America. When they named the land they decided to end the confusing $hi† and name the land America, spelled America, pronounced America. Over time Amerigo’s name lost the distinct pronunciation and came to be pronounced as it was written, Amerigo.
Since the American got it from Amerigo’s name, and Amerigo’s name was suggested by the time traveller, THERE WAS NO SOURCE FOR THE WORD! Debate solved!
I don’t know if I’m correct, but did anyone consider that perhaps the man who wrote it didn’t know how to spell Amerigo’s name right and guessed a ca instead of a go? Or that his name was America in reality but over time it got truncated into Amerigo? Or that the land was Amerigo and got truncated into America? Or that both are a mistake and some kind of middle is correct, as, say, Ameriga?
If you do not understand satire, discontinue reading this post.
Maybe an American from the future came back in time and suggested to Vespucci’s mom that she name her child America. Only said time traveller didn’t spell it out for her, so her best guess was Amerigo. So Amerigo got that name spelled Amerigo but pronounced America. When they named the land they decided to end the confusing $hi† and name the land America, spelled America, pronounced America. Over time Amerigo’s name lost the distinct pronunciation and came to be pronounced as it was written, Amerigo.
Since the American got it from Amerigo’s name, and Amerigo’s name was suggested by the time traveller, THERE WAS NO SOURCE FOR THE WORD! Debate solved!
Satire? Isn’t that an X-shaped thingy on a shield?
Dan Tilque