Dictionary of Southern African Place Names

Driving along the national road, who has not wondered at the eerie portent of the signpost to Moordenaarspoort, or considered the intriguing possibilities of Pampoenkraal or Hotazel? How many people know that the name 'Arniston', of the seaside village on the Cape coast,has no official status, and that its real name is Waenhuiskrans? In this highly readable and entertaining book Peter Raper takes us on a fascinating journey of the highways and byways of Southern Africa,sharing with us the origins of the names of towns and villages,mountains and rivers. Whether you are a motorist, an adventurer or merely an armchair traveller, this book has a multitude of facts and details that will amuse and interest you. Arranged alphabetically for quick and easy reference, this is much more than a reference book. It may be dipped into or read from cover to cover and it contains a wealth of social, linguistic and historical information.