Mapping vocabulary

What is a cay? And a fjord? Discover the meaning of 10 geographical terms

Image: Andrew Neel

Geography, like all academic disciplines, has its own vocabulary and terminology. Concerned with everything from physical phenomena of the planet to social interactions, geographers have many specialized terms and concepts. You’ve probably used some of the words in this list. Do atlas, fjord, geyser, lagoon, and volcano ring a bell? Yet, do you know exactly what they mean or where they originated? In this article, we are going through 10 terms that will turn you into a true geographer!

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An atlas is a collection of maps bound in a volume or book, but have you ever wondered why we call it that? The story is quite interesting and has to do with Greek mythology. Atlas was a member of the older family of Gods, a Titan. It is believed that in Ancient Greek, Atlas meant "The Bearer of the Heavens."

So, what’s the connection with maps? Apparently, it was so named because some early collections showed a representation of Atlas supporting the heavens on his shoulders. The first documented use of the term dates back to 1595 when a collection by the German-Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator was published. In the preface, Mercator explains why he chose this particular allusion: He considered Titan Atlas to be the first great geographer.

Image: Dong Zhang

In English fjord is a term applied to a deep and narrow inlet in the coast caused by the submergence of a deep glacial valley, with high rocky parallel sides, hanging valleys, and an irregular rocky floor. However, in Norwegian, it has a more general meaning and often refers to any long, narrow body of water, inlet, or channel.

The word fjord derives from the Old Norse fjǫrðr, meaning a "lake-like body of water used for passage" and is closely related to ferð, which means "traveling, ferrying, journey". Sounds familiar? Well, the English words ferry and fare have the same origin.

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A geyser is a hot spring that intermittently, sometimes at regular intervals, throws up a jet of hot water and steam in areas that are or were volcanic. We can find famous examples of geysers in the volcanic districts of Iceland and in the United States, for example, in Yellowstone National Park.

The English word geyser originated in the late 18th century and was borrowed from Geysir, which is the name of a specific hot spring in the valley of Haukadal, Iceland. In turn, geysir comes from the Old Norse term geysa, meaning "to gush".

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Jungle is a word brought home from India by the British in the 18th century. It derives from the Hindi and Marathi term jangal, which means desert, wasteland, or uncultivated ground. This land was frequently covered with scrub and tangled vegetation, including long grass.

In turn, jangal comes from the Sanskrit word jaṅgala, meaning rough and arid. Today, the term jungle is used popularly for any type of tropical forest with thick undergrowth.

Image: Jacob Lawler

A volcano is a rift or vent in the Earth’s crust through which molten material erupts in the form of hot lava, gases, volcanic ash, and dust. In the United States, there are about 170 potentially active volcanoes, including Mount St. Helens in southwestern Washington, the Lassen Volcanic Center in California, the Yellowstone Caldera in Wyoming, and Kilauea in Hawaii.

The earliest known use of the word volcano in English dates from the early 1600s in the works of Samuel Purchas, a British compiler of travel and discovery writings. It comes from the Latin word Vulcan, the Ancient Roman god of fire. The name was first used by the Romans to refer to Mount Etna, an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy.

Image: Marc Eggert

Tundra is the area comprising the barren plains of northern Canada, Alaska, and Eurasia. There's also an alpine tundra and an Antarctic tundra. It's a treeless region characterized by long, very cold winters and permafrost, where vegetation is restricted to mosses, lichens, and dwarf shrubs.

Since this particular biome includes vast areas of northern Russia, it makes sense that the word tundra has a Russian origin. It derives from the term tundar, from the Finno-Ugric languages of the Sami people, meaning "elevated wasteland, high-topped hill," or "a marshy plain".

Image: Hendrik Morkel

Nowadays, we use the word archipelago to refer to a group of islands scattered close to a sea. However, in Medieval Greek, archipelago was the proper name for the Aegean Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean where numerous large and small islands emerged from the clear blue waters.

Archipelago derives from the Ancient Greek arkhi, meaning "chief" and pélagos, "sea". The term was later applied to any sea over which numerous islands are dispersed, and more recently simply to the islands themselves.

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Another geographic term we borrowed form Russian is steppe. Steppe refers to the treeless midlatitude grassland stretching from central Europe to southern Siberia in Asia. Steppes can also be found in other regions, such as Patagonia in South America, western Canada, the northern part of Mexico, and the Great Basin region in the United States.

The word was introduced in Western Europe by German geographer and explorer Alexander von Humboldt in the early 19th century. It derives from the German steppe, which in turn comes from the Russian step, meaning "flat grassy plain."

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Are you familiar with the Florida Keys? What about the Elbow Cays in the Bahamas? And Cayo Grande off the coast of Venezuela? Although they are spelled slightly differently, all these places respond to the same geographical feature. A cay or key is a low island of sand and coral fragments, built up by waves on a reef-flat drying at low water. Cays occur in tropical environments in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans.

But where does the word come from? Cay derives from the Spanish word cayo, which originates from cairi, the Taíno word for "small island". The spelling key, most used in American English, was probably influenced by the Middle English word key, meaning "wharf" or from the Old French kai, which means "sand bank".

Image: Yegor Chuperka

In this article, we have learned about the origin of geographical terms whose etymology derives from Greek, Old Norse, Spanish, and Sanskrit. Now it’s the turn of Italian. A lagoon is a shallow area of salt or brackish coastal water completely or partly separated from the open sea by some more or less effective obstacle, such as a low sandbank.

The word lagoon derives from the Italian laguna, which refers to the waters around Venice. It was such a specific term that it was used in this way in English until the 17th century. Later, it was anglicized to lagune, to finally take the form we use today —lagoon— in the late 18th century at the hand of none other than Captain James Cook.

You’ve been lied to!

Truth or myth: Does garlic really keep mosquitoes away?

Image: National Cancer Institute

You’ve surely heard that staying out in the cold will give you a cold, right? But is that true? And what about cracking your knuckles? Is that habit really so harmful? Science may have medicine’s back, but it’s not free from myths and misconceptions. Regardless of where they come from, we all believe some things to be true… but aren’t!

Today, we’re putting six common medical myths to the test. Place your bets before you get to the next section; some might surprise you, others might make you laugh, but all will set the record straight once and for all!

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Many people worry that using a microwave to heat or cook food zaps away the nutrients, making meals less healthy.

Why? Since microwaves use electromagnetic waves, some believe they might be harmful, similar to radiation exposure. Others think traditional cooking methods like boiling or steaming are better at preserving nutrients.

So, what do you think? Is your microwave secretly robbing your food of its goodness?

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Good news: your microwave is not ruining your food! In fact, microwaving can help preserve nutrients better than many other cooking methods.

Nutrient loss mainly depends on temperature, cooking time, and how much water is used. Since microwaves cook food quickly and with minimal water, they actually retain more vitamins than boiling or frying.

And as for radiation? Microwaves use safe, non-ionizing radiation, nothing like nuclear energy. You’re safe to go!

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Your parents or grandparents may have warned you never to go to bed with wet hair or you’d wake up with the sniffles. (Why does everything end the same way?) The idea seems reasonable, being cold and damp does feel like a recipe for illness, right? But can a little leftover shower moisture really put you out of commission? What’s your answer?

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This is also a myth! While sleeping with wet hair might be uncomfortable, it won’t actually give you a cold. Colds are caused by viruses, which you can only catch from other people, not from chilly air or damp pillows.

However, wet hair can make your pillow damp, which could create a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus. Needless to say, you might wake up needing more than just a gentle brush. But as for catching a cold? No virus, no problem!

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Some people believe that fruit and veggie skins are dirty, hard to digest, or even unhealthy. Are you one of them?

Others think peeling removes pesticides and makes produce safer to eat, and that kind of makes sense. So much so that grocery store produce sections are full of pre-peeled options, reinforcing the idea that skinless is better. But what if you’re actually throwing away some of the best parts?

Image: Sharon Pittaway

Peeling produce removes fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, which are often most concentrated in the skin. For example, an unpeeled apple contains up to 300% more vitamin K and 140% more vitamin A than a peeled one.

Potato skins are loaded with vitamin C, and citrus peels contain powerful antioxidants. Instead of peeling, make sure you wash your produce thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticides. Your bod—and your taste buds—will thank you!

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For years, people have warned against cracking their knuckles, claiming it could lead to painful arthritis later in life.

The noise it makes reinforces the idea that something is breaking in there, don’t you think? Many parents, and countless teachers, scold knuckle-crackers, fearing they’ll regret it when they’re older. But does this everyday habit really put you on the fast track to arthritis? Place your bets before you keep reading!

Image: Scheich Méshaël Zāhedd

Despite the dramatic popping sound, cracking your knuckles doesn’t cause arthritis. So where does that sound come from? It’s actually gas bubbles in the joint fluid bursting, not bones rubbing together.

Multiple studies have found no link between knuckle cracking and joint problems. However, if you experience pain or swelling, that could signal an underlying issue, and you should see a doctor. And of course… stop that pop!

Image: Monique Carrati

If you ever had breakouts as a teenager, chances are someone told you to lay off the chocolate, right? That’s because many people believe that chocolate, especially the sugary or oily kind, triggers pimples and skin problems.

With so many acne products marketed toward diet-conscious consumers, it’s easy to assume that sweets are to blame. But how bad is chocolate, really?

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There’s no solid scientific proof that eating chocolate directly causes acne. Acne is mainly caused by hormones, genetics, and skin bacteria, not specific foods.

That said, diets high in sugar and processed foods can contribute to inflammation, which may worsen breakouts. So if you think chocolate affects your skin, try switching to dark chocolate, which contains less sugar and more antioxidants.

Image: Erik Karits

Have you ever been told to eat some garlic to naturally repel all those mosquitoes eating you alive? Where does this belief come from?

The idea likely stems from the fact that garlic’s sulfur compounds can seep through your pores, supposedly making you less appealing to bugs. It’s a popular home remedy, but does it really work?

Image: Sanjay Dosajh

Unfortunately, there’s no scientific proof that eating garlic repels mosquitoes. We’re heartbroken too, don’t worry!

A 2005 study found no difference in mosquito bites between people who ate garlic and those who didn’t. Instead, mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide, sweat, body heat, and certain scents. If you want to keep them away, use repellent, wear long sleeves, and eliminate standing water. Garlic plays no part here!