Monroe Lake or Lake Monroe? : Prosodic, Grammatical, and Semantic Influences on Word Order in US Place Names

Abstract

This paper describes prosodic, grammatical, semantic, and other lexical characteristics that influence the choice between “X Lake” and “Lake X” in US place names. Prosodically, the incidence of “Lake X” rises relative to “X Lake” when “X” is a disyllabic word with iambic rather than trochaic stress (e.g., “guitar” versus “glacier”). This pattern is consistent with a preference for rhythmic alternation in English, which is maintained when trochaic “X” appears in “X Lake” and iambic “X” in “Lake X”. Grammatically, “X Lake” increases in likelihood with the tendency for “X” to be used as an adjective, maintaining the standard adjective-noun word order in English noun phrases. Semantically, “Lake X” is more likely when “X” is a proper name or expresses positive sentiment, suggesting that a notion of psychological “prominence” affects the choice between “X Lake” and “Lake X”, with the latter, rarer word order associated with heightened psychological prominence. Finally, “Lake X” likelihood increases with the number of syllables and frequency of use of “X”. Implications and directions for further research are discussed, such as how to better characterize naming patterns that are attributed to the “euphony” they create and what are avenues for refining our understanding of psychological “prominence”.