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On the Eastern Shore of Maryland, tuckahoe (pronounced tuk-a-ho) refers to an edible root that grows along the river edges of the lower shore.
Just thought I’d throw that in, to help muddy the waters.
Hello Forest,
Thanks for your input. The pronunciation of Tuckahoe as you know it, is the same way we say it in Virginia. As far as I’m concerned you didn’t muddy up the waters. Thanks again! 🙂
Sincerely,
CoheesLady
hi Dennis,
I have never questioned your ancesrty nor do I intend to do so. I believe you are who you say you are, more that likely.
I only question i.] That Tuckahoe and Tokyo are words that are “somehow” related. AND ii.] that Coree and Korea are “somehow” related. It is a coincidence that they sound alike and that is all. You have shown no evidence that this is anything more than a coincidence. Such coincidences are very common.
For the third time, you can prove it is more than a coincidence by i.] showing say 100 Japanese or Korean words are very similar to words spoken by the original inhabitants of Virginia and Maryland AND ii.] that these similar sounding words also have similar meaniings. THEN and only then do you have any evidence to support the idea that the words have a common point of origin and only then can you assume that what you have discovered is anything more than a simple coincidence.
For instance, the fact that an Indian Chief was once named “Roman Nose” is NOT evidence of Romans once coming to America. The word “Turkey” as a name of a bird native to the Americas is not evidence that Turks came to America, Dennis. Likewise, a word that sounds a little like Tokyo (ie Tuckahoe) is not evidence the Japanese came to Maryland or Virginia or vice versa, that the Pamunkee or others once visited Japan and/or Korea.
Please address these two points only as these 2 points are all I am questioning and this is all I ever intended to question, to the best of my recollection.
best wishes,
vance
Thank you Forest and CoheeLady. Your comments are enlightening.
Dennis, where are you finding these “definitions”? My Webster’s Unabridged Dictonary”, the one I keep here at home, and I used it in college, it is a good dictionary. It says under “Tuckahoe” — 1.] Also called Indian Bread, the edible unerground sclerotium of the fungus porta cocos, found on the roots of trees in the Southern United States. 2.] A Virginian, especially one inhabiting the lowland East of the Blue Ridge. [Algonquin, Va. dial., tockawhoughe it is a globular.] AND Tuckahoe — A town in Southeast New York.
Well after looking that up I had to look up the word “globular” and see what that was . . . the definition that appears to pertain to “words” says “pertaining to the whole world, world wide, global.” I believe that means the original word the modern word “Tuckahoe” originated from was “tock-a-who-u-ghe” — I’m guessing on the pronounciation here and the syllables.
No mention of “an Eastern King” is made.
When I looked up “Tokyo” it gave no clue as to an original meaning, but it did say “formerly Yeddo, Yedo, and Edo.” This makes me think it is not an ancient word, as the place in historic times was even known by another name. Perhaps in Japanese it was the place of an Eastrn King, but there is no evidence that the Algonquin people used it to mean that.
Please when you say a word means something, please Dennis, provide a definition that can be verified as vaild. That is if you have access to a Japanese/English dictionary, quote it. But since Japanese is irrevelant to the study of Early Americans, before quoting it you need to show there is relevance to it, by showing a connection as I suggested, by findiing a hundred words that sound the same and have similar meanings . . .
If you can do that i’ll back you up 100 pecent, Dennis.
Coree is not in the dictionary.
vance
To All,
First I want to thank you Vance for your kind words. Also your definitions of Tuckahoe match the ones I have read about.
While at the Pamunkey Indian Reservation’s Museum my husband and I watched an educational video regarding the Pamunkey Tribe. This video, if I’m not mistaken was put together by the Tribe. I was pleasantly surprised to hear the word Tuckahoe spoken while listening to this video tape. The word Tuckahoe was pronounced just like I have always said it, Tuck-a-hoe. In my previous post I stated that the pronunciation of tuckahoe had a emphasis on the T’. I unforunately separated the T from the rest of the word, which was incorrect. That’s what I get for spending too many late nights on the computer! 🙂
The English settlers couldn’t stand the taste of the tuckahoe root. So they “allowed” the Va. Indians to gather the root, as it was of no value to the English. English food is nasty, what do they know.
Vance, the second definition of tuckahoe that you provided reminded me of something someone once told me. They said, “If your people are from the wrong side of the Va. mountains you shouldn’t admit to it.” This lady went on to explain that if your ancestors aren’t from the right side of the mountains then they will be looked down upon.
Sincerely,
Cohees lady
Thank you Cohee Lady —
All I know about the definition was what it said, really.
I too thought it was interesting that a “Tuckahoe” was a Virginian from a certain region of Virginia. Also I thought what it said about the Algonquin origin of the word was interesting, as below —
[Algonquin, Va. dial., tockawhoughe it is a globular.]
Has anyone seen this spelling before? Since it is in “Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language”, 1989 edition. it must be found somewhere. Where did the people who came up with the dictionary find this spelling? What is a “gobular”? Oh, I can ask my wife! She minored in English in college and has been a professional editor. 🙂 I should have thought of that before now.
Dennis I am sorry to hear that. Best of luck to you.
vance
Dear Vance,
You are quite welcome. I wanted to answer your question regarding whether anyone had seen the word Tockawhoughe before. Below I have typed out word for word, the first documentation of “Tockawhoughe”. This was written by Captain John Smith, concerning the Indians use of Tuckawhoughe. Please excuse the spelling errors, as I am not correcting Smith’s writting.
“The chiefe root they have for food is called Tockawhoughe. It groewth like a flagge in Marishes. In one day a Salvage will gather sufficient for a weeke. These roots are much of the greatnesse and taste of Potatoes. They use to cover a great many of them with Oke leaves and Fern, and then cover all with earth in the manner of a Colepit; over it, on each side, they continue a great fire 24 houres before they dare eat it. Raw it is no better then poyson, and being rosted, except it be tender and the heat abated, or sliced and dryed in the Sunne, mixed with sorrel and meale or such like, it will prickle and torment the throat
extreamely, and yet in sommer they use this ordinarily for bread.”
Sincerely,
cohees lady
By the way, since Tockawhoughe is described as being round in shape, that may be the reason it is referred to as “globular”. Just a thought. 🙂
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