What's in a name? A lot when it comes to Sierra Nevada

[jimqpublic]

After seeing Tulainyo Lake on maps for 30 years I just realized its origin a few days ago. It's almost on the border of Tulare and Inyo counties...

[Snow Nymph]

Bringing this to the top again. I'm seeing a lot of "SIERRAS" in posts, not just here.

Copied from http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/stori ... ierras.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The SPANISH word sierra means "range of mountains," and is usually found in combination with other words, such as Sierra Blanca (White Range), Sierra Madre (Mother Range, or Central Range), and Nevada (Snowy Range). Occasionally las sierras is used to designate a group of mountain ranges or ridges. In the Spanish narratives of exploration una sierra nevada is frequently found written without capital initials, referring simply to a snow-covered range of mountains. It was in this that our own Sierra Nevada was first designated. Early in the nineteenth century it was sometimes called the California Range by American explorers, but gradually the Spanish phrase prevailed, and after a while it became a specific name and took its place on all maps. The Sierra Nevada is distinctly a unit, both geographically and topographically, and is well described as "una sierra nevada." Strictly speaking, therefore, we should never say "Sierras," or "High Sierras," or "Sierra Nevadas" in referring to it. Nevertheless, these forms are so frequently found in the very
best works of literature and science that it would perhaps be pedantic to deny their admissibility. It becomes, therefore, a matter of preference, and for our part we rather like to keep in mind the unity of our great range by calling it simply "The Sierra" or "The Sierra Nevada."

[rlown]

nice to point out.. good luck changing behavior.

[BSquared]

Nevertheless, these forms are so frequently found in the very
best works of literature and science that it would perhaps be pedantic to deny their admissibility.

And the problem with being pedantic would be.... ?

[Hey, I'm a professional pedant; somebody has to stand up for us, eh?]

[Snow Nymph]

B2, those aren't my words. I copied that section. I keep seeing "Sierras" and being a secretary I always want to correct it.

rlown, I can't change the way people talk. Change is the hardest thing with adults. People might not know the difference, and I'm guilty of that. Years ago I called it the Sierras, until someone posted it on the Mammoth Forum. Since then its the "Sierra", and no longer sounds wierd to me.

There's the tank just south of Lone Pine saying "Welcome to the Eastern Sierra". The artist originally put "Welcome to the Eastern Sierras", and had to re-do it.

[fedak]

IMHO, this is being more than a bit pedantic.

It is very common to refer to the collection of individual mountains in a range using the plural form of the surname of the range.

i.e. The Rockies for the Rocky Mountains, the Cascades for the Cascade Range, etc.
Shortening the "Sierra Nevada" to "the Sierras" follows a similar lexical pattern.
(Though technically it is the "Nevada" portion that should be pluralized since "Sierra" translates to mountain)

In the end, the purpose of language is to communicate effectively. Usage of the term "Sierras" accomplishes this.

Formal signage/documentation should probably use the formal grammar/lexicon- but to get overly rigorous/pedantic about this in casual communication seems pointless.

[ERIC]

B2, those aren't my words. I copied that section. I keep seeing "Sierras" and being a secretary I always want to correct it.

rlown, I can't change the way people talk. Change is the hardest thing with adults. People might not know the difference, and I'm guilty of that. Years ago I called it the Sierras, until someone posted it on the Mammoth Forum. Since then its the "Sierra", and no longer sounds wierd to me.

There's the tank just south of Lone Pine saying "Welcome to the Eastern Sierra". The artist originally put "Welcome to the Eastern Sierras", and had to re-do it.

Bugs the crap out of me, too. But then again, I'm easily annoyed sometimes.

[wshawkins]

This is great stuff, thanks. I never call the "Sierra Nevada" the Sierras again. Thanks for the history lesson.

[Cross Country]

This was certainly interesting and enlightening for me. I never thought about it although I have known this. I will, from now on, make every effort to say and write it correctly.

[Troutdog 59]

I had a geology Prof at CSUN that pretty much beat it into us. I told him I loved the Sierras and he responded "which one." :retard: :retard: Sometimes in field camp we got bored, so we would use the plural on purpose just to get him going, but he caught on pretty soon and started doing it back to us!!!