Talk:Sakon Nakhon province

The other "Nakhon"-provinces are called "Nakhon X Province". This one is "X Nakhon Province" - why? Tobias Conradi (Talk) 16:55, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

Based on a quick look of the external links, it looks like that's how they do it in Thailand, and not a local bias on Wikipedia. --Golbez 00:03, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

Any idea why that is so? Tobias Conradi (Talk) 19:10, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

Don't know, I haven't yet found the ethymology of this town name, only that is was formerly named Sakalanagara. Maybe the reason is quit simply the same as for the difference between "Neustadt" and "Stadthagen" - simply because it's just a name. Best we ask one of our Thai wikipedians, e.g. User:Lerdsuwa. Or put it the question on Wikipedia:Thailand-related topics notice board. andy 21:31, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

I had a look round Google and couldn't find the answer, but I came across a hint. Apparently the current name was given at the same time as control of the province was given to a descendant of the ruler of Nakhon Panom. So the Nakhon of Sakon Nakhon may derive from that of Nakhon Panom, rather than having its usual meaning of 'town' directly. Henry^Flower 12:24, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

I agree with "because it's just a name". I thought at first that it might be because of the name's pali etymology (Sakalanagara is a different transliteration of Sakon Nakhon based on the word roots), but seeing as Nakhon Sawan isn't Sawankha Nakhon this doesn't seem to be the case. That the name might be derived from Nakhon Phanom in my opinion doesn't seem very likely. Maybe it could be related with how Sakon Nakhon was named in place of Sakon Thawapi? (No idea what language thawapi is or what it means.) Paul C 15:09, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

"Sakon" is an adjective and means "international". So it is placed before "Nakhon" (meaning "international city"), similar to "Maha" in "Krung Thep Maha Nakhon" (meaning "Krung Thep big city"). Putting "Nakhon" in the front would mean "City of ..." which doesn't quite make sense in terms of grammar. -- Lerdsuwa 15:47, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

That would make Nakhon Pathom seem wrong, though. But I'm no expert at pali derivatives. Paul C 16:42, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

Nakhon Pathom = City of The Beginning; Pathom Nakhon = Beginning City. The first emphasizes "the beginning", the latter emphasizes "city". -- Lerdsuwa 14:08, 28 March 2006 (UTC)

"Sakon" in the name of the city is not the same word as "international." The city is spelled สกล whereas international is spelled สากล. As for why it Sakon comes before Nakhon, I feel like I have heard why but I cannot remember. Sorry. -- User:Anonymous 15:37, 29 June 2007 (UTC)