Saramacca
/ˌsaː.raˈmaː.kaː/noun
A river and district in Suriname, also associated with the Saramaka Maroon people and their language.
Did you know?The name is closely associated with the Saramaka, one of Suriname’s Maroon communities, but scholars have not established a universally accepted translation for its earliest root.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-colonial period
Uncertain Indigenous language
Saramacca / Saramaka
“An Indigenous place-name or ethnonym of uncertain original meaning; the earliest form is not securely documented.”
17th Century
Dutch
Saramacca
“A name recorded by Dutch colonists for a river and surrounding region in Suriname.”
18th Century
Dutch
Saramacca
“The name became associated with Maroon communities established along or near the river.”
19th Century
Sranan and Dutch
Saramaka / Saramacca
“Related forms referred to the Saramaka people, their territory, and their Creole language.”
Modern English
English
Saramacca
“A recognized geographical proper noun for a Surinamese river and district.”
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