Learn Greek Online!: Greek Map: Places beginning with a "N."

Looking on a map of Greece I have seen many places beginning with "N." and wondered why. For example:

Ν. ΜΥΚΟΝΟΣ, Ν.ΕΥΒΟΙΑ, Ν.ΚΕΦΑΛΛΩΝΙΑ, Ν. ΖΑΚΥΝΘΟΣ

Having just done lesson 101 where we learn the two possible words for island (το νησί / η νήσος), I am guessing that this is indicating the places are islands. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks

Right, these are all islands, and their map names may begin with the abbreviation Ν., here standing for νήσος, island, introduced in Lesson 101.

Note, however, that in non-island contexts a capital N. preceding a geographical name usually stands for the adjective Νότιος (νότιος, -α, -ο = south/southern), also introduced in L101, as in Ν. (Νότια) Αφρική, South Africa, or Ν. (Νότια) Αμερική, South America.

The person reading a Greek map is expected to know the context, i.e., whether a place is an island or not, and thus understand whether N. stands for νήσος or Νότιος.

Regards,
Greg Brush

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	Re: Greek Map: Places beginning with a "N." by Mike West - Saturday, 19 June 2010, 12:28 PM
	Thanks Greg. Show parent \| Reply

	Re: Greek Map: Places beginning with a "N." by Greg Brush - Thursday, 19 December 2013, 09:55 PM
	-Addendum- In addition, Ν. is also occasionally used in print for the inflected adjective νέος, -α, -ο, as in ο Ν. Κόσμος (Νέος Κόσμος) or η Ν. Σμύρνη (Νέα Σμύρνη), two well-known districts of Athens. Show parent \| Reply

	Re: Greek Map: Places beginning with a "N." by Yiannis Koniaris - Tuesday, 24 December 2013, 03:07 PM
	In some cases N. is also an abbreviation of the Greek word Νομός (pronounced nomos, the stressed letter is the second o) which means county/prefecture. For example Ν. Μεσσηνίας. Not to be confused with the word νόμος which means law! P.S. ΚΕΦΑΛΛΟΝΙΑ, not KEΦΑΛΛΩΝΙΑ! Show parent \| Reply

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