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hinterland: msg#00002

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Subject: hinterland

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The Word of the Day for September 3 is:

hinterland \HIN-ter-land\ noun
1 : a region lying inland from a coast
2 a : a region remote from urban areas *b : a region lying beyond major
metropolitan or cultural centers

Example sentence:
Ty and Saja spent a few days in the capital before setting off for the
hinterland.

Did you know?
When you're dealing with geography, it helps to know your hinterland from
your umland. In 1888, geographer George Chisholm borrowed the German word
"Hinterland" (literally, "land in back of") and applied it specifically to the
region just inland from a port or coastal settlement. (Chisholm spelled the
word "hinderland," but English-speakers eventually settled on "hinterland.")
Early in the 20th century, another geographer adopted the German "Umland"
("land around") to refer to the territory around an inland town. What
"hinterland" and "umland" have in common is a reference to a region
economically tied to a nearby city. But nowadays "hinterland" has a less
technical use as well; it's used for land that's simply out in the sticks.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.




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