Chinese Names of Streets in Penang,
By Lo Man Yuk.
Communicated by the Secretary.
In making this little compilation, the compiler has followed the example set before him by the late Mr. H. T. Haughton who published a list of street names of Singapore Town with their Chinese equivalents in the Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society in the June issue of 1891. The present compilation may be taken as a fairly complete list of the names of roads, streets and lanes in George Town with their respective Chinese names as called by the Hokkiens and Cantonese, two of the more important sections of the Chinese community in Penang, as well as with notes explaining the meaning and giving the derivation of the Chinese names. From a glance at these explanatory notes, it will be observed that the Chinese call their streets generally after some prominent buildings or objects of view, or the nationality of the people residing, or the particular kind of business carried on, in the locality. There are, however, some new and out-of-the-way places which have no Chinese names but which are inserted here partly for the purpose of making the list as complete as possible and partly for the purpose of leaving space for the insertion of any Chinese names that may be evolved in future. To this little compilation are appended
- a list of some notable buildings and places in George Town
- a list of some district names in town and up-country,
- a list of the names of some islets in the vicinity of Penang and
- a list of names of some places in Province Wellesley and Dindings;
all with their Chinese equivalents. In conclusion, the compiler desires to express his best thanks to Mr. Cheam Cheow Heng, the Senior Chinese Interpreter of the Police Courts, and other friends for much valuable information concerning this compilation.
