Let's play the name game

You seem to love our polls.

And why not?

Everyone enjoys tossing an opinion into the pot.

We’ve had almost unbelievable responses to things like the “favorite song” poll, and likewise when we asked you to come up with your most memorable line from any movie.

We’ve had a lot of fun with these polls, but now we want to throw you one that involves some geography combined with everyday language.

There are two questions we’d like you to answer.

First: What is name of that body of water you’d hit if you took a running leap off Independence Point?

We believe it’s Lake Coeur d’Alene — despite what a very annoyed reader suggested, having checked the name via a couple of state departments.

More on that in a minute.

Second: If someone asked you to describe what part of this state you reside in, would you say “North Idaho” (as we do routinely in The Press) or might you answer with something like “northern Idaho” — or maybe even “The Panhandle”?

WE’RE NOT saying we’ll change how we refer to the lake, or this part of the state — but we want to know what you think.

What phrases come straight to your lips if you happen to mention either of these two pieces of geography?

And by the way, when you’re puzzling over this notion of “North Idaho,” what area do you actually mean?

For me, it covers everything from the Canadian border to the southern edge of Benewah County — but maybe you think Latah County (basically Moscow and the University of Idaho) should be included.

I might be persuaded to change my mind on that one, especially when you look at a map of Idaho and its 83,570 square miles. Most of the state’s 44 counties are south of Latah County — so I’m not sure.

What do you think?

And more important, are you comfortable with our designation of home as “North Idaho?”

NOW THEN, back to the bigger argument — and this one even involves references to language usage by The Associated Press (our general style guide) and various English textbooks.

Yep, this one is about Lake Coeur d’Alene, and I’m not even going to put quote marks around it.

Heck, that’s the name.

Unless you truly think otherwise, obviously, and that’s what we want to know.

A reader challenged us on this, pointing out that the Idaho Fish and Game Department lists that body of water as Coeur d’Alene Lake.

Like Hayden Lake.

Basically, the other official-looking reference to calling it Coeur d’Alene Lake comes from another state agency, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

FAIR ENOUGH, but here’s the thing …

Assorted textbooks, writing guides, university literature and various other sources on language make one critical point: If something or someone is almost universally known by a popular name, that actually becomes the common and therefore CORRECT usage.

Did anyone call John Wayne by the name on his birth certificate (Marion Mitchell Morrison)?

“The Duke” was a lot more likely.

College basketball fans probably know about the historic hoops program at KU — but the school, of course, is actually the University of Kansas.

If you ever attend a game there, though, best not quibble with the 18,000 fanatics who will blast your eardrums while chanting: “Rock chalk, Jayhawk … KU!”

See?

Now …

Appropriate to our question, do many people around here say anything but Lake Coeur d’Alene?

If an overwhelming number of locals and tourists use that name, remember, it becomes linguistically acceptable.

Now then …

Give us YOUR opinion.

What do you call that lake, and how would you describe this area where we live?

Lake Coeur d’Alene and North Idaho?

Or something else?

We’re open-minded.

Let us know.

•••

Steve Cameron is a columnist for The Press.

A Brand New Day appears Wednesday through Saturday each week. Steve’s sports column runs on Tuesday.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com.

Twitter:@BrandNewDayCDA