Geography Explained

So, my sweetie taxlady discovered that there is a place called Winnipegosis, which is clearly some disease of the Winnipeg. At first we thought that it might be a badly inflamed Winnipeg, but that turns out to be Winnipegitis.

A check of a medical dictionary reveals that Winnipegagogue is a medicine designed to help in the expelling of Winnipeg, while Winnipegagra is a sudden, severe pain in the Winnipeg. I further discovered that Winnipegectasis is a state of dilated Winnipeg, while Winnipegectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a Winnipeg. Even worse, Winnipegemesis is a terrible condition in which you continually vomit up Winnipeg. On the other hand Winnipegicterus is simply a case of jaundiced Winnipeg.

Then I started getting close. Winnipegism is chronic case of Winnipeg and Winnnipegismus are spasms in one’s Winnipeg. Finally I discovered that Winnipegosis is merely an abnormal (usually diseased) state of Winnipeg, which is what I had assumed all along.

So, vocabulary richer, but no wiser, I am left to wonder: what exactly IS the difference between Winnipeg and Winnipegosis?

(Actually, it turns out that they both derive from the Cree term ‘win-nipi’ meaning ‘muddy water’, and the ‘osis’ ending is a diminutive similar to ‘little’)