h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

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Without any doubt, though without a name to call it by, one can but describe it.

In the 70s, there was a horse . . . .

In the Old Testament, Yahweh stood in for God's name.

There are many undiscovered lifeforms, diseases, etc., that can't be named because we haven't discovered their existence yet.

There are scientific discoveries that have yet to be made. Once we discover them, someone will give them names, but until that time they are nameless.

Besides the descriptive tools of quantitative and qualitative analysis, there are also tools poetic, like simile and musical, like synesthesia.

Hampshire has (had) ‘The pub with no name’. Remotely situated in the countryside, the “White Horse” sign blew down in a storm, and they never bothered putting it back up. It acquired an almost legendary reputation, as it was exceptionally difficult to find, and equally rewarding to stumble upon. Edward Thomas wrote a poem about it:

http://ww1lit.nsms.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/items/show/3808

There is clip from a mediocre film

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbZC5xuZHdk

Surely this question was the basis for "The Meaning of Liff"

Surely this question was the basis for "The Meaning of Liff"?

Whoops.

On the classic American variety show, Laugh-In!, Lilly Tomlin's iconic character, Edith Anne, once asked, "Why is there no word for the top of your foot?"

Ah, but in which *language* doesn't it have a name? There are plenty of things for whom English is sadly lacking that are perfectly easy to describe in other languages.

My favorite word borrowed from German is Backpfeifengesicht.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86IpU3g-S8Q

Bogies.

There are various saloons and restaurants that are called "No Name."

In the song "Metaphor" ["The Fantasticks"], Matt says, "She's too vibrant for a name. What shall I call her?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucxi2RbVqYA

The first rock in the gravel macadam of my driveway that I step on as I step off the porch hasn't got a name (yet) and can only be described.

Well, there was "Ishi" (translates as simply 'man'), the last of the Yahi tribe of the California territory whose tribe was wiped out by gold rush settlers. The Yahi tradition was such that no one would not mention their own name to strangers until one was properly introduced by a tribe member. With none of his tribe left when he came out of the woods around age 50, he was known as the Man With No Name.

Did he speak any languages besides Yahi? If not, then he wouldn't have anyone to tell his name to anyway.

That gunslinging bloke in the Spaghetti Westerns?

Never mind that he's called 'Joe' in the credits