The city of Moose Jaw promotes itself as ‘Canada’s Most Notorious City.’ Many people associate the word notorious with criminal relationships. Thus, Moose Jaw plays on the rumour that Al Capone visited the city during the 1920s era of Prohibition. The city’s website lists its prohibition past as the number one connection with the motto. But then, the next four items on the list present a positive use of notorious. Moose Jaw is notorious for its name’s rich history and pop-culture usage, Mac the Moose, the Snowbirds, and its downtown area.
The word notorious has connotations with both negative and positive aspects. The dictionary defines the word with two main meanings: widely and unfavourably known AND generally known and talked about. Al Capone was a notorious gangster and his possible presence in the city lends a rich and infamous past. However, just as iron is a notorious conductor of heat, so Moose Jaw is known for many more things in a positive way.
Notorious enters the English language from the Latin word noscere, meaning to come to know, and thus essentially a neutral term. But it quickly took on a negative connotation due to religious usage. In the medieval European Church prayers used the Latin notorius to describe the deadly serious state of a sinner before God because of sinful actions against the commands of God. When the Anglican Book of Common Prayer was published in 1549 it used the word notorious in the Ash Wednesday service, “After mattens ended, the people beeyng called together by the ryngyng of a bel, and assembled in the churche: Thinglyshe [The English] letanye shall be sayed after thaccustomed maner: whiche ended, the prieste shal goe into the pulpitte and saye thus: BRETHREN, in the prymitive churche there was a godlye disciplyne, that at the begynnyng of lente suche persones as were notorious synners, were put to open penaunce, and punished in this worlde, that theyr soules myght bee saved in the day of the lord.” What was a neutral term in Latin developed into the implication of someone or something disreputable. Thus, its association with the infamous.
The word famous, a synonym of notorious, implies someone or something widely and popularly known. Thus, Moose Jaw is known for positive aspects in four out of five items the city website promotes. Yet, using the word notorious lends an implication of questionalbeness or even malevolent associations, piquing the interest of people contemplating a visit to the city in their travel plans.
Words other than notorious or famous that could have been used in the city’s motto include renowned, celebrated, noted, distinguished, eminent, or illustrious. Renowned implies more glory and acclamation. Celebrated denotes notice and attention. Noted suggests well-deserved public attention. Distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority. Eminent suggests prominence for outstanding quality. Illustrious stresses enduring honour and glory. However, notorious lends that quality of infamous to the city’s aspects to attract the curiosity of people to visit the community we call home.
To be labelled as a notorious person can be meant as a good and positive attribute but most often is associated with unfavourable qualities. Following in the footsteps of Adam and Eve, we are most often drawn to the morally questionable traits of people or things than to the positive characteristics. It is another feature of our flawed humanity. And it certainly works in marketing. Interesting and a notorious choice, City of Moose Jaw.
John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com . Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
