Yakyakistan

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I have always wondered, is this supposed to be wordplay of Afghanistan?  If so, then why does it seem so close to Equestria, which is based off America? And having two "yak"'s in the name of the country sounds off? To me, it sounds better as "Alpacastan", if it is supposed to be based off Afghanistan.  What do you guys think? 

[Prospekt 11,021]

I think it sounds more like Pakistan. Though the name is more of a parody of all the "-stan" countries in central and western Asia.

For example:

- Afghanistan

- Pakistan

- Kazakhstan

- Tajikistan

- Turkmenistan

[Daring_Do 552]

On 5/22/2017 at 0:54 AM, Nightmare Muffin said:

I have always wondered, is this supposed to be wordplay of Afghanistan?  If so, then why does it seem so close to Equestria, which is based off America? And having two "yak"'s in the name of the country sounds off? To me, it sounds better as "Alpacastan", if it is supposed to be based off Afghanistan.  What do you guys think? 

Why is Trottingham, on the Griffish Isles, actually *within* Equestria?

Camelot and medieval thatched roof villages sure don't seem like "America" to me either.

Equestria (and the geography of the lands beyond) aren't a complete America expy, as much as they seem to forget that in more recent seasons. Heck, Faust wanted to name Ponyville "Fillydelphia", so she might not have planned for the America name puns to mean anything.

At least early in the show, Equestria seemed more like a mix of ancient Greek stuff (see the Royal Guards' armor, chariots, Celestia having a golden apple tree, Tartarus, etc. etc.) and fairy tales (Camelot, Cinderella stuff in The Best Night Ever, etc.) - so ancient Greece with a sprinkling of medieval.

Edited May 25, 2017 by Daring_Do

[Daring_Do 552]

On 5/22/2017 at 0:54 AM, Nightmare Muffin said:

I have always wondered, is this supposed to be wordplay of Afghanistan?  If so, then why does it seem so close to Equestria, which is based off America? And having two "yak"'s in the name of the country sounds off? To me, it sounds better as "Alpacastan", if it is supposed to be based off Afghanistan.  What do you guys think? 

Oh - and how could I forget Tartarus?

[Thrond 3,263]

The suffix "-stan" is Persian for "place of," so Yakyakistan would be "place of Yakyak," whatever that means. "Yakistan" would have made more sense, but that sounds a lot like "Pakistan," so maybe that was a factor in adding the extra "yak," or maybe they didn't understand the meaning and just went for what sounded silly enough. 

[Fred Jones 0]

On 5/26/2017 at 5:07 AM, AlexanderThrond said:

The suffix "-stan" is Persian for "place of," so Yakyakistan would be "place of Yakyak," whatever that means. "Yakistan" would have made more sense, but that sounds a lot like "Pakistan," so maybe that was a factor in adding the extra "yak," or maybe they didn't understand the meaning and just went for what sounded silly enough. 

Well I guess so just like "Bostan" (Park or sometimes Garden)