Quote:
Originally Posted by brute
"El Canal de la Mancha" is the English Channel, which the French call La Manche.
This is also the Frech word for Sleeve.
I always thought that the Channel was so called because it resembles a sleeve or una manga.
I think the Spanish should change the name to El Canal de la Manga, because this beautiful stretch of water is
definitely not "a blot on the landscape", or seascape for that matter!!! 
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But
mancha like
stain is not necessarily negative. Certain stains can create great effects and stained glass windows are beautiful.
The most probable reason for The Channel being called Canal de la Mancha is that
Manche looks like
Mancha.
And what about La Mancha in Spain? I don't think it's called that because it's considered a blot on the landscape. Perhaps it refers to the RAE's 3rd definition of the word, i.e. Pedazo de terreno que se distingue de los inmediatos por alguna cualidad.
