Pango Pango

1 8.0

The main port and capital of American Samoa on the island of Tutuila

proper noun
/ˈpæŋɡoʊ ˈpæŋɡoʊ/

: Pango Pango

Cargo ships regularly dock at Pango Pango, the main port of American Samoa.

Examples

The scenic harbor of Pango Pango attracts both tourists and business visitors year-round.
Pango Pango is known for its beautiful harbor.
She traveled to Pango Pango during her research expedition in the South Pacific.
I visited Pango Pango last summer.
Cargo ships regularly dock at Pango Pango, the main port of American Samoa.
The scenic harbor of Pango Pango attracts both tourists and business visitors year-round.
She traveled to Pango Pango during her research expedition in the South Pacific.

Synonyms

Pago Pago

vsPango Pango

1 7.4

The capital city and main port of American Samoa on the island of Tutuila

is identical in meaning but uses a different place-name spelling

Surface Forms

Pango Pango main

Morphology

Pango + Pango

This is a place name (proper noun) with no lexical meaning derivable from its repeated constituent 'Pango', which is not a standard English word. Place names are arbitrary and not compositionally built from constituent meanings, so a learner who 'knows' the parts would not be able to infer 'a port and the capital of American Samoa'.

Etymology

Pango Pango may come from a Samoan word Pango for a deep, safe 'bay' or 'harbor'. Repeating Pango makes it a clear place name, and the picture of a calm, safe harbor helps explain why Pango Pango is the island's main port today.