Misunderstanding

When the Spanish conquerors came to Mexico and met the tribe of the Maya, in correct Spanish they asked the native ones how it was called that place.

The Indians -who had never heard any word in Spanish- said: "Yucatan".
The Spanish conquerors -whit their typical intelligence- thought that Yucatan was the local name of that place, and named from this form to the peninsula - name that is kept up today-.

In fact, Yucatan, in Mayan language had another meaning: "I don't understand you"... this was what Indians were trying to say to Spanish conquerors: I don't know your language, I don't understand what you are asking to me".