The Off Topic Topic

[Richard Hakluyt]

I find it interesting when the BBC and others move away from the traditional english name to something closer to what the country calls itself. They never do it for the likes of Germany or Spain of course, but can get very pedantic about places like Myanmar. Why is that I wonder    ?

[The Brain]

Britain has always considered non-European countries My-something.

[Sheilbh]

I find it interesting when the BBC and others move away from the traditional english name to something closer to what the country calls itself. They never do it for the likes of Germany or Spain of course, but can get very pedantic about places like Myanmar. Why is that I wonder    ?

So the BBC and Guardian are still using Turkey. Apparently Turkiye formally lodged a request with the UN to change how their name is referred internationally which seems fair enough for government accounts like Biden and Sunak (looks like the MoD has had a Permanent Committee on Geographical Names since 1919 and keep a list: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/country-names/country-name-changes-in-hmg-use-1919-to-2020)

I find Czechia/Czech Republic adoption is very mixed whenever I see them in the news, which is the other recent one I can think of.

[Josquius]

Turkiye is silly enough but I increasingly see places using the proper accent marks, which mean nothing to English speakers. That's mad.

Who is talking about soldiers?

Its an example of someone who would have different needs?

But what's the point of bringing them up? I swear there's no way of following your line of thought. Why do you mention that the chart I presented is only valid for a certain purpose if we are actually discussing that very purpose? Why do you go on a tangent nobody ever mentioned?

Pretty sure the military are one of their main customers.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I find Czechia/Czech Republic adoption is very mixed whenever I see them in the news, which is the other recent one I can think of.

Best just to go with Bohemia 

[The Brain]

I find it interesting when the BBC and others move away from the traditional english name to something closer to what the country calls itself. They never do it for the likes of Germany or Spain of course, but can get very pedantic about places like Myanmar. Why is that I wonder    ?

So the BBC and Guardian are still using Turkey. Apparently Turkiye formally lodged a request with the UN to change how their name is referred internationally which seems fair enough for government accounts like Biden and Sunak (looks like the MoD has had a Permanent Committee on Geographical Names since 1919 and keep a list: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/country-names/country-name-changes-in-hmg-use-1919-to-2020)

I find Czechia/Czech Republic adoption is very mixed whenever I see them in the news, which is the other recent one I can think of.

I think the basic idea that countries should make decisions for other languages like that is ridiculous. Especially with countries like Turkey where there is no colonial past to consider.

[PDH]

I'm with George Carlin.  You can spell your name S-M-I-T-H and pronounce it "Genofsky" if you wish, But demanding they spell it differently is silly.

[Zanza]

I find it interesting when the BBC and others move away from the traditional english name to something closer to what the country calls itself. They never do it for the likes of Germany or Spain of course, but can get very pedantic about places like Myanmar. Why is that I wonder    ?

The UK in German is barely ever called UK and almost exclusively Great Britain,so we have little to complain about... 

[Barrister]

I'm still made about Cote D'Ivoire and Timor-Leste.  Why do we have to use a French and Portuguese name when there's a perfectly valid English translation that everyone already knew?

[Legbiter]

The UK in German is barely ever called UK and almost exclusively Great Britain,so we have little to complain about... 

The Sagas talk about sailing to England, Skotland and Írland. Today when referring to the entire UK we call it Bretland which was the Old Norse term for Wales, now applied when referring to the whole place.

[Duque de Bragança]

I'm still made about Côte D'Ivoire and Timor-Leste.  Why do we have to use a French and Portuguese name when there's a perfectly valid English translation that everyone already knew?

Technically, Timor is a translation of Leste.  : Works both ways.

So East-East or East(ern) East in English?   

PS: What about Cabo Verde? Green Cape? Cape Green? 

[Duque de Bragança]

Who is talking about soldiers?

Nobody but Josquius. 

Incidentally, the French Foreign Legion is well-known for teaching quickly very practical French skills to foreigners of all persuasions and "favoured learning styles".

It would be the last resort for Josquius I guess. 

Frequent physical hazing is big motivator for language learning 

Yeah, failing at a dictée would be the least of his problems. 
That or having a significant rap sheet; the Légion is a haven in some cases, not (too) violent.

Dictée du jour :

"La Légion est notre patrie"
(Legio Patria Nostra for those who are French language-challenged à la you know whom).

[Duque de Bragança]

I find it interesting when the BBC and others move away from the traditional english name to something closer to what the country calls itself. They never do it for the likes of Germany or Spain of course, but can get very pedantic about places like Myanmar. Why is that I wonder    ?

The UK in German is barely ever called UK and almost exclusively Great Britain,so we have little to complain about... 

Well, almost no one says R.F.A anymore (République Fédérale d'Allemagne i.e Federal Republic of Germany) over here, the German embassy still shows it in French and German of course, since the reunification as well, but then formal endonyms ≠ common parlance exonyms.

[mongers]

The UK in German is barely ever called UK and almost exclusively Great Britain,so we have little to complain about... 

The Sagas talk about sailing to England, Skotland and Írland. Today when referring to the entire UK we call it Bretland which was the Old Norse term for Wales, now applied when referring to the whole place.

Thanks for that Leggy.

[Josephus]

Of course here we should go with Kanata