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The Off Topic Topic

Started by Korea, March 10, 2009, 06:24:26 AM

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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  :hmm:  ?

The Brain

Britain has always considered non-European countries My-something.
Women want me. Men want to be with me.

Sheilbh

Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 06, 2023, 12:52:19 PMI 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  :hmm:  ?
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.
Let's bomb Russia!

Josquius

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

Quote from: The Larch on February 06, 2023, 11:14:42 AM
Quote from: Josquius on February 06, 2023, 10:49:18 AM
Quote from: The Larch on February 06, 2023, 10:29:31 AMWho 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.
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Richard Hakluyt

Quote from: Sheilbh on February 06, 2023, 12:59:54 PMI 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  :cool:

The Brain

Quote from: Sheilbh on February 06, 2023, 12:59:54 PM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 06, 2023, 12:52:19 PMI 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  :hmm:  ?
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.
Women want me. Men want to be with me.

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.
I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.
-Umberto Eco

-------
"I'm pretty sure my level of depression has nothing to do with how much of a fucking asshole you are."

-CdM

Zanza

Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 06, 2023, 12:52:19 PMI 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  :hmm:  ?

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

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?
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Legbiter

Quote from: Zanza on February 06, 2023, 01:48:54 PMThe UK in German is barely ever called UK and almost exclusively Great Britain,so we have little to complain about...  :bowler:

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. :nerd:
Posted using 100% recycled electrons.

Duque de Bragança

#87475
Quote from: Barrister on February 06, 2023, 01:50:58 PMI'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.  : :contract: Works both ways.

So East-East or East(ern) East in English?  :hmm:  :D

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

Duque de Bragança

Quote from: Valmy on February 06, 2023, 11:39:11 AM
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on February 06, 2023, 10:47:43 AM
Quote from: The Larch on February 06, 2023, 10:29:31 AMWho is talking about soldiers?

Nobody but Josquius.  :lol:

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.  :P

Frequent physical hazing is big motivator for language learning  :ph34r:

Yeah, failing at a dictée would be the least of his problems.  :P
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

#87477
Quote from: Zanza on February 06, 2023, 01:48:54 PM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 06, 2023, 12:52:19 PMI 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  :hmm:  ?

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

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

Quote from: Legbiter on February 06, 2023, 02:18:14 PM
Quote from: Zanza on February 06, 2023, 01:48:54 PMThe UK in German is barely ever called UK and almost exclusively Great Britain,so we have little to complain about...  :bowler:

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. :nerd:

:cool:

Thanks for that Leggy.
"We have it in our power to begin the world over again"

Josephus

Of course here we should go with Kanata :glare:
Civis Romanus Sum<br /><br />"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world." Jack Layton 1950-2011