Names of countries

[beejaybee]

Why is it that most countries in the world are NOT known by what they`re called in that country. EG. Deutchland, Espania, Italia, Cymru etc

[Pippa68]

Errrmmm....pardon? sorry, non comprende ;o)

[shaneystar2]

I don't understand the question either.
All countries have their own native language.So the Germans call their country Deutschland we call it Germany as do other English speaking countries eg USA ,Australia etc.The Germans call France ..Frankreich .The French call Germany ..Allemagne.
Welsh speakers say Cymru ..we say Wales .The Spanish say Espania. We say Spain the Germans call it Spanien.

[Madmonks]

Surely it is only good manners to use the name the country uses itself, pronounced correctly as in the native language, then there would be no confusion over which country you were talking about, regardless of the language being used.

[jno]

as shaneystar says, it's a question of language rather than of geography. The English language has long had words for other countries (so have other languages) which don't tally with the countries' own languages. It's not so much that politeness would have us say Shqiperia instead of Albania, more that the Albanians should have the good sense to speak English.

[THECORBYLOON]

I mind on reading a letter in one of the national papers saying (in all seriousness) the name of Le Havre should be changed because it was difficult for the English to pronounce!

[littleoldme]

I always feel we should refer to a country by its English name when in the UK, and by its native language name when we are visiting that country and at least making an effort to converse with the locals in their own lingo, having had the common courtesy to learn a few useful phrases before getting there, rather than relying on shouting at them in English. ;-)

[jenstar]

I think it's the stubborn English not liking anything foreign. Me, I confuse the hell out of people by refering to places in Cymru by their Cymraeg names. Whenever I'm watching a quiz show and there's a question about Anglesey, I always shout out "Ynys Mon"!

[beejaybee]

I agree with what Madmonks says. Whatever the country is called by it`s "natives" that`s what it should be called. Why should other countries call it by something else just to make it easier for them??

[chijiki]

Nice one beejaybee.
Try saying, or writing or typing Россия.
Or, would you prefer Russia?

[shaneystar2]

So by your reckoning the English should say Polska instead of Poland and Magyarorsz�g instead of Hungary for example.
And the Poles should say England instead of Anglia and the French should say England instead of Angleterre.
And of course we in England could all say Ynys Mon instead of Anglesey.The Germans of course will have to say Great Britain instead of Gro�brittanien as they already say England !
I wonder how people who speak obscure languages like Oowekyala would get on.

[THECORBYLOON]

We'll need to speak of Ing-gulund.

[shaneystar2]

Quite ...and what about those who speak Gilly Gilly Ossenfefferish and live in Katzenellen Bogen by the Sea.
How will they manage ?

[beejaybee]

The people who speak obscure languages would get on the same as the rest of the world. We`d all be in the same boat, but countries would only have one name & everyone would know what country was being spoken about.

[THECORBYLOON]

Who'd be steering this boat we're all in and would we understand the commands?

[shaneystar2]

I think we will have to submit an application to the United Nations for a change to language .We can ask if it would be possible for us all to speak gobbledeygook.

A more ridiculous theory I have yet to hear...did Esperanto ever really take off ...not really.
This is so ridiculous as to be laughable ....where would we be without the rich variety of language in the world .
Smacks of communism !

[beejaybee]

Why is it that by asking a simple question, I am now called a communist? It was asked because it was something I wondered about that`s all.

[shaneystar2]

I am not calling you personally a communist ....but it wouldn't do for us all to be the same Language has eveoved over centuries..Why do you want to countries names to be the same in one language worldwide ? And which language should that be ?
Do you think the whole world should speak the same language ? If you want one word to be the same world over (ie. a placename.)...then what exactly is your question ?

[shaneystar2]

Pardon my bad spelling ..that should be "evolved "...

[beejaybee]

Ofcourse I don`t want all the world to speak one language. I did NOT even suggest that all countries should be named in one language. If you read my original question you`ll see what I was asking.

[shaneystar2]

"countries would only have one name & everyone would know what country was being spoken about. "....so you want a clear and concise list of what each country should be named ...in what language ?