The name of Austria

[The Last Conformist]

It's just funny to me that a country (even empire) names themselves as 'east of francia', as though they concede that the important things are really going on further west.

What happened was that an empire named a part of its eastern frontier "east realm", and when that region, many centuries later, became an empire of its own, the name was far to well-established to change. Remember that up till the Napoleonic wars (when the name was ~800 years old), Austria was as much part of Germany as any other German principatility.

It may amuse you to learn, tho, that "Denmark" means "borderland of the Danes".

 

[Urederra]

"Eastern Empire" is no more weird than the "United States"

..... or "United Kingdom"....

And there are still people who think English is so great because it has ten times more words than any other language.

Second time I made that rant today.

 

[Steph]

Hey, not all country names make sense. 'Canada' itself is derived from a Huron-Iroquoian term meaning 'village'

Or Canada, which my television told me is a terrible mistranslation of the Huron-Iroquois word for village....

Warpus is your television?

 

[Veritass]

Just a small rant, but I have never understood why each nation has its own words for the names of other nations. If in Deutschland they call Deutschland "Deutschland," who are we to call it "Germany" or "Alemania" instead? Same for calling Köln "Cologne." I understand that gets a little stranger when other languages might have names for their own countries that we don't have letters for, such as the umlaut in "Österreich."

We don't translate proper names for people, like calling Jacques Chirac "Jack," so why do we insist on translating proper names for places? Some of them make some sense, like translating "Schwarzwald" to "Black Forest" or "United States of America" to "Estado Unidos de America."

In general, thought, it gets in the way when travelling. You can look all day in Italy for the city of Florence, but there is no such city; you have to look for Firenza. I should have been taught from the beginning that the name of the city is Firenza.

 

[The Last Conformist]

"Firenze".

Personally, I think the different names of countries in different languages are rather charming.

 

[warpus]

Just a small rant, but I have never understood why each nation has its own words for the names of other nations.

It goes back to a time when the world was not nearly as connected as it is now - It made sense to call places from far-away lands in your own tongue - rather than in some foreign language that nobody in your kingdom spoke. After a while some of the names just stuck.

There are also linguistic reasons. London in Polish is Londyn - it just makes more sense linguistically - it also sounds 'nicer' to the ear when used in a sentence.

 

[MamboJoel]

Personally, I think the different names of countries in different languages are rather charming.

I fully agree.
Some cities : Londres, Florence, Cologne, Lisbone, Varsovie, Naples. And countries : Brésil, Allemagne, Norvège, Angleterre, Suède etc...

 

[Urederra]

Just a small rant, but I have never understood why each nation has its own words for the names of other nations. If in Deutschland they call Deutschland "Deutschland," who are we to call it "Germany" or "Alemania" instead? Same for calling Köln "Cologne." I understand that gets a little stranger when other languages might have names for their own countries that we don't have letters for, such as the umlaut in "Österreich."

It only happens with countries and cities with a lot of history or when the history of the country or city means something to the other country. If the name of your country is very different, not just removing the umlaut or accent, in other countries is because there was a lot or relationship, good and bad, between the two countries, it is something to be proud of, IMHO. So, Deutschland is different in English, French, Spanish or, I guess, italian, because of the influence. Malawi, OTOH, is the same (I guess) because historically didn't have influence at all.

We don't translate proper names for people, like calling Jacques Chirac "Jack," so why do we insist on translating proper names for places?

Well, that is not true, and, same with names for places, only the very important ones are translated. Christopher Columbus is translated, His proper name was Cristobal Colón. Same happens with Isabella of Castille (Isabel) or Ferdinald of Magellan.

In general, thought, it gets in the way when travelling. You can look all day in Italy for the city of Florence, but there is no such city; you have to look for Firenza. I should have been taught from the beginning that the name of the city is Firenza.

Lucky you, you could have tried to go to Monaco from Italy and end up in Munich.

 

[Zwelgje]

Just a small rant, but I have never understood why each nation has its own words for the names of other nations. If in Deutschland they call Deutschland "Deutschland," who are we to call it "Germany" or "Alemania" instead? Same for calling Köln "Cologne." I understand that gets a little stranger when other languages might have names for their own countries that we don't have letters for, such as the umlaut in "Österreich."

We don't translate proper names for people, like calling Jacques Chirac "Jack," so why do we insist on translating proper names for places? Some of them make some sense, like translating "Schwarzwald" to "Black Forest" or "United States of America" to "Estado Unidos de America."

In general, thought, it gets in the way when travelling. You can look all day in Italy for the city of Florence, but there is no such city; you have to look for Firenza. I should have been taught from the beginning that the name of the city is Firenza.

Calm down man, it's done in every country. Germans do the same thing...

 

[willemvanoranje]

It's just funny to me that a country (even empire) names themselves as 'east of francia', as though they concede that the important things are really going on further west.

If they once were part of it, it makes sense, don't you think? Or if the name had been given to the area before anyone actually created something like a state there.. ah well.. most countries are like this though.. Lowland, Germanland, Angloland (England)..

 

[Che Guava]

Warpus is your television?

No, he's just quicker on the draw than I am...

 

[Phlegmak]

"Eastern Empire" is no more weird than the "United States"

Notice that I never said "United States" was a good name. Nor United Kingdom, nor the meaning of China as mentioned by Enkidu Warrior.

I agree with Veritass's statement. All the silly names for different countries and cities shouldn't be used. London is London, not Londres. Deutschland is Deutschland, not Germany.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I agree with Veritass's statement. All the silly names for different countries and cities shouldn't be used. London is London, not Londres. Deutschland is Deutschland, not Germany.

I very much prefer if you refer to my country as "Sweden" when speaking English. Hearing an anglophone trying to pronounce Sverige in the middle of an English sentence is a soul-destroying experience.

 

[warpus]

Notice that I never said "United States" was a good name. Nor United Kingdom, nor the meaning of China as mentioned by Enkidu Warrior.

I agree with Veritass's statement. All the silly names for different countries and cities shouldn't be used. London is London, not Londres. Deutschland is Deutschland, not Germany.

I'd like to hear you try to pronounce Shijiazhuang, Jastrzębie Zdrój, or Baktalórántháza properly.

 

[Mise]

I very much prefer if you refer to my country as "Sweden" when speaking English. Hearing an anglophone trying to pronounce Sverige in the middle of an English sentence is a soul-destroying experience.

Will "Schveeden" do?

 

[Masquerouge]

Notice that I never said "United States" was a good name. Nor United Kingdom, nor the meaning of China as mentioned by Enkidu Warrior.

I agree with Veritass's statement. All the silly names for different countries and cities shouldn't be used. London is London, not Londres. Deutschland is Deutschland, not Germany.

I can understand saying Londres instead of London or Frankreich instead of France. But what I don't get is the way some French cities are spelled in English: why add a h to Reims? Or an s to Marseille?

 

[The Last Conformist]

Will "Schveeden" do?

What language is that supposed to be?

 

[Till]

btw, "Canada" sounds like an austrian saying: "nobody there"

As does it in Franconian. I think this is used in some jokes, but i can't seem to recall any.

 

[GeoModder]

why add a h to Reims? Or an s to Marseille?

Don't know for Marseilles, but adding the "h" after an "r" seems custom in English.

 

[Che Guava]

Marsheilles?