4 ms·
they are not "astronauts", but taïkonauts. The chinese term for going into space. Astronauts are for US. Cosmonauts for Russians. and Spationauts for Europeans.
by dbosch 10y ago
they are not "astronauts", but taïkonauts. The chinese term for going into space.
Astronauts are for US.
Cosmonauts for Russians.
and Spationauts for Europeans.
- Normal_gaussian 10y agoThey are astronauts. Your definitions are off https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/astronaut https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/astronaut https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cosmonaut https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cosmonaut https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/taikonaut https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/taikonaut http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/astronaut http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/astronaut http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmonaut http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmonaut [ Merriam-Webster doesn't define Taïkonaut ]
- dbosch 10y agoActually, the Russian call their space people "Cosmonauts". "Astronaut" has been chosen by NASA, while the USSR chose "Cosmonaut". But you're right regarding the chinese. They are not called Taikonaut in their own country. But neither "astronaut". link : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut Check the terminology section. I just wanted to highligth that only NASA (or English speaker world) call their astronaut "astronaut". In europe, we call them spationauts. And in russia, they call them "cosmonauts".
- wodenokoto 10y agoThe Russian calls lots of things differently than the Americans do. Also, nobody in Denmark says spationaut. We say Astronaut, so not all of Europe and not only English speakers.
- dbosch 10y agoI do hear you, buddy. I'm french, and I do say "Astronaut" when I speaking about space. I'm just stating that in newspaper (not always), they say "spationaut". It's just how it's supposed to be said. But not everyone is following this. And it's ok. I was just highlighting the fact that there is a different name for people going to space regarding the country they are from. That's all. But yeah, the american word it has probably won in the popular culture and in the day-to-day language. Sorry. I didn't want to sound like Mr. know it all.