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Interestingly, while in English we now say "business card", it seems that at least Swedish and Finnish, and probably other languages too, retained some form of

Interestingly, while in English we now say "business card", it seems that at least Swedish and Finnish, and probably other languages too, retained some form of "visiting card". In Swedish "visitkort" and in Finnish "käyntikortti" (literally, visit card) are still the terms for business card in use today.

Al-Khwarizmi 10y ago
In Spanish too. "Tarjeta de visita".
siscia 10y ago
In Italy we have "biglietti da visita" which literally translate, as you may guess, in "visiting cards."
FabHK 10y ago
"Visitenkarte" in German (for both today's business card and the old style calling card).
- yoodenvranx 10y ago
  I like this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Visiting_Card_of_Kaiser_Wilhelm.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Visiting_Card_of_Kaiser_W...
  - lb1lf 10y ago
    I believe James Brown at one time had business cards printed with "himself" as title.
nift 10y ago
Same goes for Danish - visitkort as in Swedish
- reitanqild 10y ago
  Let me add Norwegian to the list as well, only with a double t in visitt (double because the vowel in front should have shorter pronunciation I think).
abalashov 10y ago
Same in Russian - "vizitka".
cwmma 10y ago
They were distinct concepts, my great grandfather had both [1], so maybe in those other languages they didn't overlap in use like they did in America. For timing I found them in his address book he brought to France in WW1. 1. https://imgur.com/gallery/GNdcj https://imgur.com/gallery/GNdcj
tmcpro 10y ago
In India they still call them visiting cards
jaclaz 10y ago
"Biglietto da visita" in Italian, it was used also for accompanying a gift, most people used to have two sets, one, a proper "visit card" without anything but the title and the name (and the title was usually striken with a pen to show familiarity) and one more properly a "business card" with the postal address and (once available) phone number.

Al-Khwarizmi 10y ago

In Spanish too. "Tarjeta de visita".

siscia 10y ago

In Italy we have "biglietti da visita" which literally translate, as you may guess, in "visiting cards."

FabHK 10y ago

"Visitenkarte" in German (for both today's business card and the old style calling card).

yoodenvranx 10y ago
I like this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Visiting_Card_of_Kaiser_Wilhelm.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Visiting_Card_of_Kaiser_W...
- lb1lf 10y ago
  I believe James Brown at one time had business cards printed with "himself" as title.

nift 10y ago

Same goes for Danish - visitkort as in Swedish

reitanqild 10y ago
Let me add Norwegian to the list as well, only with a double t in visitt (double because the vowel in front should have shorter pronunciation I think).

abalashov 10y ago

Same in Russian - "vizitka".

cwmma 10y ago

They were distinct concepts, my great grandfather had both [1], so maybe in those other languages they didn't overlap in use like they did in America. For timing I found them in his address book he brought to France in WW1. 1. https://imgur.com/gallery/GNdcj https://imgur.com/gallery/GNdcj

tmcpro 10y ago

In India they still call them visiting cards

jaclaz 10y ago

"Biglietto da visita" in Italian, it was used also for accompanying a gift, most people used to have two sets, one, a proper "visit card" without anything but the title and the name (and the title was usually striken with a pen to show familiarity) and one more properly a "business card" with the postal address and (once available) phone number.