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Yes well. Looking at that list there seems to be something of a consensus on the -afi. Also just because 112 different spellings have been used, doesn't mean al
by 5l 15y ago
Yes well. Looking at that list there seems to be something of a consensus on the -afi. Also just because 112 different spellings have been used, doesn't mean all 112 spellings are correct.
Anyway it's a fun idea and I'm just nit picking.
- sid0 15y agoDefine correctness in this context.
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- 5l 15y agoWell, I'm not really up for a tedious discussion over semantics; my initial post was actually a genuine query because I have never seen it spelt otherwise than Gaddafi or Qaddafi. Evidently it's actually a linguistic can of worms. If I had to say, I guess correct would be the closest phonetic spelling to the Arabic, and as I understand that would be Gaddafi (in Libya) or Qaddafi (more generally). Or you could use what he has used himself in the past, which I have just discovered is: Gadhafi [0]. So without even nailing your colours to the mast over the correct definition of 'correct' in this context perhaps you might agree that Gadaffi is probably incorrect for any sensible definition of 'correct' in this context. Or perhaps we could all agree to just call him 'that evil motherfucker from Libya'. [0] http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/513/how-are-you-supposed-to-spell-muammar-gaddafi-khadafy-qadhafi http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/513/how-are-you-sup...
- uxp 15y agoAny translation into english is going to be "wrong" in some aspect. If I were to define correctness, Gaddafi's name is spelt: قَذَّافِيّ Anything else is just a translation and it all means the same, despite being different.
- yaix 15y agoAnd while we are at it: anything else is a _transliteration_