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Coincidentally I was just reading that the variation in other language's names for Germany is because the country originally federated a bunch of nation-states
by tomc1985 5y ago
Coincidentally I was just reading that the variation in other language's names for Germany is because the country originally federated a bunch of nation-states together, and its neighbors simply called the new country the name of whoever they had been dealing with prior
In any case it seems more respectful IMO to call a place the name by which it would be most recognized by that place's inhabitants. Practically, however, I learned the word 'Kiev' first, and 'Kyiv' just now, so Kiev it is.
Framing the differences here as disrespecting other people's culture is a bit of a stretch, though.
- throwaway210222 5y ago> Framing the differences here as disrespecting other people's culture is a bit of a stretch, though. What would you call the insulting hysteria that occurs when an English speaker doesn't change his language and culture to use some foreign-language word for a place? You'll notice no one goes around demanding a billion Chinese change from 'Měiguó' to the 'USA'. Hell, even the Germans get away with calling 'Beijing' Peking. Its just the poor, down-drodden Anglos. :)
- tomc1985 5y agoWe do it all the time in the USA too... "This is America! Here we speak English!" There is no "poor Anglos", we are cultural assholes too