> Harmon Seaver[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > On Thu, Apr 03, 2003 at 10:12:53AM -0600, Kevin S. Van Horn wrote: > > Harmon Seaver wrote: > > > > >Translate/transliterate is irrelevant -- you don't change people's > names, > > > > > Ever hear of King Ferdinand of Spain? His real name was, of course, > > Fernando -- Ferdinand is merely the English equivalent. Likewise, > > English and Spanish speakers use different names for the same explorer > > -- "Christopher Columbus" vs. "Cristobal Colon". > > Yes, the americans and brits are infamous for their total ignorance > and > disregard for the sensetivities of others. It's called the Ugly > American/Ugly > Brit syndrome. And it's part and parcel of why the rest of the world hates > us. > It's a wonder they haven't changed the name of the Prophet Mohammed to > Mumbo > or something equally inane. And Allah to asshole. > And then of course there were those moron christer monks who in the > 13th > century decided to create a new name for god himself, and stuck "Jehovah" > into > the text. > > Harmon Seaver > Don't lets beat up on ourselves too much here. After all, the French call Deutschland Allemagne, just as we call it Germany. They also call England Angleterre, and Scotland Ecosse (at least the latter two are derivative).
OTOH, the utter ignorance of many Americans of things overseas was brought home to me just a few minutes ago. I went to the local PO to send an express letter to Estonia. There were two clerks at the counter (small town). Me: What's the fastest way I can send this to Estonia? C1: Where's that? Me: Europe. C1: Err - is that a country? Me: Yes. It's south of Finland. C1: You'll have to spell it. I do so, and she starts to punch it into the computer. C1: Ah! there it is. Fill out these Express Mail forms. I do so and come back to the counter. Now dealing with clerk 2. Me: I need to send this to Estonia. C2: Where's that? C1: I checked. It's for real. Me: It's north of Latvia. C2: I don't know that one either. Peter Trei
