country names
Oct. 17th, 2003 01:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drydemOne thing I find fascinating is how English has developed names for different foreign countries. They almost never match up with what the other countries call themselves and it's interesting because the roots of the misnaming all have interesting political significance.
Examples
Japan-the name Japan comes from the Mandarin Chinese, who pronounce the kanji that make up the name of the island in a way similar to Japan. This is because we met the Chinese first and for some reason decided they could name Japan better than the Nihonjin.
Korea-the name Korea comes from the French, the first European people to journey to the peninsula. When they got there, the ruling dynasty was the Koryo dynasty so the called it Corea. What we know as South Korea knows itself as Han'guk or taehan-min'guk. North Korea, and my memory is even spottier on this, is Choson or choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk. The idea that they have the same name for their country with just a north or a south is a purely western invention.
Germany-It's Deutschland people! I don't know where "Germany" comes from, but it's our word. It's bizzare.
These are just a few odd examples.
Examples
Japan-the name Japan comes from the Mandarin Chinese, who pronounce the kanji that make up the name of the island in a way similar to Japan. This is because we met the Chinese first and for some reason decided they could name Japan better than the Nihonjin.
Korea-the name Korea comes from the French, the first European people to journey to the peninsula. When they got there, the ruling dynasty was the Koryo dynasty so the called it Corea. What we know as South Korea knows itself as Han'guk or taehan-min'guk. North Korea, and my memory is even spottier on this, is Choson or choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk. The idea that they have the same name for their country with just a north or a south is a purely western invention.
Germany-It's Deutschland people! I don't know where "Germany" comes from, but it's our word. It's bizzare.
These are just a few odd examples.
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no subject
Date: 2003-10-17 01:27 pm (UTC)- So that war thing wasn't too meaningful then?
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Date: 2003-10-17 01:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-17 03:12 pm (UTC)more
Date: 2003-10-17 05:02 pm (UTC)Re: more
Date: 2003-10-17 07:58 pm (UTC)