Osvaldo's comment on the chipotle post has got me thinking of another thing that has always bugged me. Why oh why do we have different names for cities in foreign countries? Cities that already have their own perfectly perfect names, thank you very much!
I mean, I could understand if we had to spell the names differently, so that an english-speaker could look at the word and approximate the sound of the native pronounciation. But that's not what happens; it's like we create a whole other word, sounding nothing like the original name.
Like, what the hell is up with Munich?! Not the least bit like Munchen.
And Koln and Cologne. -Why even bother to mess with the spelling on that one? All that 'gne' crap just makes it more confusing.
And the Bodensee being the Lake of Constance?! Is 'Bodensee' really that hard to say?!
(Of course, so far I've only cited examples from Germany, but still.)
I'll add more examples once I can get home and look at my atlas.
If someone can explain to me the logic in having double names for the same place, I'd love to hear it!
About Me
- k8fh
- I'm just like everyone else; a mass of contradictions.... I want things to go my way, but I'm often disappointed by the outcome when they do. I love solitude, but choose to spend most of my time with people. I long for, but am terrified of, permanence. Learning to embrace (or at least endure) loss of any kind is my greatest challenge. I live in Oneonta with my good friend Joel, my ex-boyfriend's cat, Clovis, and a ton of plants.
6 comments:
If you must shorten my name please do me the courtesy of writing "Os." There is no "z" in my name.
There is no "ah" sound either, but that's a different struggle. :P
Oh!
Oops! Well, there is an "ah" sound, just not at the beginning. Heh.
My many apologies!!!
But, that said, I must point out that you yourself were the one who started that abbreviation - I, too, have a journal such as the one referenced in a recent email, and in said journal are many "OZ"s in your handwriting... (occasionally preceded by "Club" ;-)) We often referred to you by that name at Earlham.
However, I will henceforth update my brain and leave the past behind! :-)
(and I just noticed the irony of the fact that these comments are posted on my post about double names for things.)
"Club OZ?" Are you sure that wasn't a reference to both me and Zach? Like the "Land of OZ" - our radio show?
Earlham was the period of my life that I began to shed "Oz" and "Ozzie" I insist people call me by my full name until they can say it right. Otherwise, the only other alternative I allow them is "sir."
Gostei muito desse post e seu blog é muito interessante, vou passar por aqui sempre =) Depois dá uma passada lá no meu site, que é sobre o CresceNet, espero que goste. O endereço dele é http://www.provedorcrescenet.com . Um abraço.
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