Countries whose names you'd never guess from their native language?

[SimuLord]

I was looking at a map of Europe just now, but with a twist: Instead of having the names of the countries all in English, they were named as their citizens call their own nation (except for the non-Roman scripts like Greek and Cyrillic being Romanized).

So Italy was "Italia", Greece was "Hellas", Germany was "Deutschland", etc. In most cases, I was familiar enough with the country that if I heard the name I'd know which country you were talking about. Even Hungary, "Magyarorszag"...I know Hungary was settled in the 11th century by Magyars, so that was easy enough to figure.

But can someone from Croatia explain "Hrvatska" to me? I'd never have guessed Hrvatska = Croatia.

 

[ShrapnelHound]

Ireland = Éire

 

[SimuLord]

Well, Ireland is Eire, so it's pretty close.

However, I really don't get why the capital city, Dublin, is called Baile Aithe Cliath. Dublin is just an Anglicization of Dubh Linn (the black pool in Irish), but no-one will tell me what Baile Aithe Cliath means! When I ask, I just get "It means Dublin", but I know that it means Town something something!

ARGH!

Sorry, what was I talking about?

You'd think in Ireland you'd have some Gaelic speakers around!

 

[ShrapnelHound]

Scotland is Alba which doesnt look anything like its english form

 

[Ironboot]

Well, Ireland is Eire, so it's pretty close.

However, I really don't get why the capital city, Dublin, is called Baile Aithe Cliath. Dublin is just an Anglicization of Dubh Linn (the black pool in Irish), but no-one will tell me what Baile Aithe Cliath means! When I ask, I just get "It means Dublin", but I know that it means Town something something!

ARGH!

Sorry, what was I talking about?

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_baile_atha_cliath_mean_in_english

"Town Of The Hurdled Ford".

This is just what I got from a random Google; might be incorrect.

 

[ShrapnelHound]

Well, Ireland is Eire, so it's pretty close.

However, I really don't get why the capital city, Dublin, is called Baile Aithe Cliath. Dublin is just an Anglicization of Dubh Linn (the black pool in Irish), but no-one will tell me what Baile Aithe Cliath means! When I ask, I just get "It means Dublin", but I know that it means Town something something!

ARGH!

Sorry, what was I talking about?

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_baile_atha_cliath_mean_in_english

"Town Of The Hurdled Ford".

This is just what I got from a random Google; might be incorrect.

This is close enough by english translation
Baile = Town, Home
Aithe Cliath = It is of the Hurdle Ford,

 

[Binerexis]

Japan in Japanese is Nihon which isn't even close to 'Japan'. When you translate how it's written, however, it becomes more obvious as it says literally "Land of the (Rising) Sun". What's funny is that you can tell the English had a part in saying how the Japanese write 'Igirisu' (England) as that translates as "Land of Heroes" when written.

 

[Ironboot]

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_baile_atha_cliath_mean_in_english

"Town Of The Hurdled Ford".

This is just what I got from a random Google; might be incorrect.

No, that sort of makes sense, ford is atha. Cliath just seems to mean dublin. Again.

Still, one step closer! Thank you Zodiac!

You're welcome!

Hmm, this source [http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060626093500AACMPcT] says that is means "The Town of the Ford of the Reed Hurdles".

I must solve this mystery...

Actually, I'll just go with town of the hurdled ford since that's what wikipedia says... I should sleep.

 

[The_Healer]

Oh yeah keep on boasting about your rich cultural heritage...

Stupid Australia...

Edit:

Oh look Wikipedia says that its derived from the latin 'Australis' - meaning southern. Still a horribly boring thing to name a country...

 

[bigsby]

At the OT: Actually Hellas is kind of an "official" naming of the country, noone there calls it that in everyday speech. Its called Ellada.

 

[therandombear]

Oh yeah keep on boasting about your rich cultural heritage...

Stupid Australia...

Edit:

Oh look Wikipedia says that its derived from the latin 'Australis' - meaning southern. Still a horribly boring thing to name a country...

Oi, oi, Norway/Norge/Noreg, means: The Way North, or rather the Northern Way if you want.
So you're south and we're north ;P

 

[Lullabye]

Eh, I'm going with Japan on this one.

Japan in Japanese is Nihon which isn't even close to 'Japan'. When you translate how it's written, however, it becomes more obvious as it says literally "Land of the (Rising) Sun". What's funny is that you can tell the English had a part in saying how the Japanese write 'Igirisu' (England) as that translates as "Land of Heroes" when written.

Lol, I had no idea. Ah, does England's pride know no bounds?

 

[NeutralDrow]

Japan in Japanese is Nihon which isn't even close to 'Japan'. When you translate how it's written, however, it becomes more obvious as it says literally "Land of the (Rising) Sun". What's funny is that you can tell the English had a part in saying how the Japanese write 'Igirisu' (England) as that translates as "Land of Heroes" when written.

Well, not "Igirisu" specifically, that's just the katakana transliteration of "England." Japanese does have specific names for other countries that can be written in kanji, meaning England is probably 英国 - Eikoku, which does mean "Land of Heroes/Bravery."

Incidentally, as far as I know America is Beikoku, "Land of Rice." I think France is "Land of Buddhas," but I'm not sure how to spell that.

 

[Pandazooka]

Any Chinese dialect qualifies for this thread.

 

[Beltom]

Cymru/Gymru=Wales, although I like the Welsh name for England, Lloegyr=Lost Lands. Espana=Spain as well so pretty similar.

 

[Uber Evil]

You'd think in Ireland you'd have some Gaelic speakers around!

I know! I even asked my Irish teacher, who speaks it as a first language, and she just said Dublin!

Even Google translate, famous for taking things to literally, says Dublin, but I know that's not the literal meaning!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

I really shouldn't be getting so worked up about this.

[sub]Heh, when I put Baile Atha Cliath into Google translate at first it said "We're sorry, but Google translate cannot translate from Tamil yet"[/sub]

I put it into Google Translate and I get S Home City.

 

[Powereaver]

I was always curious to how Dutch came from Netherlands and Holland... im sure it got explained to me in the past tho ive just forgotten again