LOL! 
So let me get this straight, Tatjana - when you personally are speaking Slovene, and you want to tell someone that your brother lives in Germany (for example), you DONāT say
moj brat živi v NemÄiji
and instead you say
moj brat živi v Deutschlandu
Really??
2 Likes
Donāt disappoint me now and say this was written with the help of Google translate becuase this is so gramatically correct that Iād say you speak/write slovensko (Slovene not Slovak 
). 
But I have to admit I donāt use this form with Deutschland always despite it happens too. Iāve asked myself many times where in the name of God weāve got name NemÄija, Nemci, nemÅ”Äina ā¦ Deutschland and NemÄija would even got different gender in our language - tista NemÄija (f) - tisti Deutschland (m).
Well, when I write something on sirious basis I use NemÄija of course but it holds me I rather wouldnāt though.
But yes, youāve got me here. I find itās easier to use native names for more āexoticā countries like Namibia, Zimbabwe etc, then those of European or so but Iād get used to it swiftly I believe.
My fight goes more to the names of the cities and personal names though. We tend to change those names very often too and thatās what irritates me the most, literally bothers me more then names of countires. But HEY! Iād gladly say Cymru instead of Wales and I sware to God I do this for quite some time now (not always I admit).
This is from ānem-ā meaning ādumbā of course, as you know. Applied by Slavs generally to the Germans, in the sense of not able to speak (Slavonic)
But where does this end, dear Tatjana? Are you, for example, going to ask German-speakers to refer to their city of Dresden from now on by its original Slavonic name DrježdÅŗany (āforest-dwellersā) - they wonāt know it means that, and they certainly wonāt be able to pronounce it! 
Must we now say āSuomiā instead of āFinlandā?? Why?
And are we going to start asking English speakers to refer to French as āFranƧaisā, or at least āFronsayā? Retitle our language books so they are called things like āTeach Yourself FranƧaisā, āColloquial Deutschā, āSlovenÅ”Äina Phrasebookā āNihongo for Business Peopleā?
This all seems bizarre to me. Different languages have different names for things. Whatās the problem?
5 Likes
Much more natural to my ear just like Magyar. Finland (Finska as we say) never sounded compatible with their language to me and I often wonderred why we use this term at all (I never got into exploring the things though neither will I go now).
Well, regarding āDresdenā for example, I should admit some things are inevitable however the other could be different if there would be more will among the people not to change every single name so that it suits them.
This is the last thing Iāll say here and then shut up as the discussion can go into political areas what isnāt my intention neither I want this to happen + itās obvious Iāve driven some people away from discussion with sharing my views. Iām sorry if I offended someone (which I have strong feeling I did). I donāt demand anybody would agrees with me regardless it obviously looks like this to many.
Thank you for ālisteningā anyway.
Not wanting to poke the hornets nest any more, but I really like talking about Llundain, Efrog, Manceinion, Bryste, Lerpwl, and other places in Lloegr in Welsh, when talking yn y Gymraegā¦ I donāt think I should stop doing that.
I think reclaiming a local name for a colonised place can be an important strategy in a larger project of de-colonising (if thatās what itās called?) - itās not about whatās ācorrectā, itās a specific political question, different in each situation I would think.
Cymru seems to me to be home to quite a few Welsh people who are actually legitimately scared of Cymraeg, given their experiences in school or with arrogant individuals, plus the misinformation they have about Cymraeg and those who speak it - this is one of the effects of colonisation for sure, but developing a new reason to be Welsher-than-thou really wonāt undo those effects.
Calling Cymru Cymru is a fine tactic, experiment, thing to try, statement; which will be useful more in one situation than another, like anything else - letās not turn it into a marker of whether youāre a good person or not, if we can help it!
My twopennorth, at any rateā¦
5 Likes
Funnily, Suomi is what affectionately comes first into my mind: a result of living in Rovaniemi in the early seventies. When I think of native Laplanders, I always think, Sami, as well.
Suomi/Finland is a place that should be on every tourist map: beautiful country and really great people. Really wish Iād learnt more of the language.
2 Likes
It is a lovely language. Its close relative Estonian is also very beautiful, I think.
1 Like
I thought it was me that did that Tatjana fach!! Because Iām an unreformed ancient nationalist!! (But always strictly non-violent!!)
I am so pleased you got your own country back! Oh, and, Iām so curious, why did you want to learn Cymraeg?
That there are links with the, Hungarian language, I find fascinating.
Yesā¦though they are very distant links, of course. Another lovely language, though.
it belongs to the same language group.
Once upon an time on my forum profile it was, among all the others written something like this too:
The deceision Iāll learn Welsh came from two major reasons: 1st was because my online friend said to me itās too hard to learn, even harder then French and he doubted Iāll manage to do something, and the second reason was simple vow to Welsh rugby squad (although they donāt know that) that Iāll learn to speak Welsh if theyād win Grand Slam. They won it so promise is a promise! IāLL DO IT NOW!
In the mean time I started to like how this language sounds and the fect that quite a lot of (especially young) people donāt care for the language touched me enough to care for this beautiful language even more.
Now you know the story. However I donāt manage to fulfill this vow too good though.
No, dontā worry. Iām master of driving people away no matter how eager I am this not to happen. Well, my comments here were not meant to be even a bit ānationalisticā but only tried to put my view on the subject. I admit I am too passionate about something I feel is right though but this doesnāt mean people have to agree with me.
1 Like
Oh dear, we are going far off subject, but how did you come to be a rugby fan, never mind a fan of our team??? When was this?? Have you ever been to a game? When I used to go, it was Five Nations and all players were amateurs. The World Cup 1991 was my swan song as an attendee!! I know Georgia are great players, but Slovenia??
Iām continuing this āfar off topicā discussion here Me (or let some questions be answered) and letting those who are still willing to talk about whether we can say no to Wales (and Welsh) or not to continue the debate.
Diolch yn fawr i gofyn @henddraig.
I always write or type Wrecsam as opposed to Wrexham. I think that should change as well!
And such an easy change to make (compared to some possible name or spelling changes).
I like to think a majority of British folks know where Espana is and where Deutchland is, in fact I know someone who says heās going to Deutschland when he travels there, maybe itās a way of saying Iām going there and I can speak a bit of the language, or maybe not when folks are off to Paris but pronounced Paree. Anyway, I wonder how many non Welsh British people know where Cymru is?
Itās certainly time it raised itās profile. An official change of name is a long way off, and then Radio Wales will change its name to Radio Cymru but oops thereās already one called that.
2 Likes
And then weād all have to start saying āDwiān mynd i England er mwyn ymweld Ć¢ ffrindiau yn Gloucester.ā
4 Likes
I have long thought it weird that people in a country should call themselves, āforeignersā if that is indeed the true derivation - or could it be a mutation of Galles? Anyway, it doesnāt really matter what other places call Wales, but it does get to the heart of a kind of longstanding inferiority complex the people should allow themselves to be called this. Although we may call Spain, "Spainā, you can rest assured, thatās not what the Spanish call it! It is interesting that Cumbria has maintained its Celtic name yet Wales has not. The famous Phil Bennett rugby pep-talk when he said āthe English have taken our water, our coal and our steelā¦ā didnāt mention they had also taken the name.
Surely it is time to regain some self-respect, throw off the shackles of victimhood and say with a strong and steady voice, āYou call us what you like, but this land is Cymruā.
Nic
2 Likes
Just maybe Plaid Cymru gives them a clue?? Or do most English folk not take much notice of anything but Labour and Tories?