You have it backwards.
German in German is “Deutsch” or “Duits” in Dutch.
Dutch in Dutch is “Nederlands” or “Niederländisch” in German.
“Deutch” comes from an old high german word “diutisc” which meant “of the people”
“Dutch” comes from “Diest” meaning “people’s language”
When the Romans invaded England, they important the Latin “Germania” to refer to Germany and gradually started to use “Dutch” for the common people of the “lower countries” (Belgium and Netherlands)
Technically, Japan is not called Japan in Japan. Its Nippon.
Just wait til' you hear about what they call Japan in Japan.
Americans are slowly learning about the rest of the world.
Better late than never.
Fun fact:
You might know China as 中国
But Chinatown is not China 中国 + Town 城
I never heard of any Chinese diaspora use 中国城
It's always 唐人街 Tang-People Street, Tang referring to China's most powerful dynasty, or 華埠 Hua-City, Hua also refers to Chinese people, it's actually a character in the official name of both PRC 中华人民共和国 (in simplified) and ROC 中華民國 (in traditional)
Overseas Chinese is typically not referred as 中国人 but as 華人 (Hua People)
Chinese Americans are not really referred to as "Americans" but the emphasis is put on the Citizenship, rather than being an "American"
Like in 美籍華人 which Google Translate says is "Chinese American", but really transliterates to "Hua (meaning ethnic Chinese) Person with American Citizenship"
To emphasis on the "American-ness" I'd have to use 華裔美國人 which transliterates to "American of Hua (aka: Chinese) Ethnicity", which I think would sound really weird and I think I'd get weird looks if I use the term 美國人 (American), so I probably would never call myself an "American" in front of Chinese-speaking people, but use 美籍華人 instead.
(Sort of like code-switching. I call myself American in front of other Americans to fit in, but call myself 華人 (ethnic Chinese person) to other ethnic Chinese so I could also fit in.)
and Japan is is not Japan in Japan.
I'm a Newfoundlander. My sister felt betrayed when she found out that what we call turnips, most people call rutabegas
Wait until you learn about Japan
What's Germany? You mean Německo?
In Spanish Germany is Alemania. Just to add more confusion to this topic.
As someone from Czech Republic, I am not surprised. There are sometimes huge differences between country names in czech and English. And the closer the country is, the bigger the difference.
For the German speaking countries eng - ger - cze:
Other examples (eng - cze):
Likewise, Germans feel betrayed when they find out that you don’t call your country Deppendorf
And the country of Georgia isn't called Georgia either!
And lets not even get into named country's in Sub-Saharan Africa.
to fix it:
🇳🇱Netherland, where Netherlanders live is Netherlands
🇩🇪Dutchland, where Dutchlanders live is Dutch
Ah, but Canada is Canada. More or less consistent around the world. One of the few countries that is.
i really wonder where you are from
I believe trump will be renaming it due to his ancestry.
There isn't called there when you are there. It's called here there.
Saksa in finnish. And Finland is Suomi in finnish.
Wait'll you hear about Japan.
top 99 comments