MISNAMING COUNTRIES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 47, 19 November 1926, Page 6

MISNAMING COUNTRIES

A’ WORLD-WIDE HABIT. The United States does not recognise Russia. Neither does Russia recognise “Russia," according to the United States Post Office Department. If -n American wishes to order caviar through a Moscow concern the best advice is that he address the letter to the Union of Socialistic Soviet Republics (says the Washington correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor"). In order to educate the world to the new name the Soviet Government frequently carries out its threat to return all mail addressed to “Russia" Misnaming nation- is one of our established habits The following are the real names which well-known nations call themselves. Ho v many of these can you identify? Misr. Afrikiya. El Maghreb. Eeeti Wabarlik, ran, Lietuva Suomen Tasavalta. Die Republik Oeterreich. Fistin. The American versions of these nations are:-“Egypt. Estonia, Finland Tunisia. Persia Austria, Morocco. Lithuania,. Palestine." The world habit of misnaming i atioas can be excused. Some nations . annot agree' on their own names so the world must fix on some form. One of the discoveries of Americans touring ,'urope is that Switzerland is not Switzerland If you are in North or German Switzerland it is Schweiz. South or Italian Switzerland it is Svizzera. West or French Switzerland Suisse. The map shows Luxem burg on the international fence between Germany and France. It is also on the lingual fence, possessing two names. Orland-Duche de Luxemburg i nd Groszherzogtum Luxemburg. The Irish Free State also is known by the Gaelic. Saorstat Eireann. Excepting New World titles, names of nations are usually the the oldest relics of humanity. Like all antiques their origins are 'ften shrouded. in mvsterv. Frcqumtlv names perpetuate the opinion one tribe bad of another in the days of barbarism. The official name of Germany to-day is Deutsches Reich They «at! ‘hcmselves Deutsch, which is the name Englishsn°aking people have allotted to the natives of Netcherlands. The French call ‘’mm Allemanrtes. literally foreigners Slavs call the Germins 'Nictniec.' which meqns “dumb men ” They w«rc "dumb men" to the Fin vs since they c.onld not sneak the c lav language «lavi call themselves the Slowjane 'the in Mlieent people." but all Grim'”'*- n .,n them the Wends, that Is “the -t• England reveals name iH»«en*ir*n home The W"l«h call the Ftl-v’* t'Faesnn: the Gaels of gnntl„nri mil ft--English Saoz: the Irish Ra«*m-mb: nn e the Manxman. Saesonach. A Welshman is not a Welsh to a Welshman, but a • Cymry.