Country names

Why do we call some countries by names different than what the natives call them? Like Germans call It "Deutschland" so why do we call it Germany? The Japanese call it "Nihon" so why do we call it Japan?

I really don't understand this. Wouldn't it be simpler to just call the countries by their actual names (what the natives call them)?

Quoting Minion:" Why do we call some countries by names different than what the natives call them? Like Germans call It ... [snip!] ... don't understand this. Wouldn't it be simpler to just call the countries by their actual names (what the natives call them)?"

You forget this is 'Murica and we dgaf! I agree with you though, it would make it less confusing that is for sure.

Good question, and I've often wondered it myself.

Like "Egypt" is called "Masr" in Arabic. It's completely different sounding.


Then again, in Arabic we have different names for countries too, usually to accommodate for letters that we don't have. Like Japan is called "Yaban" in Arabic.

<blockquote><b>Quoting I declare a Time War:</b>" You forget this is 'Murica and we dgaf! I agree with you though, it would make it less confusing that is for sure. "</blockquote>




Lol!

I never knew that before  

But yeah, that makes no sense lol

Quoting ☮Sugar Magnolia:" I never knew that before   But yeah, that makes no sense lol"

Good thing I wasn't the only one... lol felt stupid for a second.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Pusherman:</b>" Good question, and I've often wondered it myself. Like "Egypt" is called "Masr" in Arabic. It's completely ... [snip!] ... names for countries too, usually to accommodate for letters that we don't have. Like Japan is called "Yaban" in Arabic."</blockquote>




I can understand changing the name if your language doesn't have the letters for it. Is Arabic the language of Egypt? I feel dumb, lol.

Quoting Minion:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Pusherman:</b>" Good question, and I've often wondered it myself. ... [snip!] ... changing the name if your language doesn't have the letters for it. Is Arabic the language of Egypt? I feel dumb, lol."

Lol yes  

I think every country has many exonyms. Germany has soooo many names, and we wouldn't be able to pronounce Hungary in their native language... Well, properly.

I've always wondered that. I use to live in Germany and in my experience, the natives only referred to it as Germany if they were talking to an American.

From my understanding from my world history class ages ago, most of our names for other countries came from explorers. They wouldn't often know where they were, so they would ask locals and then take that word home and find their closest translation. Then as those explorers spread out, the translations evolved into our common exonyms.

Every country has different names for other countries, and some of them don't capitalize them like we do as a sign of respect. Not all names translate correctly, so there really couldn't be a way to give every country the same name throughout the whole world.

Quoting Minion:" Why do we call some countries by names different than what the natives call them? Like Germans call It ... [snip!] ... don't understand this. Wouldn't it be simpler to just call the countries by their actual names (what the natives call them)?"

i personally think its because its easier to pronounce. People from Argentina call theier country Argentine but they say it with an accent. English doesnt really allow for accents lol at least without ridicule , so they changed it.


i think