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Old 04-01-2001, 09:03 AM   #51
Yorick
Very Mad Bird
 

Join Date: January 7, 2001
Location: Breukelen (over the river from New Amsterdam)
Age: 52
Posts: 9,246
Quote:
Originally posted by Moiraine:
But words in any language are not meant to remain static - all words evolve with time and with interaction between both native and foreign people.

If I wanted to stick to the past, I should not say I am French - my father's family comes from the city of Nice, and my mother's family from the northeastern area of France called Lorraine, and these two places have been rattached to France only 150 years ago, having been mostly independant through history by their location near to frontiers.

The name "Lorraine" comes from the name of Charlemagne's son Lothaire. "Nice" comes from the ancient Greek name "Nicae".

"Grenoble" is a Roman name, it comes from "Gratianopolis" - the ancient name of it was "Cularo", back when this place was only a village. Would you recognize where I live if I said I lived in "Cularo" ?

The origin isn't important it's what the majority of people who live in an area, or call the language they speak, or name themselves, refer to presently (and this will change as in the case of the aforementioned Mumbai/Channai cases.)

It would be an insult to call you Moron, your language Frankie and your town Grimebill simply because I can't be bothered learning or pronouncing the names you use. It's not a matter of sticking to the past or not. In the case of Germany/Allemagne/Allemani, it is sticking to the past that is the problem!


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O.K..... what do I do now?


A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!
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