Why Not Use the Country’s Native Name?

For many years, I have wondered why we say and spell the names of countries in English differently than the country’s native tongue — when we can say that country’s name in our own language.

Example: Germany. In that country, the name is Deutschland. We can say DOYCH-Land just fine in English. Why, then, do we say Germany?

Another: Israel. In Hebrew, it’s pronounced YIS-ra-EL. We can say that, too. Why Israel?

Actually, there are perfectly good explanations for why this is so, but that’s not my point here. I want to show you some of the various country names in the native tongues that we could pronounce in English just fine, even if we have to slightly alter the spelling. Many of them would sound exactly the same.

ENGLISH–NATIVE

Afghanistan–Afghanestan

Armenia–Hayastán

Bahrain–Al-Bahrayn

Belarus–Bielaruś

Brazil–Brasil

Cambodia–Kampuchea

Denmark–Danmark

Ethiopia–Ityop’ia

Greece–Hellas

Hong Kong–Heung Gong

Iceland–Ísland

India–Bhārat

Iraq–Al-Iraq

Italy–Italia

Japan–Nippon

Jordan–Al-Urdun

Kosovo–Kosova

Laos–Lao

Latvia–Latvija

Netherlands–Nederland

Norway–Norge

Oman–‘Umān

Poland–Polska

Saudi Arabia–Al-‘Arabiyyah as Sa’ūdiyyah

Serbia–Srbija

Slovakia–Slovensko

Slovenia–Slovenija

South Korea–Hanguk

Syria–Suriyah

Tunisia–Tunes

Uzbekistan–O’zbekiston

Vietnam–Việt Nam

Yemen–Al-Yaman

Until next time! Use the right words!

leebarnathan.com

I Won the Lottery … Again?

I think that so much identity theft online is due to people responding to emails such as the one below. How can anyone really believe something with this many errors (I lost count after 50) is legitimate? It’s one of many online scams obviously been written by someone whose first language isn’t English.

Dear Beneficiary

This is Oregon Lottery Department, We are writing to officially inform you about
the ongoing free award given prize from Oregon US Lottery Online Promotions. Email
Belong to the said beneficiary have been selected as one of our lucky online participant to partake in this free giving online promotion Award.

Below is the prize description and more information about this Prize given to you.
Please read carefully from beginning to end and treat genuinely.

Description prize;

$800,000 USD

Please Note: There are online Lottery Scam that can be found on the Internet such
as BMW Lottery Scam, which you can easily search on google. Our Company(Oregon
Lottery) have never been recognized as one the partakers of Online Lottery Scam.
Please search the Internet for confirmation if you have any doubts.

As a proof of our legitimacy we have a confirmation of a participant who won the
sum of $6,400,000 from Iraq and due to security reason, he pleaded for his name not
to be revealed on the Internet.

We provided the link so you can make confirmation by yourself and for you to know
we are well verified.

http://www.oregonlive.com/mapes/index.ssf/2015/12/mystery_man_from_baghdad_wins.html

This lottery selection process was carried out through random selection in our
computerized email selection system (ESS) from a database of over 10,000 email
addresses drawn out from USA and Canada, your email appear to be among the lucky winners, this is the reason we contacted you.

Our Lottery Organization was also confirmed by Prof. I. Nelson Rose the eminent
professor of law at the Whittier Law School in California that Oregon Lottery
method of providing Online tickets and free award to beneficiaries around the globe
to lottery participants is (100%) Legitimate.

The Oregon Lottery is approved by the British Gaming Board and also Licensed by the
International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your fiduciary agent
assigned for you with her information below and she would be providing you her ID
for verification of her Identity before proceeding on delivering your prize.

Name: Eileen Benko
Work uslotydepartment@gmail
State: Florida
Country: USA
State of Residence: Oregon
Occupation: Fiduciary Agent

Due to Online Frauds and to prevent a third party from getting your winnings and
prize, We have provided a little security check that will enable us confirm we are
in contact with the real owner of this email. Please Provide your Fiduciary agent your winner ID and also the following information needed below for security check.

Oregon : 466125AGDY02/13.

REQUIRED DETAILS FOR SECURITY CHECK:

Full Name:
Address:
Age:
Direct Mobile Number:
Occupation:
Sex:
Email:

This would enable her give you the next required step in completing this
transaction and delivering your prize to you successfully.

Congratulations once again,

FINAL NOTE: Replying this email with your winner ID and information?s required
would take you straight to your Fiduciary Agent automatically. Always know you are
replying to her directly.

Mr. Barry Pack
THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF OREGON
LOTTERY
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

For the record, I have won lotteries in Oregon, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United Nations, which as far as I know, doesn’t have a lottery.

Until next time! Use the right words!

It’s here! My début book, “If You Experience Death, Please Call: And Other Fatal Mistakes We Make With Language” is available on Amazon for only $14.95.  Order here.

leebarnathan.com