Expertlatin
- Why are countries names translated?
- What country is named after a bull?
- Why are some city names translated?
- What country's name means village?
Why are countries names translated?
Sometimes it's simply due to places being referred to by different tribes or groups that once lived there. Germany, for example, is called “Deutschland” in German, which translates to “the land of [our] people.” Its English name comes from a tribe that resided there.
What country is named after a bull?
By the Mediterranean, the boot-shaped country of Italy gets its name from the symbol of the Southern Italic Vitali tribe: the bull.
Why are some city names translated?
Most cities whose names are translated are those who were present in mediæval or renaissance maps, which were written in Latin. As a rule of thumb, cities “founded or found” later than that don't have their names translated.
What country's name means village?
The name “Canada” likely comes from the Huron-Iroquois word “kanata,” meaning “village” or “settlement.” In 1535, two Aboriginal youths told French explorer Jacques Cartier about the route to kanata; they were actually referring to the village of Stadacona, the site of the present-day City of Québec.
