to ask everyone to get the name of my country right?

[runnybottom]

Its not "Eire" unless you are speaking/writing in Irish, its Ireland. Its definitely not Southern Ireland. Its not even "Republic of Ireland"

Its just Ireland.

PS> Yes I do realise there a bigger things to worry about, just bugs me a teeny bit is all.

It directly translates to 'Chieftan' or "Leader'.

thanks

Because it isn't the name of the country in English?
However common it is, it is wrong.

As I said, you can write whatever you like, but you're still wrong.

look english is a fluid language. whatever is in common usage, is english. And Eire is in common usage.

Except its not english. Which is my point.

If I wanted to get all political about it, I could say that the English language and the people who brought it have done enough to Ireland, you can't even give the courtesy of getting the countries name right?

Its like me insisting that the name of your country is An Bhreatáin.

(I can't think of Brian as a chieftain...)

think it will take a while for the BBC to start saying "The Irish Chieftain". Somehow in English it doesn't sound right but I suppse that's always the case when you first start hearing a word, with time you just accept it.

yes, runnybottom, its not an english word, just like khaki, jodpur, orange, couscous, Myanmar, Kolkata and all the other words that we've cheerfully appropriated and made part of the english language.

the first four are inanimate objects and have been around a long time, uncontraversially.
The other two....wtf?

I'm not sure you understand my point. You can steal appropriate the word, Irish people will think you are just too dim to get the name right. It hasn't been appropriated, it has been misunderstood.

I can't believe this thread has taken off again!

Mayorquimby said

Well, the lovely man in question is not from Britain, you're right, but he has the right to call himself British, hold a British passport (and an Irish one and call himself Irish) and therefore call his accent British in such a friendly manner.

It's a complicated matter even deciding your nationality in Northern Ireland! I hold both passports and am a citizen of the world

Oh I don't know stleger, I think our glorious leader is a fine figure of a man!

who are you to say that british people using the word Eire is a misunderstanding?

According to that rule, we shouldn't ever say Roma or Sicilia, or Italia either, because there are perfectly good "English" versions of those places. Or Dunkerque, or Köln.
I understand your point exactly, just dont understand why you are getting so het up about it.

you would hate the conversation in our family, we mix 4 languages up in the same conversation sometimes!

One day I was sitting in a bus and overheard a conversation between two tourists where one was explaining the other that "there are 2 Irelands you idiot!, the northern island belongs to England, while the southern island is independant!

I suppose one of those islands was claimed by the sea years ago because I have never seen it...

probably that was Atlantis

PMSL!

it is complicated though, most people from elsewhere wouldn't have a clue

I know trying to explain to my dd in Germany what the story is with England, Britain, UK and British Isles

Then what about Wales and Scotland, the whole set-up. She was totally baffled and we had a map of Germany up on the kitchen wall which marked in all the different states and she could really panicky just looking at it. She said, mum I don't think I can handle learning about the German states now. She thought it was going to be equally complex - which it isn't at all.

I don't think anywhere in Italy was occupied by the British within living memory, was it?

Do you know why in english one know says Kolkata, for example? Because they asked us to! One reason being to try and erase the colonial legacy.

Whatever, call it what you like, I couldn't care less. Just makes you look like you don't know the difference. Oh, and when english speakers say Roma or Sicilia when speaking in english, they generally look like pretentious twats and the locals laugh at them. Which I guess is my point.

ludog that is dissappointing....I already mock Americans

I am joking before anyone takes a pointy (proper 6 counties slang)

Sorry, but that is too silly - because of the history of the British Isles, we aren't allowed to call Eire by its irish name, but only by the english name? Presumably until we're given permission?

I think you are extrapolating your own slightly odd feelings to the locals in Italy laughing at brits for using the Italian words, by the way. IME, they do not laugh at foreigners using the correct names, they dont even notice.

Fascinating: I found this...

"Some confusion surrounds the question of what we should call the independent sovereign state that occupies 80% of the land area of the island of Ireland. That confusion is entirely understandable, and the purpose of this note is to remove it.

The Irish Constitution of 1937 says: "The name of the State is Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland".

The Republic of Ireland Act, 1948, says: "It is hereby declared that the description of the State shall be the Republic of Ireland."

Irish passports simply bear the name Ireland.

Irish government regulations and official statements frequently refer to "the Republic of Ireland".

The advice stands: in many contexts it is safe and uncontentious to refer to the Republic simply as "Ireland". Where the possibility of ambiguity exists, use "the Republic of Ireland". "

Clear?

I have enjoyed this thread - love the fact that Ireland ( all of it) is so ridiculously complex and the more you try to make sense of things or explain them to a non-native the worse it gets For what's it worth - I'm originally from the North, and we called it the South or Donegal ( as Donegal is so very definitely not south) . But not on envelopes. And Kerrymumbles - I'm sure I've met the man in the white house at the end of Dingle - got to the end, very wet, couldn't see a thing, probably stopped for a cup of tea with him ....

Eire is validated by being in common use, as is the english norm...back to my original point. Im off to bed now!

British Isles?

Do you speak Irish? If you don't, use the name of it in your own language(s). Is it really that complicated?

And no, I am not extrapolating at all. I've been in on such conversations, in Italy, in Italian. Its true in other countries too. Its like people who insist on over-pronouncing things like restaurant in an exaggerated french accent while speaking english, its unbearably pretentious and knobbish.

Like I said, whatever. you can write/say what you like, I can laugh at/judge you for it. Don't you love living in a Free State?