A new name for the Czech Republic?

Yes, there was a talk about Czechia but people are not using it. It does not make it any shorter if we use Bohemia-Moravia instead of Czech Republic. Even in Czech language there is not formally established shorter name for Ceska republika although most people use Cesko (read Chesko) but some Czechs don't like it.

Looks like uninformed people might confuse it with or pronounce it like Chechnya.

It could be worse. They could have a name like Magyarország which is so utterly impossible to pronounce that the world created and imposed upon them a totally different name.

James:

That is what the Hungarians deserve, considering they call Italy "Olaszország" and the Italians "Olaszok".

James, uninformed people are already confusing Czechs for Chechens. I heard already several times that those two brothers - terrorists from Boston Marathon were Czechs. But one should not be surprised when even former president (GWB) did not see any difference between Slovakia and Slovenia.

Yes Roberto, the Hungarian language marches to a different drummer. :-)

When GWB was asked about Liberia he said he knew all about it because at one time his wife had been a Liberian (librarian). One of my favorite jokes. I love people who can laugh at them selves and deal with disagreement with out getting nasty; and he was a champ at both.

They can call it what they want, but I really like their beer. And I don't even drink any longer.

My first day in Prague, towards the end of the day, I told my spouse that I wasn't feeling well. I have a minor condition that causes weakness when it acts up and I was having a relapse. I told my spouse that we had better find a hospital before it got worse. My spouse laughed and told me the only thing wrong with me was that I had been drinking the 18" tall beers since breakfast. Yes, excellent and so woven into life that you don't even realize what you are doing.

Roberto-now THAT'S funny!

"I love people who can laugh at them selves and deal with disagreement with out getting nasty; and he was a champ at both."

If the shoe fits, wear it.

"I love people who can laugh at them selves and deal with disagreement with out getting nasty; and he was a champ at both."

Dave, You couldn't be more correct! Took the words right out of my mouth. Glad there are a few around here with a sense of humor.

Talking to friends a few weeks ago in Prague there certainly seems more of a movement to using Ceske as the name of the country and in May I was at the ice Hockey world final in Prague and certainly Ceske was the word shouted more than any other.Personally I don't think it will change but you never know.

I was in Austria in September and one of my friends referred to the CR as "Czechia", so at least some have adopted the unofficial name. And some people also confuse Austria with Australia (hence the "no kangaroos" tee shirt for sale in the former).

"the Hungarian language marches to a different drummer."

Hungarian is not an Indo-European language like French, Italian, German, or English. It is a Ural-Altaic language, brought to Europe by the "Huns" from the Steppes of central Asia. It is more closely related to Finnish or Turkish.

I once stayed in a hotel in a Colorado ski area where there were a "bunch" of Hungarians staying. Their language sounded to me a lot like Italian.

Hungarian is related to Finnish, Turkish? and Estonian. Poor James! I don't know how he will ever learn it.

Actually, the three Ural languages are Hungarian, Finnish, and Estonian. While they came out of the Steppes, it was not from the Huns. The Turkic and Mongolian languages are not considered part of this.

I had that feeling. That's why I put question mark behind Turkish.

You are all wrong. Hungarian is from the Martian family of languages. http://www.setileague.org/askdr/hungary.htm

More linguistic humour , James...bravo! Hungarian is in the Finno-Ugric group related (distantly) to Estonian and Finnish. Work on the 16 cases in Hungarian whereas you would have 4 in German, 6 in Russian! Pound the language. When you start dreaming in the language, as Henry Higgins said, "I think she's got it." I've heard enough Hungarian to be able to spot it out, since it's unlike any Indo-European language, which it is not. I listen for the tones, the sounds, the ebb and flow, any cognates (first thing in a foreign language) to see if it's Hungarian.

I can understand some, although a very, very little. But I can pronounce only the simplest of words. We were out on the town a few months back and I realized it was getting close to the time of my dental appointment. I pulled out the phone and called City Taxi. "I need a cab", I said. The dispatcher asked where I was. I looked at the street sign and terror overtook me. I couldn't pronounce that to save my life. I looked at a cross street and it was just as bad. Finally I told the dispatcher that I would find a Hungarian and call back. These are great folks. He insisted that he help me. One letter at a time, pronounced and re-pronounced and described and re-described and in no less than 10 minutes he knew where I was.

Some time ago when I went to some country I learned first 10 lessons of the language from the textbook for self learners and that was usually enough to get around. With Hungarian I gave up after first lesson. So now I only know nemtudom, egesegedre, sor, szor, basom azanyat and few more (spelling probably not correct).