[geeks] Languages [was Re: New Tech Schools: Digital Harbor in Baltimore]

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: der Mouse <mouse at Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
" 
" > And their hunnish forefathers (Atila is a popular Hungarian name),
" > even though they call their country Magyar, unlike everyone else.
" 
" That reminds me of Germany and German.  Most languages, countries,
" ethnicities, have at least somewhat visibly related names in various
" languages.  For example, English, anglais, engelsk, angliskii
" [transliterated], Englisch(?); French, frangais, fransk....
" 
" But German...German, allemand, tysk, Deutsch - all over the map.  If
" there are relationships lurking, they're far better hidden than they
" are in most cases.

the barbarian tribe - which at that remove may have been celtic - on
the eastern side of the rhine, on the border of roman-controlled gaul
was called the germanii -- hence, all peoples in that direction are
'germans' to the french and english.  another tribe the romans
encountered was the parisii...

the finns and lapps are suomi and saami, to themselves.  india is
bharat, to its people.  we named china for the ch'in dynasty,
centuries in the past; dunno if they still call themselves the middle
kingdom.  'eskimo' is a name conferred by their neighbors and means
'eaters of raw meat', no doubt why they prefer to be called inuit now.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought