Nancy Gandhi has sent me a link to this map of Europe using local names, a brilliant idea; I wish it were a little larger so the smaller countries were more visible, and it would be nice if they used diacritics, and why is Georgia (Sakartvelo = land of the Kartvels) part of Europe but not Armenia (Hayastan) and Azerbaijan?—but never mind, it’s lots of fun. Thanks, Nancy!
Addendum. T. Carter in the comments has provided a link to an ambitious site that tries to provide every possible alternative name for European places. I love this sort of thing (Romanian Cluj = German Klausenburg = Hungarian Kolozsvár, Swiss-German Chur = French Coire = Rumansch Cuira) and have already bookmarked it for future reference.
In a similar vein, Jacek Wesołowski, et al., have put together a list of European place names in various languages and scripts (repleate with diacritical marks) … http://www.p.lodz.pl/I35/personal/jw37/EUROPE/europe.html
Wow, that’s great! Here‘s the direct link. Many thanks.
I like this one a little better:
http://europa.eu.int/abc/maps/images/europe.gif
While we’re at it, why only one name given for bi- or multilingual countries? (And “Helvetica”?)
The name of the Czech Republic is incomplete there, only Ceska, it should be Ceska republika. With diacritics.
Johanka: There are separate entries for Česká republika and Česko (not to mention Československo). Incidentally, it’s strange and annoying that English has no short-form name (like *Czechia) but can only say “Czech Republic.”
Johanka: Sorry, I just realized you were talking about the map, not the site Carter linked. You’re quite right.
Shouldn’t “Maygar” be “Magyarorszag” too? (Excuse the lack of accents)
Yes it should. Damn those lazy swine.
Nice although not quite as accurate as this one.
Ha!
The map cited by Andrew at europa.eu.int spells B*lgaria with an accented /a/ rather than /u/. I wonder why.
Where is my country, Catalonia, in this map? I think it’s time to have actual maps and not the old ones of the old fashion colonial states.