For those that get pissed at the Spelling of Colombia

Aji1 says on Jan 4, 2007, 08:26:

Amerigo Vespucci, Cristóbal Colón To start with I do not want my tone to be interpreted as being too critical or harsh because that is note my intention, although I know I am more than capable of coming off as a horses ass with little effort on my part. :) You should note that "Columbia" has common usage in the United States and Canada, not "America". There is in fact no country on Earth simply named "America", which is why you can piss off anyone south of the U.S. by referring to yourself as being from "America" and implicitly referring to the U.S. when you do so. You should also note that the Americas were named for Amerigo Vespucci who helped supply and outfit Don Cristóbal Colón for his third and fourth expeditions to what he thought was Asia at the time. Vespucci later explored South American and was the first to recognize it as a new continent and not as part of Asia. The name "Christopher Columbus" is an English creation just like "Estatos Unidos" is a Spanish creation. I think it comes down to people being overly picky just like I am doing now, and assuming the spelling is the same as is used in the states. I think the grind comes in because the offenders do not bother to do a Google search for "Columbia" and seeing what you come up with, it will not be a country in South America. That is of course, IMHO.

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Swinn88 says on Jan 4, 2007, 14:16:

You are correct. the spelling is also used in Canada and with further research you will find the spelling used in other countries as well. It is the point I was trying to get across in the 1st place. By the way no one is claiming that the U.S.A is simply called America. However you will find that in the other parts of the world you are described as an AMERICAN. How often do you hear The AmericanS" "He's American" Americans accept it because it's a name that has been given to them. Thats what people call them it's what they expect to be called. It's What Colombians call them it's what Russians call them it's what Mexicans call them it's what Iraquians call them and so on. your also correct in that America is a feminization of "Amerigo Vespucci". We know the history of Columbus/Colon. we also know that Charles is called carlos and George is Jorge. The point I'm trying to get across is that it ridiculous to be offended by the spelling when it is used in both spellings. Yes it is overly picky but that is why I posted the thread. Not say America is America and no place else is. Just to say stop harping in things like the Spelling of Colombia/Columbia when it is totally logical that a person would spell it either way not knowing that could be spelled the opposing way. The Americas Are the two(2) adjoining Continents of north and south including the central land that adjoins them. The u.s.a is the united states of America. Meaning the states in the Americas that have United. If Egypt declared itself along with a few other countries in Africa the united states of Africa it does not mean they are calling themselves the only Africa. It means that they are the states of Africa that have united. Nothing more nothing less.

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David Pristupa says on Jan 4, 2007, 14:45:

Bogota not Bogata I have to still think this one through before writing it. Its BogOta
not BogAta. I still have trouble with Philippines (Phillipines)?
Mississipi (Missisippi)? I still need the dictionary. The one that really bugs me is Cali. I have to listen in context of what is being said. 'Cali' is slang for California...this slang word irritates me

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robi666 says on Jan 4, 2007, 15:10:

Cristoforo Colombo this is the only right name (not Don Cristóbal Colón ). He was Italian from Genova...
"The name "Christopher Columbus" is an English creation just like "Estatos Unidos" is a Spanish creation." Not true... Columbus is the latin form of Colombo.
Amerigo Vespucci was from Florence. America is the feminin of his latin form name Americo or Americus, for the ones who knows latin, if you prefer.
Talking about another Tuscan, they say Miguel Angel... who the fuck is that Miguel? He was Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1 name and 1 surname... or if you want Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, but none use two surnames in Italy.

what we do in life... echoes in eternity.

"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth. A nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present."

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Swinn88 says on Jan 4, 2007, 15:32:

Thanks
Thanks

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Aji1 says on Jan 4, 2007, 17:17:

HUMMMMMMM... There is some dispute about ole Chris’s origins. Things such as he rarely ever wrote in anything other than Spanish. He may have also been an illegitimate son and possibly a Jew, both good reasons to obscure your origins in his day. What’s more, he may have portrayed himself as being from Italy to cover up his possible participation in a sea battle against the same Spanish kingdom that he later received support from to finance his exploration. However, I really do not say those things to keep fire shots across each others bow and gets away from the original point of spelling Colombia correctly. The proper spelling is always how it is spelled within it’s own borders. Just look at how you would spell Thailand or China in their own script. It is all relative to be sure.

However in closing, isn’t history great! It is much more interesting than a simple spelling quiz or geography lesson. I can barely spell my name without the spell check anyway so who am I to criticize.

Peace out

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Swinn88 says on Jan 4, 2007, 19:06:

Once again thanks. Educate us some more. It is needed here at PBH

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aluheln says on Jan 4, 2007, 20:00:

Colombia It isn't so bad when they spell it wrong and you can say that is C.O.L.O.M.B.I.A. What is bad is when they insist that it is spelled Columbia. There is no way to convince them that it is wrong.

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poco says on Jan 4, 2007, 20:25:

No matter how you speil it my Cola cam is there to document the existence of fads found ONLY in Columbia,, this obsession women have with rear mounted cell phones reminds me of the Hula Hoop fad in the 50's,, that was the 50's wasn't it?



PLUS: Check out this fine work,, Columbians dun it !!! I did the hard part and I'm three fifths Columbianize. PS: Plus I supervised both myself and my helper.

"Violence is the first refuge of the incompetent" - Isaac Asimov

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goin_south says on Jan 4, 2007, 21:51:

Poco.... did you supervise yourself... Or, did you survive yourself? I see a new Book on the shelf at Barnes & Noble: 'The Evolution of Columbian Cell Phone Holders', ... by A.B. y Poco.

'tengo no mas compasion para su loro'

Colombia es

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Simon says on Jan 4, 2007, 21:51:

A tip for our english-speaking friends.

Our country is pronounced like this:

COH-LOME-BYA. It has three syllables.

It is not pronounced like this:

Cuuuuuhhh-luuuummm-beeeeee-uuhhhhhhh.

It sounds ugly when english-speakers pronounce it like that, dragged out, and with four syllables. When gringos spell it with a 'U', it changes the pronounciation of the name and takes away from its beauty. Colombia is a very beautiful name for a country (when pronounced in spanish). It's a fact that the original name the USA wanted to call itself was 'Columbia', but that name was already taken..by us, he he he.

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_Columbia

"The term Columbian was used to mean "from the USA" and there have been suggestions that it should be used again as an alternative word for "American", but has not re-entered general use. The establishment of the nation of Colombia in 1819 resulted in the name "no longer being available as a national name" for the United States (Stewart, p. 173"

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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goin_south says on Jan 4, 2007, 22:59:

Simon, In over 50 years of existence... and education, (including 'Higher') I don't ever remember anyone talking about or thinking about or in demise about... or NOTHING ABOUT! The USA wanting to refer to itself as 'Columbia'. So, whether anyone here is Colombian or Gringo or from anywhere else on Planet Earth, I think that all of that talk about USA desiring to call itself 'Columbia' is PPBsH! Disculpe. I Love Colombia, 2. But,.... this is nonsense.

Es el año, 2007: El año del gringo

Colombia es

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robi666 says on Jan 5, 2007, 00:40:

I am beginning to hate GringUlandia... :-)
or should I say "La iunai"?
what we do in life... echoes in eternity.

"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth. A nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present."

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gringolondinense says on Jan 5, 2007, 02:16:

poco.... how come all these girls in your photos havent had their cellphones stolen? I dont get it. Or maybe they have but can afford to buy new ones with the money they earn posing for A.Poco Enterprises Incorported.

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jan 5, 2007, 05:49:

I've heard that too that at one time the name Columbia was suggested in USA as the new name for that nation but the name was already taken...

Cheers,
Desi

"Soy el que siempreanda de noche en el vecindario, sé cuando ladra el perro, sé cuando canta el gallo sé cuando estan dormidos los muchachos de mi barrio..." (From the joropo "El pajarillo")

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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gringolondinense says on Jan 5, 2007, 07:39:

what about that cop show Colombo? how is that spelt? and is it true that he has a glass eye? I read an article in the Sunday Sport that said he likes to take out his eye and put it in his mates' pint glass down the pub. When his friends have nearly finished their pint, they see this eye winking up at them from the bottom of the glass.

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gringolondinense says on Jan 5, 2007, 07:41:

poco... you really should publish your works of art in a coffee table sized book. And dont forget to include names and phone numbers beneath each photo.

p.s. can I be the first one to do the "proof reading"?

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podborski says on Jan 5, 2007, 08:29:

it's no big deal but in english it is still colOmbia, and I think Simon's pronunciation tip is right on too.

But I don't know why people get all worked up over a spelling error.

I saw a funny skit on SNL once making fun of an english speaking news announcer feeling he had to pronounce 'Nicaraugua' like a spanish speaker. So the guy speaks perfectly clear english until he says 'Nicarawwgwwaa' pratically spitting the word out.

When you speak english you can pronounce it the english way, otherwise it sounds foolish and even pretentious.

'Buenos Aires' is another good example. I get mixed up on how I should pronounce it to my english speaking friends, it sounds stupid to pronounce it the spanish way when speaking english, and vice versa.

But one day I hope to be able to speak with a nice spanish accent :)

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cali373 says on Jan 5, 2007, 09:23:

I don´t see why colombians or anyone make such a big deal about a U.S. citizen spelling Colombia wrong. Just educate the person on it and don´t be like americans by being arrogant about it. If you think about it, there is logic to spelling it with a "u". It seems like an honest mistake to me.

Smile if you are a thinker!

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juancegomez says on Jan 5, 2007, 09:32:

"Columbia" is an entirely valid historical term.. And it has plenty of valid uses that for the most part have nothing to do with the Latin American republic we discuss here on a daily basis. So the word itself has absolutely no negative connotations and it's completely correct to employ it when talking about British Columbia, the District of Columbia and so on.

But, you see, right now the official English translation for República de Colombia is Republic of Colombia.

Some people may still use "Columbia", when referring to our Colombia, because it's a more "familiar" spelling for them. But, even if there's really no reason to make such a big fuss about it, it's incorrect, strictly speaking.

It's also a moot point to consider that "Columbia" should be seen as the "proper" spelling in English, when in fact "Colombia" is increasingly being employed in CNN, FOX, academic works, news outlets, etc. Even if, at some point in time, "Columbia" was the "correct" spelling for this country of ours, in practice the English language is evolving in another direction.

For that matter, remember that "colour" (and similar words) was once the proper spelling for what is now "color", in international and American English, outside of the UK and certain other places.

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Swinn88 says on Jan 5, 2007, 10:01:

Apparently people only see what they want to see in these posts. Guy read everything. Don't just pick out what you want to see. Educate yourselves.

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dianita k. says on Jan 12, 2007, 20:17:

It can be very annoying... Especially when it is journalists who print the spelling as Columbia. I understand it is a mistake that is easy for any random person not familiar with or interested in Colombia (or interested in being informed and spelling things correctly) to make, but when publications print it incorrectly it is disrespectful, lazy and flat out rude. I once saw in an A.P. book (a journalist's grammer and punctuation bible) that Colombia, as a listing in the book, was spelled correctly, yet in the context of a description of Avianca airlines, it was spelled with a U. I have to admit, that sort of laziness and ignorance really annoys me.

As for the idea that Columbia is the "proper English" way to spell Colombia, that is an incorrect statement. It may have originated from the Italian name Colombo, which in English is Columbus, but the accepted American-English spelling of the country Colombia is with an O. Just look at any English-language map or dictionary: Italia is spelled in English as Italy, España is Spain, and Colombia is Columbia? NEVER!

So, while I don't think it is the hugest issue facing Colombians, whether in Colombia or the US, it would just be nice if people had enough respect for another's nationality to educate themselves and spell the name of their country correctly.

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dianita k. says on Jan 12, 2007, 21:26:

Germans? Naaaahhhh. They are WAY more laid back than Colombians! :-)

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miamimike says on Jan 12, 2007, 23:00:

It is amazing some of the Comments on The Mispelling like who cares,,,what damage has been done by one "U" instead of an "o", anyone lose their life over it? Lighten up and get a life!

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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goin_south says on Jan 13, 2007, 00:39:

absolutemente....MIAMIMIKE! Es el año, 2007: El año del gringo

Colombia es

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