Place Names and Other Cultural Anomalies

The Hebrew language often (but not always) uses the local language name for cities. However in English, most places have an English name. This can lead to no small amount of confusion among the uninitiated.

For example:

In Italy: Roma vs Rome; Firenze vs Florence; Venezia vs Venice; Napoli vs Naples; Turino vs Turin.

In Germany: Munchen vs Munich;

In Greece: Atuna (in Hebrew) vs Athens;

A native English speaker would always visit Florence or spend a weekend in Venice. The exception would be if one humorously tried to demonstrate one’s knowledge of the Italian language by saying that you enjoyed the food in Napoli.

But having said that, in northern Italy, there is a delightful spa town known as Merano to the Italians, and Meran to it’s Austrian neighbours.

To add to the general confusion, Munich (in English) is known as Munchen to both Hebrew speakers and Germans, but goes by the name Monaco to the Italians.

Milan (in English) is known as Milano to both Hebrew speakers and Italians, but Mailand to German speakers.

Europeans may be pretty adroit with these subtle (and not so subtle changes), but for Hebrew speakers it is not a given.

When speaking English show your professional command of the language by always using the correct English place name.

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