Yes, we know how to spell. Yes, we know that you’re seeing Torino on the NBC ads leading up to the Olympics. So, why does this site say Turin? Which one is correct?
Well, the truth is both are correct. Turin is the “translation” of Torino. If I were writing about Rome, I would say “Rome”, not “Roma”. For the same reasons, we chose to stick with Turin. Yes, it’s a bit confusing. I was confused, myself, when I started looking up information. The media is even a bit confused. But for this Olympics, if you like to say Turin, say Turin. If Torino Olympics sounds just too Italian to pass up, go ahead.
Thanks for the olympic news, fellow blogger.
I’m surprised not more people are blogging about the Winter Olympics. I was fortunate to attend the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid.
I did a little comedy section on the torch run.
Torino… That’s the name I use, although I do say “The shroud of Turin”. Strange, though. Somehow Torino is a town that lends itself to saying the name in Italian…
This discussion is silly. Too much of the world has catered to the english-speakers fear of the “foreign” for far to long. The inability (or rather the ignorance)to pronounce something which might look difficult or sound “not english” is outdated and pahetic in today’s global community. I feel sorry for you. It is indeed “Roma”, it is “Torino”, and the country is “Suomi” and not “Finland”. We english-speakers need to realize that the world laughs at us when they realize that we only speak ONE!! language. They try to speak our language, let’s do them the courtesy of speaking, or attempting theirs. Anglos – grow up
So should the French, Spanish, and just about every other nation call the United States “the United States” instead of:
Los Estados Unidos
les Etats-Unis
etc.
If the Americans are in the wrong on this topic, then so is just about every other country.
I know from studying foreign language that it’s common practice to translate locations and even names of people to your native language. So I don’t understand what the big deal is about Turin vs. Torino other than to spread the “I hate Americans” message.
Dear George – Are americans the only ones who speak english? The comment was to all English-speaking nations, who, unfortunately can’t adjust to foreign names. And yes, if you want the Unites States to be called “the United States” rather than “USA”, “America”, “the Unites States of America” etc. then that’s fine. However, it is an italian city which is in question. Not the naming of “the United States.”
What I am trying to say is that in most languages (not just Enlgish) names of cities are translated into their native language. For instance, New York in Spanish is Nueva York. That is what they call it in spanish speaking countries,they don’t call it by it’s English name. This is true of other languages as well. It seems reasonable to translate names of cities into your native language.
However, I can understand how it could be upsetting to some. When my great grandfather immigrated to the United States from Finland, people in the US were always changing his name (Pynnonen) to Pine. So he ended up changing his last name to “Mänty”, which means pine tree in Finnish.
Torino really isn’t THAT hard to say…in Canadian I mean
Oh, well, sure in CANADIAN.