From: fischer@iesd.auc.dk (Lars Peter Fischer)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer
Subject: Re: 1FC Ko"ln v. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Date: 7 Oct 92 05:09:06 GMT
Organization: Mathematics and Computer Science, Aalborg University


>>>>> "James" == J.M.Ross  (Ross@man0507.wins.icl.co.uk)

James> Actually, he said "Celtic Glasgow" followed by "Glasgow".
James> That's what I was on about.

And so? You sure knew what he meant anyway. From the context there
could be now doubt. Maybe to him, the opposition for his team was "the
team from Glasgow" and hence he writes that way. Who cares?

James> OK, so in that article it was obvious what he meant by
James> "Glasgow", but the use of "Glasgow" is totally wrong. A related
James> question: in Germany do you refer to 1FC Ko"ln as Ko"ln, in
James> which case does this not offend Fortuna K"oln fans?

I can assure you people in Denmark refer to 1.FC K"oln as just K"oln.
Actually, I have done so several times on news in the past few months.
The only reason you didn't notice is that the German fans are
practical people and accept that foreigners have strange ways.

Even more interesting is that you appears not to have noticed that
people are calling Vfb Stuttgart "Stuttgart" in quite a few posts
recently. Did you see anyone complain? Do you think Vfb is the only
team in Stuttgart?

When I refer to 1.FC K"oln I often use the full name the first time
and then just K"oln the rest of the time. Likewise for Vfb Stuttgart,
Borrusia Dortmund, etc. This pattern is, I guess, quite common for
German teams. Maybe thats why our German friend abbreviates "Celtic
Glasgow" as "Glasgow"? And I do, btw, display a hopeless lack of
consistency in writing K"oln instead of Cologne. This is not in order
to get the German name right -- it's simply because we say K"oln in
Danish, too, and I forget to translate into English as I do for Danish
names.

James> I assume that you read my previous posts fully, in which case
James> you would have noticed that I am concerned with the accuracy of
James> club names from all countries.

Yes, and this *is* silly. If I have to worry about fans of this and
that team being insulted if I get something wrong, I'll rather not
write at all. I do my best, but I can't do away with my language and
cultural background. Names are just labels, and if we know what is
meant, what's the problem? I see no reason for people to use the
Danish name for Copenhagen or anything like that (most can't, since
they do not have the alphabet for it).

Names are difficult to get right, since each language has its own
strange translations and non-native speakers of English are not used
to the English versions and since spelling have many forms, all
slightly different. Once you start the name thing you are opening a
can of worms and everyone demands to have things their way (witness
recent name wars in soc.culture.europe). Do your best and hope others
do the same. When not, take it easy and accept the diversity of the
net.

What annoys me in your attitude is that you are getting things nearly
your way most of the time, in your own language, and still you demand
more. I still believe you would do well in considering the fact that
not everyone here has a British background.

/Lars
--
Lars Fischer, fischer@iesd.auc.dk | It takes an uncommon mind to think of
CS Dept., Aalborg Univ., DENMARK. | these things.  -- Calvin