On: Does Your Code Pass the Turkey Test? (2008)

[FredPret]

And Burmese / Myanmarians.

Names are always bestowed, never picked.

[jltsiren → FredPret]

Georgians don't seem to like either if you call their country Gruzia. And Greeks didn't like it when their neighbors wanted to be Macedonians.

Names often have historical baggage, and using them may send a different message than what you intended.

[FredPret → jltsiren]

An interesting one is Germany. Different people call them Allemagne, Tyksland, Saksamaa, Německo, Germany, and many more; of course none of these people ever went to Germany and asked them nicely what they'd like to be called.

[guenthert → FredPret]

I think Tyskland is pretty close, particularly given how neighboring folks actually speak there. Allemange has reasons in history as does Germany. I suppose the others can easily explained likewise. Really, it could be much worse.

[FredPret → guenthert]

> Really, it could be much worse.

These are the official names for Germany. It does get worse!

My broader point is you can call yourself whatever you want, but you cannot tell others how to speak if they don’t agree.

[gopher_space → jltsiren]

alt.skopje.is.not.macedonia popped into my head but I'm realizing I never read any of those posts.