Comments on: Peter Hitchens on renaming of Bombay.

By: Darren

Darren — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:53:10 +0000

Hi gang. Love this blog.

I have had an “irritation” of my own about names of countries or cities. Here in the US I think we should learn the names of all foriegn names as the locals of that area refer to them. So instead of learning that the boot shaped area of Europe is Italy, we should have learned it as Italia. Instead of Rome, we whould have learned it as “Roma”.

There are some problems with this such as is in the case of Europe. What do Europeans call Europe? Well each language is different so I don’t know….and what about Mumbai/Bombay? Here is a case where even the locals are are not sure. So there are problems with my idea but I still would rather have learned them all by their own names as the locals would have pronounced them.

I am just bothered that I say Mewnick (Munich) or Florence for Firenze. It would have been better to learn them phonetically the ways the locals pronounce them…or at least a very close approxomate.

take care,
Darren

By: satish

satish — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 19:39:50 +0000

dear Vineet, You have a valid point….But I dont think people have accepted, it was thrust upon the people by Shiv Sena taking clue from the madness of renaming that began in the Southern States of Kerala & Tamil Nadu.
I personally think that Bombay,Bambai & Mumbai should be used just as we use India, Bharat & Hindustan without any issues.
When one speaks Marathi or Gujarati its Mumbai that comes to ones lips, Bambai in Hindi and Bombay in English.
The really sad pure poltics of renaming started with Kerala renaming 7 cities, then Tamil Nadu then Maharashtra with Mumbai, Chatrapati series, then Kolkata etc etc…

Arzan : the link is paid site, thats why I havent hyperlinked.

By: Vineet

Vineet — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 17:07:31 +0000

If “many people in Bombay refuse to use new name” why is he irritated by “most of media calling the city Mumbai”? For the kind information of Mr. Peter , “name change” move did not come from Hindu activists. The maharashtian people have been calling this city “Mumbai” from ages. If you go in other parts of Maharashtra, city is always called Mumbai. Even though the “official” renaming was done by hindu activists, the “Mumbai” name has been there in hearts and in usage for millions already. After official “renaming” (we should call it name restoration) several non-maharashtrian as well as foreigners have started using Mumbai name, I don’t understand why Peter should be irritated by this fact. (Afterall this site is named Mumbai Metroblogging and not after Bombay, doesn’t it display the acceptance of Mumbai name?)

By: arZan

arZan — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:36:19 +0000

Satish

Thanks for the pointer.

Could you correct the first URL in the article to read more coherently.

Thanks

By: satish

satish — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 01:25:32 +0000

Small Correction : Peter works for Mail on Sunday.