Author Topic: Is it a Q or a G  (Read 1564 times)

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Kramer

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Is it a Q or a G
« on: March 26, 2011, 09:09:35 PM »
So how does one spell the Colonels name - with a Q or a G?

BT

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2011, 10:51:53 PM »
I think the q comes from the arabic spelling

Xavier_Onassis

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2011, 01:14:05 AM »
Qadaffi (Ghadaffi, Ghadafy, whatever) spells his name the same way every time, just like anyone else, but of course he uses the Arabic alphabet, which has several ways of being transcribed into the Roman alphabet. The English have one system, the Italians (that have the most history in common with the Libyans, as Libya was an Italian colony) have another.
In the 1960's, when Qadaffi took power, the Libyans used the Italian system of transcription, and that was copied by the US press. Since Lockerbie (which happend on UK soil), some papers began to use the British system. I think that explains the various spellings.


"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

Kramer

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2011, 02:34:48 PM »
I think the q comes from the arabic spelling

that makes sense, thank you.

Kramer

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2011, 02:35:37 PM »
Qadaffi (Ghadaffi, Ghadafy, whatever) spells his name the same way every time, just like anyone else, but of course he uses the Arabic alphabet, which has several ways of being transcribed into the Roman alphabet. The English have one system, the Italians (that have the most history in common with the Libyans, as Libya was an Italian colony) have another.
In the 1960's, when Qadaffi took power, the Libyans used the Italian system of transcription, and that was copied by the US press. Since Lockerbie (which happend on UK soil), some papers began to use the British system. I think that explains the various spellings.

thank you

Xavier_Onassis

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2011, 03:52:39 PM »
A similar spelling situation exists with Russian, Armenian, Georgian, Ethiopian, Bengali and Hindustani, since there are different ways of transcribing these languages, which are written wit their own separate alphabets.

Polish names and Russian names are often identical, but Polish uses the Roman alphabet, and Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, a 33 letter system devised by a monk, St. Cyril.


So Bronski is Polish, and Bronsky is Russian. The Cyrillic alphabet does not have the letter i: they same sound is usually written with what looks like a backwards N.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

Plane

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2011, 02:14:35 AM »
  Who is most responsible for standards of language?

    Is this properly the responsibility of universitys? Governments? The people at large?

Xavier_Onassis

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2011, 02:51:08 PM »
In France, the "Academie Française de la Langue" is responsible. In Spanish, there is the "Academia real de la lengua español", is the authority, and ther is a branch in every Spanish speaking country. In German, I think the Gross Worderbuch is the authority. There is something that describes usage, spelling and style for each language that has a written form, I think, but it varies from one language to another.

Haitian Creole does not have a written authority, but people TRY to sound like they are from the nicer parts of Port au Prince, I have heard.

In English, there is Standard American English, and the dictionary is the authority. In the UK there is a Standard British Broadcast English, and there is the OED, the Oxford English Dictionary. There are grammar, usage and style books that are considered authorities. Spelling is the aspect that people pay most attention to with regard to English.

Do a search on "Standard American Broadcast English" and British Broadcast English" and you will find out more.

So far as I know, governments might subsidize a publication, but I don't know of any that enforce standards with fines or punishments. As a rule, the most accepted standard is the usage of people of the upper middle class who have a good education. The US standard is English as spoken in the upper Midwest: Omaha and Lincoln Nebraska are often mentioned.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

Plane

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2011, 07:21:10 PM »
In France, the "Academie Française de la Langue" is responsible. In Spanish, there is the "Academia real de la lengua español", is the authority, and ther is a branch in every Spanish speaking country. In German, I think the Gross Worderbuch is the authority. There is something that describes usage, spelling and style for each language that has a written form, I think, but it varies from one language to another.

Haitian Creole does not have a written authority, but people TRY to sound like they are from the nicer parts of Port au Prince, I have heard.

In English, there is Standard American English, and the dictionary is the authority. In the UK there is a Standard British Broadcast English, and there is the OED, the Oxford English Dictionary. There are grammar, usage and style books that are considered authorities. Spelling is the aspect that people pay most attention to with regard to English.

Do a search on "Standard American Broadcast English" and British Broadcast English" and you will find out more.

So far as I know, governments might subsidize a publication, but I don't know of any that enforce standards with fines or punishments. As a rule, the most accepted standard is the usage of people of the upper middle class who have a good education. The US standard is English as spoken in the upper Midwest: Omaha and Lincoln Nebraska are often mentioned.


  Interesting. Language seems to be a critical function , but one that doesn't really need a central authority.


Quote
", but I don't know of any that enforce standards with fines or punishments."

  I think that in France and in Canada  you can get in trouble by advertiseing with too much English in your signage.

Xavier_Onassis

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2011, 10:24:11 PM »
In Quebec, your sign can be bilingual, but the French word must be larger than the English word. I am unaware of any regulations in France other that you must put the name of your shop in something using the Roman alphabet (not just Arabic or Hebrew, for example).

There was one fellow who was quite upset over this, since his business was making tailor-made Scottish kilts, sporrans and tam o'shanters and hardly any of his customers were Francophones.
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Henny

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Re: Is it a Q or a G
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2011, 01:43:48 AM »
So how does one spell the Colonels name - with a Q or a G?

In proper Arabic, it is "Qatthafi" - note not only the "Q" but a "th" instead of "d"

قتافي


However, in a Libyan dialect some pronounce "Gaddafi." (Although I believe he spells it as former.) But actually, not even that - as there is no letter "G" in the Arabic language. "G" is just the closest equivalent to their letter, "Ghain" غ. The closest language equivalent is the French guttural "R." I can't properly pronounce any word with this letter in it, no matter how hard I try. 

غدافي

Class dismissed!  ;D