Originally Posted by
vsevolod4
Some of us still use the proper English name Peking.
I'm not sure what you mean by the "proper English name." According to China, the proper English name is "Beijing."
For some reason, many, but not all, English-speaking people acquiesced to China's (and India's and Burma's) insistence that we "change the English name."
English-speaking people acquiesced to these various countries' insistence because (1) the older names were a function of 19th century imperialism, and (2) were offensive to the people who live these countries.
That reason probably has something to do with an anti-Western, politically-correct, bias.
Absolute nonsense. It's a matter of courtesy.
Blah, blah, blah talk about "imperialism" and "colonialism" and other claptrap.
Yes, I know how annoying historical accuracy can be.
It is as silly as if the Germans told us to start referring to Germany as "Deutschland" instead of as Germany. And to call the city "Koeln" instead of "Cologne."
The analogy doesn't hold in the least. Germany isn't called Germany because English speaking people had colonized (or attempted to colonize) the country. However, if Germans expressed a preference for "Deutschland," that's what it should be called.
After all, "Germany" comes from "Germania" which is what the Romans called this part of Europe.
We're not talking about ancient history, but policies and politics that were in place in our and our parents' lifetimes.
And while other uppity nations have insisted we English-speaking people rename the English word to be pronounced the same way as the local name ... I have yet to hear the Germans mutter one word about the Italian name for Koeln ... which is "Colonia."
Sorry, but you're not the voice of English-speaking people. The governments that do speak for English-speaking people, e.g. the U.S. and the U.K., call the capitol of China, "Beijing."
Peking it is and always will be for me and anyone else who resists politically-correct bullies and whiners.
Ah, yes -- anyone who disagrees with you is a bully and a whiner. There's only one person whining here.
The day all of you "Beijing"-talkers and "Kolkata"-blatherers start saying "Wien" in "Oesterreich" and "Roma" in "Italia" and "Moskva" in "Rossiya" ... i.e. the day you stop being hypocrites and extend your "native-language" position to ALL cities and countries ... I will join you in "Beijing."
I sincerely hope that you never visit Beijing. Your attitude is the antithesis of that of a considerate traveler, and you'll bring shame to whatever English-speaking country you call home. What do you call the residents of Beijing? "Orientals"? "Chinamen"? Both perfectly respectful terms 100 years ago, but odious and insulting now.