A question for all and sundry: why does the modern Czech Republic have such an unwieldy name instead of just calling itself "Bohemia (and Moravia)", which seems so much more satisfactory on every level? I'm told that the name of Bohemia and Moravia is irrevocably tainted with the Nazi period, but why single out the Nazi period as the area has always been called that? And is there any possible post-1945 POD which could have the country known by the traditional name?
What's in a Name: The Czech Republic vs. Bohemia and Moravia
- Thread starter Llamastrangler
- Start date
Wikipedia covers this: Name of the Czech Republic
But more generally, except for longstanding names with classical importance like Germany and China, the English name for a country is usually either that country's preferred name or a simple Anglicization. As "Czechia" the preferred short form of "Czech Republic" is the Anglicization of "Čechy", the Czech name for Bohemia, that fits the pattern.
Edit: Ninja'd.
But more generally, except for longstanding names with classical importance like Germany and China, the English name for a country is usually either that country's preferred name or a simple Anglicization. As "Czechia" the preferred short form of "Czech Republic" is the Anglicization of "Čechy", the Czech name for Bohemia, that fits the pattern.
Edit: Ninja'd.
What the otehr two said and the "bohemia" is tainted by the NAzi is wrong.
In "German" the older word was "Tschechien" but was uses less after 1918 when (in GErman) the name used became "TschechEI" (like SlovakEI for Slovaki, MongolEI for Mongolia or TürkEI for Turkey - with EI having the meaning "land of the"). During WWII when Czechoslovakia was disbanded by the GErmans and "what remained" was called (derogatively) REST-Tschechei the "TschechEI" got a "negatve tint" to the Czech people thus the old and original Tschechei was reinvented (and seems to be a new word, but in reality its the original.
Regarding PODs if it has to be post 1945 then I'd say the Velvet Divorce. If I remember movements for autonomy in Silesia and Moravia did gain some seats before the divorce. Perhaps there could be some way for them to not decline, like they did IOTL.
"Bohemia-Moravia-Silesia" would just be too awkward. (Yes, Czech Silesia is part of the Czech lands.) Anyway, even if you ignore Czech Silesia, I don't understand why "Bohemia and Moravia" is less "unwieldy" than "Czech Republic." Of course the Czechs could just call it Česko (and sometimes unofficially do so) but the English equivalent Czechia is rarely used, so if anything that would seem more awkward in English.
That why its called "Domrep" for short by Austrian tourists going there
Short version: Because Nazis.
Long version: Everyone really calls it Czechia (which is basically what it is). That name just didn't catch on in the English language for some reason (no idea why), leading to the term "Czech Republic" (which is the closest approximation). Oh, and also because Nazis, naturally.
Long version: Everyone really calls it Czechia (which is basically what it is). That name just didn't catch on in the English language for some reason (no idea why), leading to the term "Czech Republic" (which is the closest approximation). Oh, and also because Nazis, naturally.
Umm. no. As this map shows
roughly a third of the present Czech Republic was the Margravate of Moravia, a separate dominion.
Well OK ... still, they were all domains of the Bohemian Crown. Moreover, at least in English (can't speak for the Czechs), "Bohemia" was used generally to refer to all the Czech lands, and initial proposals for Czech or Czech-Slovak independence during WWI promoted the name Bohemia.
IIRC, Czechs themslves never refered to their land as "Bohemia" in their language. It's like asking why Hungarians refer to their land as Magyarorszag and not Hungary, or why Iranians are saying they're living in Iran, not Persia, or why Germans are saying they live in Deutschland, not Allemagne or Niemcy.