Exonyms and Dialects
4 days ago
2 min read
Written By : Annisa Nur Inayah
Is it “Thailand” or “Tailan”?
You might be surprised to know that the spelling can be different depending on the language you’re using.
In English:
🇹🇭 Thailand
In Indonesian:
🇮🇩 Tailan
It's the same country we're talking about, but why is the spelling different?
“Tailand” isn’t a misspelling.
It is the Indonesian form of the country’s name according to Indonesian language conventions.
Meanwhile, “Thailand” is the standard spelling in English. So if you're writing in English, keep it as:
✅ Thailand
And it's not just about Thailand!
Languages don't always use the exact same spelling for the same place or concept.
For example:
🇬🇧 Germany → 🇮🇩 Jerman
🇬🇧 Netherlands → 🇮🇩 Belanda
🇬🇧 Greece → 🇮🇩 Yunani
🇬🇧 Egypt → 🇮🇩 Mesir
These are examples of exonyms. Exonym is a name used by people of one language or culture to refer to a place, person, or group that is outside their community, which differs from the local or native name. People usually modify these exonym to match the phonetic and grammar used by locals.
But here's the fun part, This also happens within English itself with dialects!
For example:
🇺🇸 Color → 🇬🇧 Colour
🇺🇸 Organization → 🇬🇧 Organisation
🇺🇸 Center → 🇬🇧 Centre
🇺🇸 Favorite → 🇬🇧 Favourite
Different from Exonym, dialects are used for pronunciation, grammar, and/or vocabulary.
Both versions are correct, depending on the variety of English you're using.
Knowing these differences can help you communicate more accurately, especially in international settings!
So, how many of these did you already know?
SOURCE
CNBC Indonesia. “Ternyata Ini Alasan Penulisan "Thailand” Diganti "Tailan”. https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/lifestyle/20260116141022-33-702916/ternyata-ini-alasan-penulisan-thailand-diganti-tailan
Vocabulary.com. “ Exonym”. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/exonym
Jordan, P. (2022). Exonyms as expressions of intercultural relations. International Conference on Onomastics “Name and Naming.” DOI: 10.30816/ICONN5/2019/38.
Cambridge Dictionary. “Dialect”. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/dialect
Thought.Co. “Definition and Examples of Dialects in Linguistics”. https://www.thoughtco.com/dialect-language-term-1690446
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