Investigation Into How Different Languages Render ‘London’ Finds That Spanish Has Done It Better Than English Has Done ‘Spain’; Nobody Is Changing Anything
Welcome to Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat — the satirical linguistics dispatch covering the gap between what places are called and what other languages call them, which is considerable and entertaining.
London in Spanish is “Londres.” This is the Spanish word for London. It derives from the Latin “Londinium” via Old French, following the Romance language tradition of filtering place names through Latin before arriving at their modern forms. “Londres” is what Spanish speakers say when they mean London. They have been saying “Londres” since approximately the fourteenth century. London, the city, is “Londres” in Spanish, “Londra” in Italian, “Londen” in Dutch, “Londyn” in Polish, and “London” in German, because the Germanic languages tend to keep the English form rather than Latinising it. This diversity of spellings represents approximately one thousand years of international contact, trade, and linguistic borrowing. Spain, meanwhile, is called “Espana” in Spanish, “Spain” in English, “Espagne” in French, and “Spanien” in German. “Spain” derives from the Latin “Hispania” via French. The Spanish have no particular objection to being called Spain in English. They are simply noting, for the record, that they call themselves Espana, and have done so longer than England has been England.
The UK-Spain Relationship: Friends, Trade Partners, Gibraltar Arguers, and Each Other’s Favourite Holiday Destinations
Approximately sixteen million British tourists visit Spain annually, making the UK Spain’s second-largest source of international tourism. Approximately two million British people live in Spain on a long-term basis, the largest single expatriate community in the country. Spain and the UK are each other’s fourth or fifth largest trading partners. Both countries are members of NATO. Both countries have complex histories with each other that include the Spanish Armada (1588, England won), the Peninsular War (1808-1814, they were on the same side), and Gibraltar (1704 to present, ongoing). The relationship is broadly positive, substantially economically interdependent, and occasionally complicated by the specific six-point-seven-square-kilometre peninsula at the southern tip of Iberia that Britain controls and Spain would like back. “We get on very well,” confirmed both governments. “Except Gibraltar.” This has been the official joint position since 1704. Tourism Spain covers the country without mentioning Gibraltar in the first paragraph.
How to Say London-Related Things in Spanish, for Visitors Planning to Discuss This Article Internationally
Londres: London. Gran Bretana: Great Britain. Reino Unido: United Kingdom. Inglaterra: England. Escocia: Scotland. Gales: Wales. Irlanda del Norte: Northern Ireland. El Puente de la Torre: Tower Bridge. El Tubo: the Tube (informal). La Guardia Real: the Royal Guard. El Big Ben: Big Ben (they kept the English name). La Reina/El Rey: the Queen/King. “Me han cobrado catorce libras por un bocadillo en el Borough Market”: they charged me fourteen pounds for a sandwich at Borough Market. This last phrase, while grammatically functional, is not included in standard Spanish phrasebooks. It should be. It would be the most used phrase in the language by British tourists returning from their own capital city to explain to Spanish friends why they are considering moving to Valencia. For satirical UK-Spain linguistic journalism, visit The London Prat.
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SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/
Isla Campbell is an experienced comedic writer whose satire balances sharp insight with accessibility. Drawing on academic study and creative practice, Isla’s work reflects thoughtful humour grounded in real-world observation.
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British people will never say “I’m upset”; they’ll say “I’m a bit out of sorts” and then proceed to be absolutely devastated in complete silence.
London is the only city where you can be surrounded by history and still feel like you’re living in the most modern, chaotic, and confusing time imaginable.
A Londoner will navigate the Tube with the silent, stoic precision of a bomb disposal expert, but ask them to smile at a tourist and they’ll react like you’ve asked them to juggle burning badgers.