06-02-2009, 01:30 PM
gomboreli Wrote:Let the other users judge whether an example with Rim/Rome can be compared with the case of Tskhinvali or not. If it were purely a linguistic issue, then definitely I wouldn't mind even though you start pronouncing Stalin's birthplace as Gor or the Georgian capital as Tiflis (this is how it sounds in German or Farsi). You're probably well aware that with a few exceptions personal or geographic names usually are not changed and examples of China, Cairo, Athens, Beijing and some others show that regardless of how certain names sound in other languages, including native ones, the priority is given to international versions.
The Abkhazian capital indeed has two names. The Abkhazians themselves call it Aqwa, although the Georgians centuries ago named this city Tskhumi which underwent a little transformation (Sokhumi/Sukhumi) during the long-time Turkish rule. At any rate, despite a large number of Russians writing here, this is still an English-language portal which apparently is being subjected to a well-orchestrated and politically-motivated campaign aimed at deliberately deranging the names of cities on the Russian-conquered territories. If it's not so, since when 'Tskhinval' has become 'a Russian variant'?!
I agree that a name of a city sometimes is a political matter (as in this case).
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tskhinvali">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tskhinvali</a><!-- m -->
Quote:Tskhinvali (also spelled Cchinvali or Cxinvali; Georgian: ცხინვალი, IPA: [t͡sxinvɑli]; Ossetic: Цхинвал or Чъреба listen (help·info), Tskhinval or Ch'reba; Russian: Цхинвал(и)), is the capital of South Ossetia, a de facto independent republic...
As for English language then I don't think that there is the only right name of the city.
Quote:Regiment is an equivalent of brigade and in ordinary case consists of four battalions.
Don't be so pedantic. I'm not a native English speaker. I meant military uninits (organised groups of soldiers).