I see your point and consider that in a recent conversation with Hungarian and Austrian friends, I was giving the same place 3 different names. Speaking Hungarian referring to it as Pozsony, in German (to Austrian ears), Pressburg and in my own head thinking in English, Bratislava.

I agree that had linguists thought of this many years ago it could have been simpler, but I guess linguistics need to appeal to the masses for very obvious reasons and therefore if we cant pronounce a place name easily in its native tounge we must use our own Moniker.
(captainbildo, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 19:14, 1 reply)

Viva la difference
English (and every other language) has placenames that often reflect a history. `Germany' comes from the Latin Germania (whilst Deutschland comes from the same root as the word Teuton).

In addition to this I find the use of placenames in Welsh for English places interesting and they often reflect a history. Chester? Caer (it means `fortress' - was originally `Caerleon' like the place in Newport and means `fortress of the legion). Scotland is `Alba' - the ancient name for the place and based on an ancient name for Britain.

Personally, I don't give a rat's cock how they pronounce anywhere in this country overseas.
(Audax Victor, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 19:48, closed)

Mumbai.
When we owned it it was called "Bombay".
Now we've given it back to the natives......Mumbai.
They've always called it "Mumbai"
Bombay was how we interpretateteded the word when we turned up.
"Bombay" is still "our" version of what always was and always will be, Mumbai.
( Unklian Lives in the only country where "Glass" is a verb., Fri 9 Apr 2010, 10:11, closed)