Why some teams' names are not translated into English?

Question

For example, teams like Côte d'Ivoire, Costa Rica and Ecuador don't have an English version, while Spain, Brazil and Germany are English versions of their original names.

Answer 1

I think it has to do with changing times. Some translated names are traditional, but that has gone out of style with newer countries. Cote d'Ivoire (sorry I have to omit the diacritical marks) was once "Ivory Coast" for English-speakers, but now they actually have a law there prohibiting translation of the name into other languages.

For another example, we haven't translated Belarus into "White Russia" (the traditional name, and incidentally an exact translation of the original name for the area from Russian into English).

It also works in reverse. "United States" gets translated into Spanish (Estados Unidos, E.U.A. or E.E.U.U. - the double letters indicate a plural), French (Etats-Unis or E-U) and German (I forget what that is) routinely. In fact, the French insist on translating everybody's names into French.

[Ecuador could be translated as "equator." Remember "French Equatorial Africa?"]

Answer 2

Ecuador is a proper name; therefore, it cannot be translated to the English language. Ecuador is not the same thing as "equator". Ecuador is the country and equator is the imaginary line that divides our planet into Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Ecuador is a word coming from the Quechua dialect (indigenous from Ecuador speak this language); unfortunately, I don't know the exact And Costa Rica are two words in Spanish. Even though some other country names can be still translated, Ecuador and Costa Rica can be considered an exception to the rule. =)

Answer 3

Because it doesn't sound good saying Rich Coast (Costa Rica). Ecuador has no English equivalent. By the way, Côte d'Ivoire = Ivory Coast, that's used.

Answer 4

Yeah, all of you guys are right, and I completely agree that this is one of the best questions I have found here! Good work. In my language, Serbian, and many other languages I know, bosnian, croatian, hungarian, german and many others it is translated. For example, I for Cote d'Ivore say as the Ivory coast would be translated on serbian OBALA SLONOVACE, while on the german it is called Elfenbeinkuste. Many other countries use different names for various nuber of countries, like Germany is in spanish called Alemania, while in serbian Nemacka, german Deutschland etc.... It's quite a strange thing these translations. As far as I know England is usually called England, with various accentuations, isn't it?
The thing with translations continues even with the cities. For examples on most of the languages Wiena is called like that, but only on Hungarian, Serbian ( Croatian, Bosnian etc Balkans languages are the same language based on the differnt diallect, so it's almost the same) it is called Bec! Wierd. Also Belgrade, Serbia's capital isn't translated in english with it's serbian meaning "the white city", almost the same is with Belarus ( "white Russia" )...

Answer 5

Not quite true,. Cote d'Ivoire is frequently translated as Ivory Coast, and Brazil is merely Brasil in Portuguese..

Answer 6

These countries may not have an English name

Answer 7

they are. cote d'ivoire is ivory cost in english, ecuador is ecuador but costa rica i don't know

Answer 8

Proper names are never translated, doing so would defeat the purpose of having a name.

Answer 9

because it's the name do they translate english names to other countries i doubt that

Answer 10

Because we should learn how other countries traditionally speak. It's part of their culture.