MCLC: Xila (2,3)

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: Magnus Fiskesjo <magnus.fiskesjo at cornell.edu>
Subject: Xila (2)
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But it seems some of the Cantonese translations were done (in the 18th and
19th centuries?) via third languages like English. F ex Sweden is Rui-dian
= in the original Cantonese something like seoi6-din, which must have come
from English-language "Sweden," and not from the original Swedish
"Sverige" -- and seoi6-si6 seems to come either from Suisse -- or maybe
English "Swiss."

Anyone can point to any published research on this process of translating
names (in 18th and 19th c Canton?)?

-sincerely,
Magnus Fiskesjö

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From: Costas Kouremenos <enaskitis at gmail.com>
Subject: Xila (3)

Thanks Anne for the information.

I've been reading various theories about the "meaning" of 希臘, like "great
civilization" and such stuff. But, unlike in the case of Athens 雅典
"meaning" elegant+classical, I don't see how the proposed meanings for 希臘
are derived from the two characters 希 and 臘。 What is the List Members'
opinion? Does 希+臘 "mean" something?


Thanks
Costas