[tomc1985]

Coincidentally I was just reading that the variation in other language's names for Germany is because the country originally federated a bunch of nation-states together, and its neighbors simply called the new country the name of whoever they had been dealing with prior

In any case it seems more respectful IMO to call a place the name by which it would be most recognized by that place's inhabitants. Practically, however, I learned the word 'Kiev' first, and 'Kyiv' just now, so Kiev it is.

Framing the differences here as disrespecting other people's culture is a bit of a stretch, though.

[throwaway210222]

> Framing the differences here as disrespecting other people's culture is a bit of a stretch, though.

What would you call the insulting hysteria that occurs when an English speaker doesn't change his language and culture to use some foreign-language word for a place?

You'll notice no one goes around demanding a billion Chinese change from 'Měiguó' to the 'USA'. Hell, even the Germans get away with calling 'Beijing' Peking.

Its just the poor, down-drodden Anglos. :)

[tomc1985]

We do it all the time in the USA too... "This is America! Here we speak English!"

There is no "poor Anglos", we are cultural assholes too