Cyprus-Forum.com

[ZoC]

this will probably fly right over the heads of the more cerebrally challenged CF members but i think makes an interesting topic of debate for the rest of us... (me).

i noticed today in the cyprus mail...

CYPRUS has announced an international competition for the design of the new Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, Communications Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis said yesterday.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/culture/visi ... y/20110507

interesting development perhaps, but i'm more interested in the use of the term "cyprus" (in english), rather than the adjective "cypriot" to describe the museum.

in london, there is already a similar-such national museum, but it's proudly called the "british" museum, not "britain" museum, which (and i expect most would agree) sounds wrong.

'oh, zoc....' some might say... 'this is a non-topic. it's just cyprus mail's sloppy reporting. locally, the museum is probably referred to as "kypriako museo" (cypriot museum). wot's ur problem?'

my problem is "cyprus" (the noun), often gets mis-used in english, when referring, more properly, to things "cypriot" (the adjective).

witness "cyprus airways" which is referred to on the island as "kypriakes aerogrammes" (cypriot airways).... witness also "british airways" is "british airways", not "britain airways".

and how about cyprus potatoes, cyprus wines, cyprus tourism, cyprus..... (wait for it) mail!!

wot's wrong with using the cypriot adjective, in english, for things cypriot?

is this some dastardly plot by the british imperialists - with our unwitting connivance - to stop things from cyprus being cypriot?

[yialousa1971]

Cyprus (a Hellenic Island) is a country, a Cypriot is a(Hellenic) person from Cyprus.

[ZoC]

Cyprus (a Hellenic Island) is a country, a Cypriot is a(Hellenic) person from Cyprus.

oh for god's sake, here's some lego... go play... this is way, way beyond u.

[bill cobbett]

Reh Zoc.... Kirialaisson...

It's very, very common to use a noun as an adjective in English to qualify a second noun...

eg... a mountain bike is correct ... but a mountainous bike is rubbish.


...but it's not a general rule, cos there are exceptions and as you say British Museum is correct whereas Britain Museum is nonsense, Cairo Museum is similarly ok, but Cairogean Museum is rubbish,

Now Cyprus Museum is ok, but then again so might Cypriot Museum or even maybe Cyprian Museum, but we might get into arguments over semantics in the latter two.

[ZoC]

Reh Zoc.... Kirialaisson...

It's very, very common to use a noun as an adjective in English to qualify a second noun...

eg... a mountain bike is correct ... but a mountainous bike is rubbish.

sure. but we're talking here about a specific noun. "cyprus"... which is more than common, it's practically ubiquitous when referring to things cypriot in english. have u ever wondered why? why is it the maltese cross and the maltese falcon?

...but it's not a general rule, cos there are exceptions and as you say British Museum is correct whereas Britain Museum is nonsense, Cairo Museum is similarly ok, but Cairogean Museum is rubbish,

Now Cyprus Museum is ok,

but why? if britain museum (the national equivalent) isn't?

[supporttheunderdog]

I think ZoC has a valid point - one can talk in terms of the the People of (Cypriot) Cyprus, (some of whom speak Greek and some of whom speak Turkish) or the Cypriot People, but one would not call them the Cyprus People.


I will quite happily fly with a company that should correcty be called Cypriot Airways (well not happily, unless the cabin staff improve their attitude)

However to be really semantic let's go for Cyprus' Museum or Cyprus' Airways - a simple " ' " makes it work (after a fashion)

[Paphitis]

I think ZoC has a valid point - one can talk in terms of the the People of (Cypriot) Cyprus, (some of whom speak Greek and some of whom speak Turkish) or the Cypriot People, but one would not call them the Cyprus People.


I will quite happily fly with a company that should correcty be called Cypriot Airways (well not happily, unless the cabin staff improve their attitude)

However to be really semantic let's go for Cyprus' Museum or Cyprus' Airways - a simple " ' " makes it work (after a fashion)

Then what about Singapore Airlines? Should it change to Singaporian Airlines?

And what about QANTAS which stands for Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service? Maybe that whould change to Queenslander and Northern Territorian Air Service aswell!

[ZoC]

I think ZoC has a valid point - one can talk in terms of the the People of (Cypriot) Cyprus, (some of whom speak Greek and some of whom speak Turkish) or the Cypriot People, but one would not call them the Cyprus People.

indeed..

I will quite happily fly with a company that should correcty be called Cypriot Airways (well not happily, unless the cabin staff improve their attitude)

However to be really semantic let's go for Cyprus' Museum or Cyprus' Airways - a simple " ' " makes it work (after a fashion)

right....

there's more to this "cyprus" noun-for-adjective than meets the eye. i remember adverts as a kid for "emva cream - cyprus sherry". in other words, it's ours really (as in britain's...) it just happens to come from cyprus. the imperialists (and not just the brits) have been commandeering our produce, our heritage, our right to call our things cypriot. and we've just gone along with it.

[ZoC]

I think ZoC has a valid point - one can talk in terms of the the People of (Cypriot) Cyprus, (some of whom speak Greek and some of whom speak Turkish) or the Cypriot People, but one would not call them the Cyprus People.


I will quite happily fly with a company that should correcty be called Cypriot Airways (well not happily, unless the cabin staff improve their attitude)

However to be really semantic let's go for Cyprus' Museum or Cyprus' Airways - a simple " ' " makes it work (after a fashion)

Then what about Singapore Airlines? Should it change to Singaporian Airlines?

wot's it called in their language i wonder? and u would choose singapore... another ex-british colony.

And what about QANTAS which stands for Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service? Maybe that whould change to Queenslander and Northern Territorian Air Service aswell!

when the aussies drop the union jack from their flag we'll discuss changing the name of ur national carrier.

[Paphitis]

I think ZoC has a valid point - one can talk in terms of the the People of (Cypriot) Cyprus, (some of whom speak Greek and some of whom speak Turkish) or the Cypriot People, but one would not call them the Cyprus People.


I will quite happily fly with a company that should correcty be called Cypriot Airways (well not happily, unless the cabin staff improve their attitude)

However to be really semantic let's go for Cyprus' Museum or Cyprus' Airways - a simple " ' " makes it work (after a fashion)

Then what about Singapore Airlines? Should it change to Singaporian Airlines?

wot's it called in their language i wonder? and u would choose singapore... another ex-british colony.

And what about QANTAS which stands for Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service? Maybe that whould change to Queenslander and Northern Territorian Air Service aswell!

when the aussies drop the union jack from their flag we'll discuss changing the name of ur national carrier.

The Union Jack is a matter for the Australian People.

It has fuck all to do with you because you are not Australian!

Australians are free to have the Union Jack and maintain the Crown if they wish!

Again, this has stuff all to do with you because you are not Australian!

But my point about Singapore Airlines and QANTAS stands.