So, is it chicken Kyiv now?Associated Press
WASHINGTON – The Ukrainian capital of Kiev is now Kyiv, as far as the U.S. government is concerned.
About half of Ukraine’s 47 million people are Russian speakers, and Kiev is the Russian spelling.
The State Department says the spelling change has nothing to do with American hopes of wooing the one-time Soviet republic more into the Western orbit.
2 comments:
I think the unasked-for literal answer to the headline is "No, it's still chicken Kiev." Beef stroganoff is still spelled like that, even though no one transliterates Russian that way anymore. I don't think we'd rename the Jerusalem artichoke if the Arabs win and the city becomes officially Al Quds.
Goofiest. Comment. Ever. (And the competition is not inconsiderable.)
The Economist had a great article about the name change of Bangalore to Bengaluru a few weeks ago; the new name is no more accurate to the local population than the previous one. Canton is accurate to the Cantonese, but Guangzhou is the Madarin version. Myanmarese cuisine anyone?
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