Danish exonyms

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Below is list of Danish language exonyms for non-Danish speaking locations, primarily in Europe. Many of these are not commonly used anymore, especially those from Belgium, Finland, Italy (except Venezia, Roma, and Siracusa) and most of the German (except for those in Southern Schleswig near the Danish border). Due to historical reasons, this list also includes the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.

[edit] Albania

[edit] Belgium

[edit] Czech Republic

[edit] Faroe Islands

Modern Danish generally uses the original Faroese names. Torshavn / Thorshavn is still in active use. Fuglefjord is occasionally seen.

[edit] Estonia

[edit] Finland

  • Helsinki Helsingfors - which is the Swedish name of the city. In general Swedish names are used for more well-known places, Åbo instead of Turku, Tammerfors instead of Tampere. Less well-known places (to Danes, at any rate) will tend to retain their Finnish-language names (Lappeenranta instead of Villmanstrand, Iisalmi instead of Idensalmi).

[edit] Germany

Danish has a very large number of exonyms for locations in modern Germany. On closer inspection, almost all of these are related to the region of Southern Schleswig, a former Danish territory and still home to a Danish minority. Many of these exonyms are no longer in common use in Denmark proper, but remain in use among the Danish minority in Germany and its newspaper, Flensborg Avis. In Denmark proper, large, well-known locations are more likely to be referred to by means of a Danish exonym, e.g. Flensborg and Slesvig [By]. The historical Dannevirke fortification is always referred to by its Danish name.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Greece

[edit] Greenland

[edit] India

[edit] Italy

[edit] The Netherlands

[edit] Norway

[edit] Poland

[edit] Portugal

[edit] Romania

[edit] Russia

[edit] South Africa

[edit] Spain

[edit] Sweden

All of these forms are archaic, based on names used in the early 17th century prior to the surrender of Skåne, Halland and Blekinge to Sweden. Modern usage is primarily confined to history books. These forms were also used in a number of texts in the first decades of the 20th century. The only example consistently used in modern Danish is Hven, likely because this form hinders confusion with the Danish word ven ("friend"). Since the opening of the Øresund Bridge, the form Malmø has gained widespread use. Engelholm and Øland (Öland) are occasionally seen. Knærød and Elfsborg are relatively common in historical works, due to their connection to historical events; the 1613 Peace of Knäred (Freden i Knærød) and the Ransom of Älvsborg (Elfsborgs løsen). The forms Gønge and Gønge Herred are also relatively common given their connection to Svend Poulsen Gønge, known from Carit Etlar's historical novel, Gøngehøvdingen.

[edit] U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands were formerly a colony of Denmark, often referred to simply as Sankt Thomas, Sankt Jan og Sankt Croix.

[edit] See also