Danish exonyms

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Bilingual town sign of Flensburg, Germany

Danish language exonyms for non-Danish speaking locations exist, primarily in Europe, but many of these are no longer commonly used, with a few notable exceptions. Rom (Rome), Lissabon (Lisboa (Lisbon)), Sankt Petersborg (St Petersburg) and Prag (Prague) are still compulsory, while e.g. Venedig is more common than Venezia (Venice). In the decades following World War II, there has been a strong tendency towards replacing Danish exonyms with the native equivalent used in the foreign country itself. Possibly this is because many of these Danish forms (e.g. for names in Belgium, Italy and Eastern Europe) were imported from German.

Until recently, it was official Danish policy to use Danish exonyms on road signs if Danish forms were commonly used and known. This has, however, been changed following a change in international agreements. Currently, one can still see Danish road signs pointing towards Flensborg and Hamborg across the border, however Nibøl has been replaced by Niebüll. Signs leading to the Sound Bridge usually have Malmø with Danish spelling.

In Southern Schleswig, the region south of the Danish-German border, a set of original (or, in some cases, reconstructed) Danish placenames exists alongside the German names, just as most North Slesvig placenames have German counterparts dating from the period under Prussian rule (1864–1920). The Danish placenames in Southern Schleswig are used by the local Danish minority and their media, while some in Denmark may avoid using them for political reasons. The use of German placenames in North Slesvig is similarly preferred by the local German minority (when speaking and writing German), but traditionally shunned by many Danes in the region. From 2008, municipalities in Schleswig-Holstein have been allowed bilingual town signs with the official minority languages: Danish, North Frisian and Low German. So far, the city of Flensburg has been the only municipality to introduce bilingual German/Danish signs.

Danish placenames dating from the colonial era exist for almost all major settlements in Greenland. Some of the places in question were founded as settlements under a Danish name, while others were originally Greenlandic toponyms. Very frequently, the Danish and Greenlandic names have different etymologies; while the former are often named after settlers or explorers, the latter usually describe geographical features. In 1983, a Danish law officially transferred the naming authority to the Greenlandic Home Rule. During the years before and after that, a complete set of Greenlandic placenames have ousted the former traditional Danish names. Danish names in Greenland are now mostly known or used by older-generation Danish-speakers or by Danes living in Greenland. Until recently, Greenland was still – both officially and de facto – bilingual, but Greenlandic has assumed the status of sole official language in Greenland, following the island's recent change from hjemmestyre (home rule) to selvstyre (autonomy).

Faroese placenames were Danicised in an era when no Faroese orthography existed, but the Danish names were replaced by Faroese ones during the first half of the 20th century (somewhat later on maps). Today only Thorshavn is commonly used (alongside the Faroese Tórshavn and the hybrid Torshavn).

An example of radical use of Danish exonyms can be found in many street names on the island of Amager, a part of Copenhagen. The city expanded greatly during the first half of the 20th century. Dozens of streets in the district were named after European cities or regions. It was deemed suitable for practical reasons that street names were adapted to Danish spelling rules, resulting in names such as Nyrnborggade and Lyneborggade.

Albania[]

 Albania hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Tirana Tirana Tiranë Albanian

Belgium[]

 Belgium hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Bruges Brügge, Brygge[1] Brugge Dutch
Brussels Bryssel Bruxelles French
Ostend Ostende Oostende Dutch

Czechia[]

 Czechia hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Bohemia Bøhmen Čechy Czech
Moravia Mæhren Morava Czech
Prague Prag Praha Czech
Plzeň Pilsen Plzeň Czech
Silesia Schlesien, Slesien Slezsk Czech
Ślōnsk Silesian
Sudetenland Sudeterlandet Sudety Czech

Denmark[]

Faroe Islands[]

Modern Danish generally uses the original Faroese names. Torshavn / Thorshavn is still in active use. Fuglefjord, Klaksvig and Tværå are also occasionally seen. Also seen are variants where ð and á are replaced by d and å, and/ or accents omitted for á, í, ó, ú, ý. English generally has no established exonyms for any Faroese placenames.

 Faroe Islands hide
English/ Faroese name Danish name Notes
Áirnar Åerne
Akrar Øgrum
Argir Arge
Árnafjørður Arnefjord
Borðoy Bordø
Bøur
Dalur Dal
Depil Deble
Eiði Ejde
Elduvík Eldevig
Eysturoy Østerø
Fámjin Famien
Froðba Frodebø
Fuglafjørður Fuglefjord
Fugloy Fuglø
Funningsfjørður Fundingsfjørd
Funningur Funding
Gásadalur Gåsedal
Gjógv Gjov
Glyvrar Glibre
Gøtueiði Gøteejde
Gøtugjógv Gøtegjov
Haldarsvík Haldersvig
Hattarvík Hattervig
Hellur Heller
Hósvík Thorsvig
Hov Hove
Hoyvík Højvig
Húsar Husum
Húsavík Husevig
Hvalba Hvalbø
Hvalvík Kvalvig
Hvannasund Kvannesund
Hvítanes Hvidenæs
Kalsoy Kalsø
Kirkja Kirke
Kirkjubøur Kirkebø
Klaksvík Klaksvig
Kollafjørður Kollefjord
Koltur Kolter
Kunoy Kunø
Kvívík Kvivig, Qvivig
Lambi Lamhauge
Langasandur Langesand
Leirvík Lervig
Leynar Lejnum
Lítla Dímun Lille Dimon
Ljósá Lyså
Miðvágur Midvåg
Mikladalur Mygledal
Moskernæs
Múli Mule
Mykines Myggenæs
Nes Næs
Nólsoy Nolsø
Nordredal
Norðdepil Norddeble
Norðoyri Nordøre
Norðtoftir Nordtofte
Norðragøta Nodregøte
Norðskáli Nordskåle
Øravík Ørdevig
Oyndarfjørður Andefjørd
Oyrarbakki Ørebakke
Oyri Øre
Porkeri Porkere
Rituvík Ridevig
Runavík Rundevig
Saksun Saksen
Saltangará Salttangerå
Saltnes Saltnæs
Sandavágur Sandevåg
Sandoy Sandø
Sandur Sand
Selatrað Selletræ
Signabøur Signebø
Skálavík Skålevig
Skálabotnur Skålebotn
Skálafjørður Skålefjord
Skáli Skåle
Skælingur Skælling
Skarð Skår
Skarvanes Skarvenæs
Skipanes Skibenæs
Skopun Skopen
Skúvoy Skuø
Søldarfjørður Solmunderfjørd
Sørvágur Sørvåg
Strendur Strænder
Streymnes Strømnæs
Streymoy Strømø
Stóra Dímun Store Dimon
Stykkið Stikket
Suðuroy Syderø
Sumba Sumbø, Sunnbø
Svínoy Svinø
Syðradalur Sydredal
Syðrugøta Sydregøte
Tjørnuvík Tjørnevig
Toftir Tofte
Tórshavn Thorshavn
Trøllanes Troldanæs
Trongisvágur Trangisvåg
Tvøroyri Tværå
Vagoy Vågø
Vágur Våg
Velbastaður Velbestad
Vestmanna Vestmannahavn
Viðareiði Viderejde
Viðoy Viderø
Víkarbyrgi Vigerbirge

Greenland[]

English lacks exonyms for any Greenlandic placename.

 Greenland hide
English/ Greenlandic name Danish name Notes
Aasiaat Egedesminde
Alluitsup Paa Sydprøven
Ammassivik Sletten
Appat Rittenbenck Abandoned settlement
Ilimanaq Claushavn
Ilulissat Jacobshavn
Itterajivit Kap Hope Abandoned settlement
Ittoqqortoormiit Scorebysund
Kangeq Håbets Ø Abandoned settlement
Kangerlussuaq Søndre Strømfjord
Kangerluarsoruseq Færingehavn Abandoned settlement
Kangersuatsiaq Prøven
Kangilinnguit Grønnedal
Kitsissuarsuit Hunde Ejlande
Kulusuk Kap Dan
Maniitsoq Sukkertoppen
Narsak Nordprøven
Narsarmijit Frederiksdal
Nuuk Godthåb
Nuussuaq Kraulshavn
Paamiut Frederikshåb
Qaanaaq Thule
Qaqortoq Julianehåb
Qasigiannguit Christianshåb
Qeqertaq Øen
Qeqertarsuaq Godhavn
Qeqertarsuatsiaat Fiskenæsset
Diskobugt
Saqqaq Solsiden
Sisimiut Holsteinsborg
Ullersuaq Kap Alexander
Uummannarsuaq Kap Farvel
Uunarteq Kap Tobin Abandoned settlement

Estonia[]

 Estonia hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Hiiumaa Dagø Hiiumaa Estonian
Saaremaa Øsel Saaremaa Estonian
Tallinn Reval Tallinn Estonian
Tartu Dorpat Tartu Estonian

Finland[]

 Finland hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Helsinki Helsingfors Helsinki Finnish
Tampere Åbo Tampere Finnish
Turku Tammerfors Turku Finnish

In general Swedish names are used for more well-known places. 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).

Germany[]

Danish has a very large number of exonyms for locations in modern Germany. Almost all of these are originally Danish names in the region of Southern Schleswig, a Danish territory until 1864 and still home to a Danish minority. Some of these exonyms are not commonly known in Denmark proper, but remain in use among the Danish minority in Germany and its newspaper, Flensborg Avis, and among the few remaining speakers of the South Jutlandic dialect south of the border. The names are also traditionally used by Danish historians, although some modern academics dismiss the usage of Danish exonyms outside present Denmark, at least in writing. Larger and well-known locations are more likely to be referred to by means of a Danish exonym, e.g. Flensborg and Slesvig [By], but also Hamborg which is not in the Schleswig region. The historical Dannevirke fortification and Hedeby are always referred to by its Danish name.

While almost all placenames in Schleswig north of the medieval language border (a line between Husum and Eckernförde, excluding the North Frisian area) are of genuine Danish (North Germanic) origin, there have also been limited attempts to construct Danish alternatives for placenames in the extreme southern part of Schleswig, which is originally German (Low Saxon) speaking (similar to the genuine Danish place names in North Slesvig, that have German constructed counterparts dating from the period under Prussian rule 1864–1920). The latter names, as well as Danicised placenames in the Frisian area, are less commonly used. Before 1864, when the Danish monarchy comprised the Duchy of Holstein, there was also sporadic usage of Danicised spellings of placenames in Holstein, such as Plø(e)n (Plön) and Vandsbæk (Wandsbek). The latter name is still seen in the Danish phrase "ad Vandsbæk til" (see: Wandsbek (quarter)#History).

 Germany hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Angeln Angel
Arnis Arnæs
Ascheffel Askfelt
Aschau Askov
Bargum Bjerrum
Bergenhusen Bjerringhus
Brocken Bloksbjerg
Böklund Bøglund
Bredstedt Bredsted
Büdelsdorf Bydelstorp
Dagebüll Dagebøl
Dänischer Wohld Jernved, Dänischwohld
Dannewerk Dannevirke
Dithmarschen Ditmarsken
Drelsdorf Trelstrup
Eckernförde Egernfjord, Egernførde, Ekernførde
Eggebek Eggebæk
Eider Ejderen
Eiderstedt Ejdersted
Elbe Elben
Eschelsmark Eskilsmark
Fehmarn Femern
Flensburg Flensborg
Friedrichsberg Friedriksberg
Fræzlæt Fræslet
Föhr Før
Gettorf Gettorp
Gottorf Gottorp
Glücksburg Lyksborg, Glücksborg
Glückstad Lykstad Rare
Grundhof Grumtoft
Hamburg Hamborg
Haithabu Hedeby
Handewitt Hanved
Harrislee Harreslev
Harz Harzen
Herzogtum Sachsen-Lauenburg Hertugdømmet Lauenborg
Hesterberg Hestebjerg
Hollehitt Holdhid
Holstein Holsten
Holtenau Holtenå
Hüllerup Hylderup
Hüttener Berge Hytten Bjerge
Idstedt Isted
Jarplund-Weding Jaruplund-Vedding
Jellenbek in Schwedeneck Jellenbæk
Jerrishoe Jerrishøj
Joldelund Hjoldelund
Jübeck Jy(d)bæk
Jürgensby Jørgensby
Kappeln Kappel
Karlsburg in Schwansen Gereby
Klanxbüll Klangsbøl
Klixbüll Klægsbøl
Krusendorf in Schwedeneck Krusentorp
Kupfermühle Kobbermølle
Langballig Langballe
Lauenburg Lauenborg
Leck Læk
Lindewitt Lindved
Lindau Lindå
Lollfuß in Schleswig Lolfod
Löwenstedt Lyngsted, Løvensted
Lübeck Lybæk
Ludwigsburg in Schwansen Ludvigsborg, Kohøved
Lüneburg Lyneborg
Lüngerau Lyngvrå
Lürschauer Heide Lyrskov Hede
Lutzhöft Lyshøj
Maasbüll Masbøl
Maasleben Maslev, Måslev
Mecklenburg Meklenborg
Missunde Mysunde
Mohrkirch Mårkær
Mürwik Mørvig
Niebüll Nybøl ved Slesvig by
Oeversee Oversø
Oldenburg Oldenborg
Ostenfeld Øster Fjolde
Owschlag Okslev
Pellworm Pelvorm
Quern Kvæarn
Rendsburg Rendsborg
Riesby Risby
Roikier Rojkær
Rundhof Rundtoft
Rüllschau Rylskov
Schafflund Skovlund
Scheggerott Skægerød
Schlei Slien
Schleimünde Slieminde
Schleswig Slesvig (By)
Schrepperie Skræpperi
Schuby Skovby
Schwansen Svans(ø), Svansen
Schwesing Svesing
Steinbergkirche Stenbjergkirke
Streichmühle Strygmølle
Struxdorf Strukstrup
Sylt Sild
Taarstedt Torsted
Treene Trene(n)
Treia Treja
Twedt Tved
Uelsby Ølsby
Ulsnis Ulsnæs
Unewatt Undevad
Unaften Ondaften
Vollerwiek Follervig
Wallsbüll Valsbøl
Wassersleben Sosti German name also used in Danish
Wees Ves
Westerholz Vesterskov
Westermühlen Vestermølle
Winderatt Venerød
Wyk auf Föhr Vyk på Før

Greece[]

 Greece hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Athens Athen Athína Greek
Corfu Korfu Kérkyra Greek
Corinth Korinth Kórinth Greek
Crete Kreta Kriti Greek
Piraeus Piræus Piraifs Greek
Rhodes Rhodos Rodhos Greek

India[]

 India hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Nicobar Islands Frederiksøerne Danish colonial name
Serampore Frederiksnagore Danish colonial name
Tharangambadi Trankebar, Tranquebar Danish colonial name

Italy[]

 Italy hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Florence Florens Firenze Italian
Genoa Genua Genoa Italian
Milan Mailand Milano Italian
Naples Neapel Napoli Italian Mainly in expression Se Neapel og dø ("see Naples and die")
Rome Rom Roma Italian
Sardinia Sardinian Sardegna Italian
Sicily Sicilien Sicilia Italian
Syracuse Syrakus Siracusa Italian
Torino Torino, Turin Torino Italian
Turin Piedmontese
Venice Venedig Venezia Italian
Venexia Venetian

Lithuania[]

 Lithuania hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Klaipėda Memel Klaipėda Lithuanian
Vilnius Vilna Vilnius Lithuanian

Luxembourg[]

 Luxembourg hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Luxembourg City Luxembourg, Luxemburg, Luxemborg Lëtzebuerg Luxembourgish All forms pronounced like Luxemborg

Netherlands[]

 Netherlands hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Edam Eidam, Ejdam Edam Dutch Latter only common in name of Edam cheese, Ejdammer
The Hague Haag Den Haag Dutch Pronounced /hæˀɣ/

Norway[]

From the 16th until the late 19th century, Danish was officially used, replacing the Norwegian written language, but then spelling reforms gradually replaced it with Dano-Norwegian and the two present-day forms of Norwegian: Bokmål and Nynorsk. Until then, a lot of Norwegian placenames were written in Danish. Almost all of them are now obsolete and not even used in Danish historical contexts. They may, however, still be used in the names of Norwegian newspapers, companies, institutions and associations. In present-day Norway, they will often be perceived more as "ancient" names than as Danish ones.

 Norway hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Bear Island Bjørneøen Bjørnøya Norwegian "Øya" means "island". Several more islands in Norway ending in øya might be translated to øen in Danish, although less common now.
Finnmark Finmark(en) Finnmark Norwegian archaic
Larvik Laurvig(en) Larvik Norwegian archaic
Trondheim Trondhjem Trondheim Norwegian occasionally seen in Danish, and very often used in spoken language even in Norway

Poland[]

 Poland hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Gdańsk Danzig Gdańsk Polish
Łódź Lodz Łódź Polish Endonym also used
Pomerania Pommern Pomorze Polish
Świnoujście Swinoujscie, Swinemünde Świnoujście Polish Endonym also used
Szczecin Stettin Szczecin Polish
Wrocław Wroclaw, Breslau Wrocław Polish Endonym also used

Portugal[]

 Portugal hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Lisbon Lissabon Lisboa Portuguese

Romania[]

 Romania hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Bucharest Bukarest București Romanian
Transylvania Transsilvanien, Transsylvanien Transilvania Romanian

Russia[]

 Russia hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Ingria Ingermanland
Kaliningrad Königsberg Kaliningrad Russian
Karelia Karelen
Rybachiy Peninsula Fiskerhalvøen Polyostrov Rybachiy Russian
Saint Petersburg Sankt Petersborg Sankt-Peterburg Russian

South Africa[]

 South Africa hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Cape Town Kapstaden Kaapstad Afrikaans
Cape Town English English name also used in Danish
iKapa Xhosa
Johannesburg Johannesborg Johannesburg English

Spain[]

 Spain hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Costa del Sol Solkysten Costa del Sol Spanish

Sweden[]

 Sweden hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
Älvsborg Elfsborg Älvsborg Swedish Also pre-1906 Swedish spelling
Ängelholm Engelholm Ängelholm Swedish
Barsebäck Barsebæk Barsebäck Swedish
Båstad Baadsted Båstad Swedish Archaic
Blekinge Bleging Blekinge Swedish Archaic
Brömsebäck Brømsebæk Brömsebäck Swedish
Falkenberg Falkenbjerg Falkenberg Swedish Archaic
Gotland Gulland Gotland Swedish Archaic
Göinge Gønge (Herred) Göinge Swedish
Gothenburg Gøteborg Göteborg Swedish
Halmstad Halmsted Halmstad Swedish Archaic
Hässleholm Hesselholm Hässleholm Swedish Archaic. In Swedish until 1906 Hessleholm.
Höganäs Høj(e)næs Höganäs Swedish Archaic
Knäred Knærød Knäred Swedish Archaic
Kristianstad Christiansstad Kristianstad Swedish Earlier spelling Christianstad is sometimes used in the town itself, and was official until the Swedish spelling reform of 1906
Kristianopel Christianopel Kristianopel Swedish
Kungsbacka Kongsbak(ke) Kungsbacka Swedish Archaic
Landskrona Landskrone Landskrona Swedish Archaic
Limhamn Limhavn Limhamn Swedish
Malmö Malmø Malmö Swedish
Östergötland Øster Gylland Östergötland Swedish Archaic
Simrishamn Simmershavn Simrishamn Swedish Archaic
Stockholm Stokholm Stockholm Swedish Archaic, never gained widespread use
Varberg Varbjerg Varberg Swedish Archaic
Swedish
Västergötland Vester Gylland Västergötland Swedish Archaic
Ven Hven Ven Swedish Danish form also preferred by islanders, outlived Swedish spelling reform of 1906 and was official until 1958
Ystad Ysted Ystad Swedish Archaic

Some of these forms are archaic, based on names used in the 17th century prior to the surrender of the Eastern Danish lands Skåne, Halland and Blekinge to Sweden. Modern usage is primarily confined to history books[citation needed] and Scanian activists. 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[citation needed], maybe because this form hinders confusion with the Danish word ven ("friend")[citation needed]. Since the opening of the Øresund Bridge, the form Malmø has again gained widespread use above Malmö.[2] 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 quite common given their connection to Svend Poulsen Gønge, known from the historical novel and TV series, Gøngehøvdingen.

Some forms are just replacement of ä/ö with æ/ø based on computer keyboards used by the press. This can be used for further places, any with ä and ö, .e.g. Växjö or Östersund,[3] but are often considered misspellings. This is in contrast to Swedish exonyms for places in Denmark where æ and ø are usually converted by the press.

United States[]

 United States hide
English name Danish name Endonym Notes
Name Language
California Californien, Kalifornien California English
Pennsylvania Pennsylvanien Pennsylvania English
Saint Croix Sankt Croix Saint Croix English Pronounced /saŋd krɔjˀs/ in Danish
Saint John Sankt Jan Saint John English
Saint Thomas Sankt Thomas Saint Thomas English

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

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Brugge (Eller Brygge)". 8 December 2016.
  2. ^ Example: Google Streetview. Do a Google search on News, where Malmø site:.dk have many more hits than Malmö site:.dk
  3. ^ Examples: Perfekt norsk VM-start: Vinder guld i skiskydningsstafet and Tysk triumf på den individuelle distance ved VM i skiskydning
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