► ENGLISH VERSION / CZECHIA SITE
► In the past: Czechoslovakia, Today: Czechia [chekiə]
SINCE 2016 IS CZECHIA OFFICIAL NAME IN UNITED NATIONS DATABASE!
The short country name was 5-th July 2016 included
in the UNGEGN (United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names)
... and in the UNdata UNSD (The United Nations Statistics Division)
Czechia is a standard short name of the country - similar to names of other countries or regions: Slovakia, Slovenia, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Croatia, Austria or former name of our country: Czechoslovakia. According to the law, Czechia [ˈtʃɛkiə] /chek-i-ja/ is a correct official English geographic name of the country with the actual political name the Czech Republic. The Government approves a request to enter the short country name “Česko”/”Czechia” in UN databases, 2-nd May 2016. Link here.
Not Czechoslovakia - Today We Are Czechia [ˈtʃɛkiə]
From one famous country name originated two new big names – two new countries. Already in 1993. Once upon a time: CZECHOSLOVAKIA Currently: CZECHIA & SLOVAKIA. Logical change of name. Video HERE.
CZECHIA in UNGEGN database "United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names.
CZECHIA in the World Fact Book CIA
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ez.html
Why Czechia? We are not the only Czech Republic - we have older history than since year 1993!
Is bizarre to call a country with 1200 years of history by a political name which is here as state since 1993 :-)
We need the name Czechia for describing history! For example, Charles IV was not king of the Czech Republic.
The political name of a country (Czech Republic) is transient and ignores the historic continuity of a given state territory because it is limited only to the existing state form. In the case of the Czech Republic, it is incorrect and impractical to use its political name for various state forms that had existed on its territory before 1993, thus before the existence of the current state form. As such, the political name can never fully replace a permanent geographic name (Czechia) that does not change in response to changing state forms in a particular territory. The need for a short name is demonstrated by the fact that the Czech Republic is often erroneously shortened to Czech, Czech rep., CR, C. Rep. or Czecho. In many cases, foreigners continue to use the name Czechoslovakia, although the country has not existed since 1993. “Made in the Czech Republic” has failed to become a familiar brand around the world.
WEB links - name Czechia is commonly used.
Many examples here:
https://czechia-cesko.webnode.cz/english/%e2%96%ba-english-web-links/
► Short country name is not Czech, but Czechia [ˈtʃɛkiə or tshekiya].
Some people call our country "Czech", which is wrong. „Czech“ is an adjective, the name of the inhabitant of Czechia and of the Czech language, but surely not the country name. English speakers do not use word French like a country name for France, Japanese for Japan or German for Germany.
UN databases and Czechia - official info here.
► Czechia is correct and officialy short name of the Czech Republic:
- in EU member-countries list (EUROSTAT)
- in ISO-3166 standards
- in United Nations world database of countries
- in EU Interinstitutional style guide
- in UNESCO
- in The World Factbook - Country database of CIA
- in United Nations
- in Google maps online
►
Czechia is a renewed english short name, which has been used for our country in English in the past. Wenceslaus Hajek Libočan. More info about history here.
► Pronunciation
Listen: English pronunciation of Czechia [chekiə]
1) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/czechia
2) https://cs.forvo.com/word/czechia/
3) https://youtu.be/cNznRxncOe4
4) https://youtu.be/PFvNbq-IaaQ
5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRvB7qQwQA8
FACTS AGAINST EMOTIONS AND MYTHS:
It is advisable to use the short name of our country, regardless of the fact that most people, including many Czech politicians(!), refuse to use the short English version and do not like it. Czechia is official short name of the Czech Republic.
he reason of aversion is many slanders and myths that are still spreading about the name Czechia, although this name was unanimously recommended by many experts in history, linguistics, marketing, etc.
Every republic of Europe prefers own short name - for example France or Italy (The French Republic, the Italian Republic etc.)
Czechia (The Czech Republic) is not the sole republic in Europe.
Czechia is maybe an uncommon name, but that's no reason for his rejection. Feelings can not take precedence over the recommended and officially approved facts.
► We have every right to the name Czechia. No fear. Czechia is older name than e.g. a name Chechnya.
"The Czech Republic" is only the current state-political unit. It is not short country name.
► Even the name "Czech" is not a short name of the state. "Czech" is only the Slavic language of the Czechs, or a native or inhabitant of Czechia or an adjective. The word Czechia doesn't have the same meaning as word Czech, like word Germany does not mean German, Britain not means British, and France not means French.
► The precisely and universal country name is CZECHIA /check-i-ya/ in English. In czech language is it "ČESKO".
"Česko = Czechia" ... Google Translate. Just as "Československo" was "Czechoslovakia".
► The Czechia is a country where Czechs live. The Czechia consists of three regions: Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. In the Czech language Czechia means Česko. Pronounce the name Czechia [chekiə] with "k" - like in words chemistry, architect, headache, Anchorage, Czechoslovakia, ... Czechia. Phrase "Česko = Czechia" in dictionary here.
CZECHIA or CZECH REPUBLIC? What do English speakers say?
Video - YouTube: https://youtu.be/CYFIttSQXYI
It is not always necessary to announce the political designation of a state-law arrangement to name a state (Republic, Kingdom, Sultanate).
The Czech Republic is only political name similar to Italian Republic, French Republic or Hellenic Republic.
But modern Republics use short names - France, Italy, Greece, Czechia. Call our country Czechia, please. Important: Pronounce the name Czechia with "k" - like in words chemistry, architect, headache, Anchorage, Czechoslovakia...
► Česko - translate to English
ČESKO = CZECHIA is in dictionaries
► Our country is Czechia!
The name Czechia is sole correct short name of the Czech Republic - the result of a long professional discussion, which ended in a clear victory of this name in the vote of experts in the field of linguistics, geography, history and marketing. Since 1993 Czechoslovakia (CS) not exists! It was divided into Czechia (CZ) and Slovakia (SK).
Chechnya supposedly confuses with Czechia. Really?
It is an ingrained mistake and intentionally damaging claims.
Abroad, contrary from this, they confuse political name the Czech Republic with the Chechen Republic.
► Precisely for this confusion occurred April 19, 2013, after the assassination of Marathon in Boston, when CNN reporter instead announced that the bomber was from Chechnya, he erroneously stated, that he was from the Czech Republic. About the name Czechia is not the point here!
BTW: Compare pronunciation, please: CZECHIA [tʃɛkiə] X CHECHNYA [tʃɛtʃniə] [Чечня́]
A small child says word Czechia very well!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFvNbq-IaaQ
Poor knowledge of country names or geography by some people should not be a reason for refusing a particular country name. There are numerous countries with more similar names than Czechia/Chechnya, such as Austria/Australia, Iran/Iraq, Slovakia/Slovenia etc. None of these countries has decided to give up its short name and use its political name exclusively because of possible confusion with another country (region). Czechia can be confused with Chechnya in the same way the Czech Republic can be confused with the Chechen Republic. The chance of actual confusion of Czechia and Chechnya is almost zero since Chechnya is not an independent country and does not act as a sovereign entity at the international scale.
► None of the republics in Europe is using their political name as a short one! Czechia is a short name, not a political one! Almost all countries have two official names – political (formal) name and a geographic (short) name.
Both names are official. While the political name is only applicable in official documents, such as international treaties and passports, the geographical name has its clearly defined natural function in all other cases.
► It's simple - almost every republic has a political name with the word "Republic" and a short name (geographic) without the word "Republic".
1) Political name (French Republic, Hellenic Republic, Czech Republic, Republic of Austria, Kingdom of Sweden, Swiss Confederation, etc.
2) Geographic name (France, Greece, Czechia, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland)
Prague Trips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJeLdtRE8p8&feature=youtu.be
► The name Czechia is not a new thought of present politicians!
The name Czechia is a name with a long tradition - see more. See also e.g.: The Daily News from the year 1939. More newspapers articles from history you can read here.
Czechia is a timeless country name - for culture, sport, fun, science, economic. It is not always necessary to announce the political designation of a state-law arrangement to name a state (Republic, Kingdom, Sultanate). The political regime "Republic" exists in Czechia only since 1918.
► Why is the name the Czech Republic not always applicable everywhere?
Because the Czech Republic is only a political name similar e.g. to names Italian Republic or French Republic. But modern Republics use short names - e.g. France or Italy. The lists of short names of countries must also include the short name Czechia. “Czech Republic” remains in use primarily in political contexts.
Amazing Czechia - Welcome in our country!
https://www.amazingczechia.com/
Czechia - The Heart of Europe!
https://www.czechia-heart-of-europe.com/tourist-tips
► Why Czechia is interchangeable with Chechnya? Because exists nonsensical censorship of the name Czechia. Promote Czechia! Everyone must know, what Czechia is: official short name of the Czech Republic.
Most famous objection against Czechia: "Czechia easily confused with Chechnya". Solving: In order for Czechia not to be confused with Chechnya, it is necessary to promote the fact that the Czech Republic is Czechia and not Chechnya. For example, the name Russia is much more similar to the name of Croatia (than Czechia) and Croats having not a problem with this.
There are numerous countries with more similar names than Czechia/Chechnya, such as Austria/Australia, Iran/Iraq, Mali/Malawi, Niger/Nigeria, Gambia/Zambia, Slovakia/Slovenia etc. The chance of actual confusion of Czechia and Chechnya during various diplomatic, international scientific or sports events is almost zero since Chechnya is not an independent country and does not act as a sovereign entity at the international scale.
Let's repeat: Chechnya is not Czechia [ˈtʃɛkiə]! Everyone must know it!
► We must, therefore, be grateful for any promotion of the name Czechia and not criticize it. The short and easy-to-remember name Czechia makes great advertising and publicity for our country in the world.
► Official translation of the word ČESKO = CZECHIA in dictionaries:
More at CZECHIA AND DICTIONARIES
https://czechia-cesko.webnode.cz/slovniky/
► Who is the hero and who the coward? And who is the expert, and who the amateur?
To use the name of the Czech Republic in lists of short names is manifestly flawed and therefore unprofessional. Political long name Czech Republic fits only among the other long names of states such as the Slovak Republic, the French Republic or the Italian Republic. The one who has found it out now has a chance to show its wisdom, independence and courage by starting to use without fear name our country - in English Czechia, in French Tchéquie, in German Tschechien, in Spanish Chequia, etc. Similar like other countries for example (Slovakia, France, Italy). Whoever understands and accepts these facts will continue to be considered a top professional in all aspects.
► The name Czechia is commonly used - see more web links.
Czechia is the current valid country short name of the Czech Republic recommended by many experts and approved by the Czech Government. (Czechia is also put in United Nations official list of country names and more world databases and standards...) The Czech Republic is the only a political name.
► Do you know the name "the Czech Republic"? And are you use this complicated name?
It is not always necessary to announce the political designation of a state-law arrangement to name a state (Republic, Kingdom, Sultanate). The Czech Republic is very cold phrases...It is only the political name of our country - similar to the Italian Republic, French Republic, or former ugly political name of our country before dividing: "The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic". Short (geographical) name of our country in the present time is modern name with forgotten tradition - Czechia. Other republics also use short names - Italy, France or former famous short name our country in the past: "Czechoslovakia"(1918-1992).
► Alleged non-democratic vote about the name Czechia? No, only bad promotion and apathy of politicians.
It's not a question of the amateur vote in the referendum. In 1993, following the legal procedure of place names codification, 55 experts (linguists, historians, geographers and others) codified Czechia as the English translation of Česko. The experts unequivocally recommended the use of “Czechia” in English and its variants in other languages (Tschechien, Tchéquie, Chequia etc.). This is not an opinion but the outcome of the process of standardization.
The Czech Republic is not the sole (only one) republic in Europe!
Czechia and other republics:
France French Republic
Greece Hellenic Republic
Czechia Czech Republic
Slovakia Slovak Republic
Italy Italian Republic
Slovenia Republic of Slovenia
Germany Federal Republic of Germany
Austria Republic of Austria
Finland Republic of Finland
Poland Republic of Poland
Croatia Republic of Croatia
Albania Republic of Albania
Bulgaria Republic of Bulgaria
Kosovo Republic of Kosovo
Macedonia Republic of Macedonia
Moldova Republic of Moldova
Serbia Republic of Serbia
Turkey Republic of Turkey
Czechia is increasingly being used in similar indexes. Some recent examples:
Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps
Google Earth: https://www.google.com/earth/
Czechia will be used in all European Union publications following the belated change in the EU Interinstitutional Style Guide: https://publications.europa.eu/code/en/en-370100.htm and https://publications.europa.eu/code/en/en-000300.htm
2018 World Population Data Sheet: https://assets.prb.org/pdf17/2017_World_Population.pdf
2018 Human Development Index: https://www.hdr.undp.org/en/2018-update
2018 European Demographic Data Sheet: https://www.oeaw.ac.at/vid/data/demographic-data-sheets/european-demographic-data-sheet-2018/
Short name Czechia is a better brand than formal name the Czech Republic.
People still remember Czechoslovakia (and not a formal name - the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic!) There is no better proof of the fact, that the formal name was never a "brand" and never can be one. People don't remember the formal names, just the short ones. Calling a country with 1200 years of history (Czechia) by a name 25 years old (Czech Republic) is a short-sighted bad habit. But it is a problem of us Czechs! There is no other country in Europe with such a bad branding, completely scattered, but what can you do if the state tourism agency is run by people with no idea about marketing! And they don't want to acknowledge their mistake.
Small child says word Czechia very well!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFvNbq-IaaQ
List of translations of the name Czechia / Czech Republic:
Language: Short name - Formal Name
English: Czechia - Czech Republic
Arabic, تشيكيا : لتشيك - الجمهورية التشيكية
Czech language: Česko - Česká republika
Chinese , 中国: 捷克 - 捷克共和国
French, Le français: Tchéquie (la) - République tchèque
Italian, Italiano: Cechia - Repubblica Ceca
German, Deutsch: Tschechien - Tschechische Republik
Russian, русский: Чехия - Чешская Республика
Spanish, Español: Chequia - República Checa
► WEB LINKS - the name Czechia is commonly used:
https://czechia-cesko.webnode.cz/odkazy/
In English we are Czechia, undoubtedly
Proof that it's official:
List of translations from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
https://www.mzv.cz/file/2363626/Czechia_seznam_prekladu_final.docx
Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the EU, Ambassador Jakub Dürr
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czechia (Czech Republic)
Czechia: English speakers told to use a new name for the Czech Republic
*******************************************
► From Bohemia to Czechia
Interview with Jiří Šitler, historian and diplomat
(Source: Radio Prague International / Český rozhlas, 12.7.2016)
"While Bohemia would have been a historically sound option, it doesn´t correspond with the formal name, and moreover, it is now commonly used only in the narrow sense, as the name of Bohemia proper, not including Moravia and Silesia. The name Czechia has a decent pedigree dating back to at least 1602. It isn´t intended to replace the Czech Republic, but it will hopefully replace the awkward formula „what´s now the Czech Republic“ in historical and geographical contexts".
On May 2, 2016, the government of the Czech Republic decided to notify Czechia to the UN as the short alternative of the country´s English name, and on July 1, it was officially entered into the UN databases. Heated discussions preceded this resolution, with many considering the word „ugly“, and with even more erroneously believing that it was to replace „the Czech Republic“. So what´s in the name?
In the past, there might have been some confusion about the country´s geography – the playwright Ben Jonson mocked his rival Shakespeare that he „in a play brought in a number of men saying they had suffered a shipwreck in Bohemia, where there is no sea near by some 100 miles.“ But there was no doubt about its English name.
For centuries, the country was called Bohemia in English and Latin, a name derived from the Celtic tribe of Boii who resided there in antiquity. The famous English cartographer John Speed wrote in 1626: „There remains no great difficulty, concerning the name. (…) And it is worth observing, that though this land hath in sundry ages been so often ransacked, and possessed by strangers, and tyrants: yet in her name she constantly preserves the memory only of her first natives, and hath not suffered that change, as we have done, from Albion to Britain, from Britain to England".
In 1348, the Roman emperor and King of Bohemia Charles IV introduced the concept of the Crown of Bohemia (Corona regni Bohemiae in Latin), a term which designated the whole state, not only its core territory. And at least since then, it was sufficiently clear also to English authors that „under the name of Bohemia, in general, are included the kingdom of Bohemia, the duchy of Silesia, and the marquisate of Moravia“ (Universal Magazine, 1756). Early editions of Encyclopaedia Britannica used the term Bohemia in this broad sense, while other publications resorted to composite names like Bohemia and incorporated provinces, Bohemia and its annexed provinces, Bohemian dominions, Bohemian lands etc. In the narrower sense, the term Bohemia Proper was frequently used.
However, the language of the diet and courts in medieval Bohemia was primarily Czech, not Latin (until 1627-8, when German was introduced by the Habsburg dynasty as the second official language of the country, and for a certain time replaced Czech as the language of elites; but this is another story). In old Czech, Bohemia was always called Cžechy, after the Slavonic tribe which settled the country around the 6th century, and the Crown of Bohemia was called Koruna cžeská, until 19th century orthographic reforms when cž was replaced by č (Čechy, Koruna česká).
In 17th – 18th centuries, it became fashionable to use the Czech name also in Latin: the word Czechia was coined as an alternative to Bohemia, and it appears in thousands of documents, books, inscriptions, and even arias. In 1769, a "Historical, chronological and critical inquiry into the issue how and when Bohemia started to be called Czechia and its inhabitants Czechs“ was published in Latin.
Although contemporary English authors were aware that „Bohemians in their own language call themselves Czechians“, they didn´t adopt the Latin scholarly fashion. It was only in the 19th century when the word „Czech“ gained frequency in English, and Bohemian lands began to be called alternatively Czechian provinces, Czech lands, or, from 1841, also Czechia.
Many Czech politicians, including the Czech-American (or, how he would prefer to be called, Bohemian-American) Charles Jonas, didn´t like this terminological shift: „We are Bohemians: and if we were to lose this name, I really don´t know how they should call us here. The word „Czech“ is a riddle to everybody,“ he wrote in 1875.
Officially, the country was still represented as Bohemia in the early Olympic games, in FIFA, or the International Ice Hockey Federation (Czechs´ favourite sports). Bohemian lands might have been provinces of Austria-Hungary at the time (the result of a gradual amalgamation process which began in the 17th century), but in sports, they asserted their independence, as Wales or Scotland today.
Also the future president Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, when he embarked on his fight for political independence from Austria-Hungary during the World War I, made it clear in his Independent Bohemia, a memorandum presented in 1915 to the British government, that „the Bohemian State would be composed of the so-called Bohemian countries, namely of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia; to these would be added the Slovak districts of North Hungary.“
Although Slovaks are ethnically and linguistically related to Czechs, historically, they were never included in the Bohemian state. Out of consideration for them, the country founded on October 28, 1918 was named the Czechoslovak Republic. Not everybody was pleased by this decision: the famous writer Karel Čapek stated, in an article co-authored by his brother Josef, that it was „incorrect and unattractively sounding“. The National Geographic Magazine called the name „awful“ and an „unfair handicap“.
However, Czechs transformed into Czechoslovaks with great enthusiasm, and identified with the liberal and democratic republic, until it was crushed by Nazi Germany in 1938 – 1945 and dominated by Soviet Union in 1948 – 1989. When the country dissolved into the Czech and Slovak Republics in 1992, the Czechs still fondly claimed the continuity with Czechoslovakia in the preamble to the constitution, which was drafted by Václav Havel and begins with following words: „We, the citizens of the Czech Republic in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, at this time of the reconstitution of an independent Czech State, true to all the sound traditions of the ancient statehood of the Lands of the Crown of Bohemia as well as of Czechoslovak statehood…“. In 1993, the Czech Republic registered only its formal name with the UN. Its short version Czechia sounded too much like an amputated version of Czechoslovakia.
However, in the UN databases, countries usually register both their formal name and their short name (f. i. French Republic – France) in English and other UN working languages. Almost 24 years after the split, the government hoped that the wounds were healed, and decided to go ahead with the registration. Choosing the country´s short international name wasn´t a creative exercise: it was a choice from what history had to offer.
While Bohemia would have been a historically sound option, it doesn´t correspond with the formal name, and moreover, it is now commonly used only in the narrow sense, as the name of Bohemia proper, not including Moravia and Silesia. The name Czechia has a decent pedigree dating back to at least 1602. It isn´t intended to replace the Czech Republic, but it will hopefully replace the awkward formula „what´s now the Czech Republic“ in historical and geographical contexts.
More importantly, the republic will hopefully remain, in the words of its constitution, „a free and democratic State founded on respect for human rights and on principles of civil society, as a member of the family of European and World democracies“.
If anybody needs to be convinced that, despite the name changes, this is still the same country, he or she may be reassured by reading what John Speed wrote in 1626 about its people: they produce and export „excellent beere. For they are held very good at the art of brewing, and not behind-hand at drinking when they have done.“
Cheers, Czechia!
Jiří Šitler