# anglo... sino... ruso... luso... greco... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 30, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423 "2009-06-30T01:22:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/1 "2009-06-30T01:22:50Z")
what’s the combining form for: Germany / German The Netherlands / Dutch Sweden / Swedish Thanks… ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/2 "2009-06-30T02:26:13Z")
Germo Dutcho Swedo It’s just like Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/3 "2009-06-30T02:29:08Z")
> [@Alex\_Dubinsky](#): > > Germo > Dutcho > Swedo > It’s just like Spanish. Um, no. [Germano](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germano) would be the one for German. Not Germo. That’s something a doctor would deal with. Dutcho? C’mon. :rolleyes: (Making up stuff isn’t exactly giving the Straight Dope) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/4 "2009-06-30T03:49:37Z")
A big ol’ list: [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Transwiki:Nationality\_prefixes](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Transwiki:Nationality_prefixes) ---
**Author:** ![BillyJames](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@BillyJames](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BillyJames)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/5 "2009-06-30T05:04:34Z")
The prefixes derive from Latin, so the Latin names for countries may not be the same as our English names for them. As mentioned, Germano- seems widely recognized. Swedo- seems to be correct. (e.g., search for Swedo-Polish War) And despite a little searching, I think Dutch is the best answer for the Netherlands. Dutch-American relationships feels as right as Sino-Japanese relationships. Of course, you could always do away with the Latin entirely and say German-Mexican Empire or Swedish-Scottish conspiracy. ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/6 "2009-06-30T09:24:34Z")
What country corresponds to luso- ? I’ve never heard of that. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/7 "2009-06-30T09:51:53Z")
Portugal. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/8 "2009-06-30T14:33:00Z")
> [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](#): > > What country corresponds to luso- ? I’ve never heard of that. Comes from the Roman province [Lusitania](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusitania). I don’t think there is a specific one for the Netherlands, based on the Anglo-Dutch wars and Franco-Dutch wars I’d guess that just ‘Dutch’ is used. “Scando-” could also be used for Sweden, if the context effects Scandinavia as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/9 "2009-06-30T15:00:14Z")
Dutch in Latin? That would be [Batavo](http://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_Batava)- from ancient Batavia. [cite](http://books.google.com/books?id=z_ATAAAAQAAJ&dq=Batavo-&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=mpqzckOZDX&sig=jSSwOVHB52zembzALHtmH59Pn2Y&hl=en&ei=TihKSoDaCpGktweKtLWMCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10) ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/10 "2009-07-01T00:29:24Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Dutcho? C’mon. :rolleyes: Whoosho? ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/11 "2009-07-01T01:18:46Z")
> [@Alex\_Dubinsky](#): > > Germo > Dutcho > Swedo Lesser known Marx Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/12 "2009-07-01T01:47:46Z")
Looking at the list that **Mr. Kobayashi** cited, I’d argue about “Norwego.” My grandfather referred to himself as a “Norwegian-American,” and the “Norwegian-American Historical Society” already exists at St. Olaf College. I suspect if there were to be a war it might be the “Norse-American” war, or the “American-Norwegian” war (“American-Norse” war is awkward to pronounce, it seems to me). “Norse” plays off the Norwegian word for Norway, “Norske.” ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/13 "2009-07-01T02:36:23Z")
What? No one learned the one rule of forming Spanish nouns? ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/14 "2009-07-01T05:03:29Z")
> [@Notassmartasithought](#): > > Looking at the list that **Mr. Kobayashi** cited, I’d argue about “Norwego.” My grandfather referred to himself as a “Norwegian-American,” and the “Norwegian-American Historical Society” already exists at St. Olaf College. I suspect if there were to be a war it might be the “Norse-American” war, or the “American-Norwegian” war (“American-Norse” war is awkward to pronounce, it seems to me). “Norse” plays off the Norwegian word for Norway, “Norske.” Minor nitpicks here, “Norge”\* is the Norwegian word for Norway. “Norske” would be “Norwegian.” Norse wouldn’t really be appliccable, as it’s a term that historically refers to all of Scandinavia, not specifically Norway. \*Tangent: Norway’s one of the few countries whose name for itself translates accurately into English. “Norge” is the contracted form of “Nord” (North) and “ge” (archaic for way, or to walk). “Norge” literally means the Northern Path or Northern Way. Travelling along the coastline of Norway was one of the major trade-routes from what’s now known as russia to England and central Europe, hence the Northern Way. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/15 "2009-07-01T11:34:15Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > Minor nitpicks here, “Norge”\* is the Norwegian word for Norway. “Norske” would be “Norwegian.” Norse wouldn’t really be appliccable, as it’s a term that historically refers to all of Scandinavia, not specifically Norway. > > \*Tangent: Norway’s one of the few countries whose name for itself translates accurately into English. “Norge” is the contracted form of “Nord” (North) and “ge” (archaic for way, or to walk). “Norge” literally means the Northern Path or Northern Way. Travelling along the coastline of Norway was one of the major trade-routes from what’s now known as russia to England and central Europe, hence the Northern Way. No, the “ge” part is not archaic for way or to walk, it’s the remnant of a part of the original name for the country, meaning road or way. The original ending was “vegr”, which through centuries of changing pronounciation atrophied to “ge”. So Norway is a country whose name in other languages is actually etymologically closer than in Norwegian. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/16 "2009-07-01T12:30:31Z")
It’s not on the Wikipedia list, but I would think Helveto or something would be for Swiss? ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/17 "2009-07-01T23:25:45Z")
> [@naita](#): > > No, the “ge” part is not archaic for way or to walk, it’s the remnant of a part of the original name for the country, meaning road or way. The original ending was “vegr”, which through centuries of changing pronounciation atrophied to “ge”. So Norway is a country whose name in other languages is actually etymologically closer than in Norwegian. Huh, that’s weird. I was taught it was a archaic verson of, essentially “gæe” (“gå”). D’you have any sources for the vegr to ge transition? It would be curious to see. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-sino-ruso-luso-greco/501423/18 "2009-07-02T09:53:34Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > Huh, that’s weird. I was taught it was a archaic verson of, essentially “gæe” (“gå”). D’you have any sources for the vegr to ge transition? It would be curious to see. No problem, you’ve obviously been the victim of some teacher’s folk etymology: [http://www.snl.no/Norge/navnet\_Norge%252FNoreg](http://www.snl.no/Norge/navnet_Norge%252FNoreg) (In Norwegian)