# I found this interesting: There are only four countries on Earth with a one-syllable name. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 15, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967 "2011-05-15T05:54:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/41 "2011-05-15T17:00:14Z")
I agree that Laos is one syllable. It rhymes with “house” and is not pronounced “lay-ose” like I’ve heard some people say. The Lao people themselves don’t even include the S; to them, it’s Lao, rhymes with “cow.” ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/42 "2011-05-15T17:03:51Z")
Siam (ok **Sam** , I know it’s been renamed). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/43 "2011-05-15T17:03:52Z")
For the people posting _Éire_, how are you pronouncing it that it’s one syllable? It’s two in Irish, and [this dictionary](http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/Eire) lists four two-syllable pronunciations but no one-syllable ones. And if Wales isn’t a country, England can’t be a country either. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/44 "2011-05-15T17:06:47Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Siam (ok **Sam** , I know it’s been renamed). 😕 Siam is two syllables. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/45 "2011-05-15T17:08:21Z")
Without looking: Spain France Wales Chad ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/46 "2011-05-15T18:12:02Z")
I think they may have considered Wales as a part of the UK (like Nebraska is part of the US and Alberta is part of Canada and Queensland is a part of Australia). Please note I’m just trying to guess the reasons the trivia book people didn’t include Wales–I’m not advocating it’s a good or valid reason to not include it. : p ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/47 "2011-05-15T18:18:37Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I think they may have considered Wales as a part of the UK (like Nebraska is part of the US and Alberta is part of Canada and Queensland is a part of Australia). Haha! A Brit of my acquaintance visibly restrained himself from ripping me a new asshole once when I facetiously made a similar comparison. He did let me know in no uncertain terms that Wales, Scotland etc were all separate countries banded together under the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/48 "2011-05-15T18:24:32Z")
Well, it’s a good thing I’m not asserting that myself then…that I’m just **guessing** why _they_ didn’t count it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/49 "2011-05-15T18:41:32Z")
In English, or in the name of the country in its own national language(s)? I think the latter would be more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/50 "2011-05-15T18:52:44Z")
> [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](#): > > In English, or in the name of the country in its own national language(s)? I think the latter would be more interesting. In Thai, Thailand is called _Prathet Thai_, which literally means “Thai country,” so _Prathet_ or “Country” is more of an identifier. (They tack _Prathet_ onto the beginning of every country. _Prathet Farangset_ is “France Country.”) _Muang Thai_, or “Thai Homeland,” is also common. In both cases, the actual name would be just “Thai.” ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/51 "2011-05-15T18:55:39Z")
I came up with Chad, Spain, France & Wales, then quit Greece-less because I won. 😛 mmm ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/52 "2011-05-15T20:22:40Z")
My guess without checking anything: France Wales (I bet this doesn’t count, although it should, and I’ve missed one) Spain Chad Took me approx two and half minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/53 "2011-05-15T20:41:49Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > Heh, Chad was the first and only one I thought of. It didn’t even occur to me to hit up Europe. :smack: Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/54 "2011-05-15T20:55:09Z")
In my dialect (confirmed by Wikipedia’s pronunciation recording) Wales has two distinct vowel sounds. ‘Way-ulls’. How do you pronounce it so it’s only one? (Of course we call it ‘Lay-ohs’ too, but I knew better and that was one of the four I came up with. I missed Greece.) ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/55 "2011-05-15T21:01:49Z")
Wales is not a country - it is a principality. There was a union of the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland (of which Northern Ireland is the remenant) but not Wales. It was conquered. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/56 "2011-05-15T21:24:00Z")
Now, who can name all the countries on Earth with a name that ends in **-gry**? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/57 "2011-05-15T21:33:12Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Chad was the first one I thought of. the second was Eire -the Irish name for Ireland. I guess that didn’t count. > > StG It doesn’t because it’s two syllables. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/58 "2011-05-15T21:39:02Z")
> [@notquitekarpov](#): > > Wales is not a country - it is a principality. > > There was a union of the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland (of which Northern Ireland is the remenant) but not Wales. It was conquered. “Principality” and “country” are not mutually exclusive; Monaco and Liechtenstein are principalities. Regarding the union of the crowns, Poland was partitioned out of existence altogether in the past, and Croatia was subsumed into Yugoslavia; does that mean that Poland and Croatia are now not countries? Wales was conquered in 1282, but it wasn’t merged with England until 1536, so conquered =/= merged. Even that merger was clearly more show than substance: nearly 500 years later, Wales has its own language, history, culture, laws, legislative body (the Welsh Assembly), international representation (e.g. the Wales team in World Cup soccer or Six Nations rugby). It’s not an independent nation-state, but I don’t think the 1282 conquest or Charles’s ceremonial title “Prince of Wales” are proof that Wales is not a country. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/59 "2011-05-15T22:04:28Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > It’s not an independent nation-state, but I don’t think the 1282 conquest or Charles’s ceremonial title “Prince of Wales” are proof that Wales is not a country. It probably would have been clearer if the OP had specified either UN members, or countries that are widely recognized as sovereign, either of which would exclude Wales. By either of these criteria, there are only four countries that have one-syllable names in English (France, Spain, Greece, Chad); or five if the one-syllable pronunciation of Laos is accepted. I don’t think that most people would consider Wales to be any more of a country than Catalonia or Hawaii are. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967/60 "2011-05-15T22:10:01Z")
One syllable US City Names is also rare. Unless I misread the list, this [Wiki link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_US_cities) has Flint Michigan has the largest city with a total of one syllable. and it is 269th. Offhand, I can only think of York Pa, Rome Ga (and NY) with one syllable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-this-interesting-there-are-only-four-countries-on-earth-with-a-one-syllable-name/581967.md?page=4)