# Qatar. Huh? (About the name itself) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 15, 2025, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390 "2025-05-15T04:29:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/41 "2025-05-15T15:55:10Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > the last word is pronounced more like “Kah Bah”. I guess there are regional dialects in Malaysia, so maybe that is correct somewhere (I’ve been told words tend to be pronounced differently in Terengganu, but I have no first-hand knowledge). But generally speaking, “kabar” is pronounced with a rolled R at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/42 "2025-05-15T15:56:09Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > So then why not spell and pronounce Paris and Rome as the natives spell and pronounce it? Roma would be fine. Why would that be difficult? Now Paris/Pairee is a difficult one. Do you spell it in English like it looks, or like it sounds? Those wacky French, always adding letters on the end that they don’t use, _n’est-ce pas ainsi?_ ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/43 "2025-05-15T15:59:35Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I guess there are regional dialects in Malaysia, so maybe that is correct somewhere (I’ve been told words tend to be pronounced differently in Terengganu, but I have no first-hand knowledge). No R in Penang but now that you mention it I was told that Penang had a distinct accent. Like “no” is tidak but they’d pronounce it more like tak ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/44 "2025-05-15T16:03:29Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > “no” is tidak but they’d pronounce it more like tak “Tak” is sort of like saying “gonna” instead of “going to.” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/45 "2025-05-15T16:05:00Z")
Fair. It’s been over twenty years since I’ve been there and all of my time was in Penang ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/46 "2025-05-15T16:59:36Z")
Now do _chutzpah_! ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/47 "2025-05-15T17:00:26Z")
1. How do native Londoners pronounce “Pall Mall” (the street in London - not the cigarette)? 2. (English-speaking) visitors to Montreal tend to pronounce it “MAWN-tree-all”, whereas (English-speaking) locals pronounce it “MUN-tree-all”. It’s easy to tell the tourists apart from the locals. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/48 "2025-05-15T17:08:38Z")
My Boise born ex girlfriend says is Boy-see, not Boyzee. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/49 "2025-05-15T19:21:42Z")
The weirdest little area close to me is _Ogemaw_ pronounced _Oh-gah-ma_ I live on the County line between _Ouachita_ and _Nevada_ counties. Neither are said normally. It’s _wash-it-all_ and _knee-vay-da_ counties. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/50 "2025-05-15T19:23:56Z")
Louisville, KY Loo uh vill Louisville, CO Loo iss vill ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/51 "2025-05-15T20:31:56Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > My Boise born ex girlfriend says is Boy-see, not Boyzee. When I lived in Idaho, there was an outfit that advertised “eessy financing on Laysee Boyss in Boy-see” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/52 "2025-05-15T21:14:26Z")
That advertising makes me uncomfortable. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/53 "2025-05-15T21:14:59Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > And “Deutchland” is perfectly pronounceable by English speakers, I’m not so sure about that. The so-called Pennsylvania Dutch were originally from Germany. “Dutch” was the Americanized version of “Deutsch”, but the word may have been pronounced differently in the local dialect. Nitpick: it’s Deut **s** chland in any case. ---
**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, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/54 "2025-05-15T21:24:37Z")
The English word “Dutch,” cognate with German “Deutsch,” was already in the language. The Pennsylvania Dutch mostly come from the Rhineland Palatinate: [Palatinate (region) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatinate_(region)) It looks like their language is actually between German and Dutch, so saying that they’re “German” and not “Dutch” is based on the political borders, not linguistic or cultural ones. [Rhinelandic - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinelandic) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/55 "2025-05-15T21:46:44Z")
SNL’s guide to pronouncing foreign names. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nWMp_z7Jnxw/maxresdefault.jpg "Enchilada - Saturday Night Live") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWMp_z7Jnxw) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/56 "2025-05-15T21:58:25Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > The English word “Dutch,” cognate with German “Deutsch,” was already in the language. The Pennsylvania Dutch mostly come from the Rhineland Palatinate: [Palatinate (region) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatinate_(region)) > > It looks like their language is actually between German and Dutch, so saying that they’re “German” and not “Dutch” is based on the political borders, not linguistic or cultural ones. [Rhinelandic - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinelandic) Nope, “Dutch” and “Deutsch” are not cognates. And Rhineland Palatine doesn’t border the Netherlands, but mainly France, and the Palatine dialect isn’t very related to Dutch, which is much closer to Northern German Platt (Lower German) dialects. ETA: I have to take that back, of course “Dutch” and “Deutsch” are cognates, I wasn’t sure about the meaning of “cognate” and thought it meant “homophone”. But the rest of my post stands. Palatine doesn’t have a very close connection to the Dutch, historically. ---
**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, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/57 "2025-05-15T22:08:20Z")
Are you disputing that there is a dialect continuum between Dutch and German? I’m not talking about political history. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/58 "2025-05-15T22:12:50Z")
No, of course I’m not disputing that continuum, it’s obvious, but I found it weird that you picked out Palatine, which I never have connected much with the Netherlands, but rather France, and the Palatine regional dialect is one of the German dialects farthest apart from modern Dutch. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/59 "2025-05-15T22:36:44Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > I think Indiana Jones talks about this while solving a puzzle in _Last Crusade_, but I forget his explanation. In Indy’s case it’s comparing English to Latin, not Hebrew. “In Latin, Jehovah starts with an ‘I’,” Dr. Jones Sr says as Dr. Jones Jr steps on the J and almost falls to his death. I believe the idea is that the various traps were all set up by the crusader knights. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arMXzgiZsJQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arMXzgiZsJQ) ---
**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, 2025, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390/60 "2025-05-15T22:46:18Z")
Ah, okay. All I meant was that it’s between High German and Dutch, not that it’s particularly close to Dutch. An American familiar with schoolbook German might reasonably think “not German.” An American at the period was unlikely to be familiar with Dutch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qatar-huh-about-the-name-itself/1018390.md?page=4)