# Why is Uruguay a funny name ?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 8, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988 "2003-05-08T22:35:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/1 "2003-05-08T22:35:29Z")
Q1) Why does Homer Simpson make fun of my country’s name? Uruguay
Q2) Which is funnier?:
Turkey
Mongolia
Uruguay
Q3) Why USA = America ?
People born in the USA are unitedstatsians as far as I’m concerned.
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### Author:  [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/2 "2003-05-08T22:41:47Z")
The Simpson’s is aired in Uruguay?
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### Author:  [@1000monkeys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1000monkeys)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/3 "2003-05-08T22:43:29Z")
Taking a chance that this is a serious question, a willfull (or extraordinarily ignorant) mis-pronunciation results in:
You are gay.
'nuff said?
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### Author:  [@1000monkeys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1000monkeys)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/4 "2003-05-08T22:44:47Z")
I remember the scene, but what episode was that?
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### Author:  [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/5 "2003-05-08T22:51:16Z")
**pfbob** -\> Mmmm. I suspected that.
In spanish it’s pronounced oorooguahi
the “gua” in “guay” is pronounced like the “gua” in “guantanamo”
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### Author:  [@Lockz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockz)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/6 "2003-05-08T22:51:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ChaosGod \*
> Q3) Why USA = America ?
> People born in the USA are unitedstatsians as far as I’m concerned. \*\*
USA = United States of America. Therefore they’re generally referred to as Americans, but YMM (and does) V.
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### Author:  [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/7 "2003-05-08T22:59:36Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Why is Uruguay a funny name ?
Some folks find it funny because it has the first two letters in common with urinate and UrAnus.
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### Author:  [@Helix1047](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helix1047)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/8 "2003-05-08T23:27:59Z")
Homer pronouced it “Yoo are gay”
From the episode “bart vs Australia”
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/9 "2003-05-08T23:44:53Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ChaosGod \*
> \*\*Q3) Why USA = America ?
> People born in the USA are unitedstatsians as far as I’m concerned. \*\*
So what are citizens of Uruguay called? Uruguites? Uruguoids?
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/10 "2003-05-08T23:54:33Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ChaosGod \*
> **Q2) Which is funnier?:
> Turkey
> Mongolia
> Uruguay**
Uruguay, no contest.
But none of them are nearly as funny as Chad.
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### Author:  [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/11 "2003-05-09T00:26:09Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Fear Itself \*
> \*\*So what are citizens of Uruguay called? Uruguites? Uruguoids? \*\*
Uruguaquis
just kiddin…Uruguayan(s)
In spanish it’s Uruguayo(s)
The full name of the country:
Oriental Republic of Uruguay … cause it’s on the east side of the river Uruguay.
Uruguay means “river of birds” in the language spoken by the first natives, the guarani.
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### Author:  [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/12 "2003-05-09T00:52:01Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ChaosGod \*
> Uruguaquis
Hmmm…is there oil in Uruguay?
I think we need to bring democracy to South America.
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### Author:  [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/13 "2003-05-09T01:05:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ChaosGod \*
> The full name of the country:
> Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Then shouldn’t people from there be called orientalrepublicans? 🙂 I agree that calling people from the USA Americans is unfortunate, but unitedstatesian isn’t a word.
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### Author:  [@magog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magog)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/14 "2003-05-09T01:21:47Z")
From [satirewire.com](http://satirewire.com)
While wondering if the other nations of the world weren’t perhaps making fun of him, a cautious Bush granted approval for most axes, although he rejected the establishment of the Axis of Countries Whose Names End in “Guay,” accusing one of its members of filing a false application. Officials from Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chadguay denied the charges.
[http://www.satirewire.com/news/jan02/axis.shtml](http://www.satirewire.com/news/jan02/axis.shtml)
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/15 "2003-05-09T01:53:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Colibri \*
> \*\*Uruguay, no contest.
>
> But none of them are nearly as funny as Chad. \*\*
Is Chad hanging?
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### Author:  [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/16 "2003-05-09T10:53:58Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pfbob \*
> \*\*Taking a chance that this is a serious question, a willfull (or extraordinarily ignorant) mis-pronunciation results in:
>
> You are gay.
>
> 'nuff said? \*\*
Not by any means. There’s _Paraguay_ = “para gays” = “for gays.” So there are two neighbor countries mutually insulting each other: “u r gay” and “for gays.”
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### Author:  [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/17 "2003-05-09T11:04:33Z")
I always took “Paraguay” to mean “pair of gays” …
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### Author:  [@Barks\_dog\_food](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barks_dog_food)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/18 "2003-05-09T21:06:39Z")
I saw this episode on TV today!
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### Author:  [@pol3925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pol3925)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/19 "2003-05-09T23:18:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Achernar \*
> \*\*Then shouldn’t people from there be called orientalrepublicans? 🙂 I agree that calling people from the USA Americans is unfortunate, but unitedstatesian isn’t a word. \*\*
Uruguayans CAN be called “Orientals”
As in:
Nationality? “Oriental”
Also, tough we had a military government about twenty years ago (as most other countries in Latin America did) This government called for ellections and a democratic system was established. Incidentally, I heard last week our President had an interview with George W. Bush…
Its not only in the simpsons…
People often has a wrong concept of what Uruguay is like. Once in “Friends” Phoebe´s evil twin want´s to show off in front of Sean Penn´s character by saying that she “Was with the Peace Corps, helping build homes in Uruguay”
There`s never been a Peace Corps intervention here, to my knowledge…
I’ve seen the name Uruguay used in many movies also, when they need a FAR and Unknown place to mention.
I agree is a funny name, and it tends to get confused with our neighbours at “PARAGUAY”. Also I think there is not much interest in natives here, as they were mostly killed. I don´t think us Uruguayans, descendant mostly of Spanish and Italian immigrants, inherited our culture from the native´s traditions. More like we evolved from our colonists cultures.
Any other questions about Uruguayan History or Politics, may be adressed to my brother SARDAUKAR3925, who is a studious of the subject, and I´m sure will answer gladly
Now, of course, in a time of social and economic insecurity, Uruguayans are colonizating other countries, expanding our culture to every corner of the world. Beware, I’m sure that wherever you are, there MUST be an uruguayan not very far…
😛
Saludos: P0L
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### Author:  [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-uruguay-a-funny-name/173988/20 "2003-05-10T00:10:41Z")
I’ll be damned !
here’s de link to Homer’s [remark](http://www.homerama.co.uk/sounds/uruguay.mp3)
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