Comment on Mexican President Threatens to Sue Google Over 'Gulf of America' Label on Maps.
raef@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It’s stupid, but it’s not that extreme. Countries have different names for things. For example, Germany calls the Baltic Sea “Ostsee” (lit. east sea) and Lake Constance 'Bodensee" (lit. bottom sea) but those things are only at the bottom and east for Germany.
There’s a slight difference in that “Ostsee” is the common name. If the German chancellor decides to call it “Deutsche See” tomorrow, the name would continue to be “Ostsee”, because that’s how language usually works.
“Gulf of America” is just a dictator’s wish of a common name. The people of OpenStreetMap decided to use the tag “official_name:en_US” for that reason, while keeping “Gulf of Mexico” for the commonly used “name:en-US”.
My point is the names are different in different places. At some point, people named things from their perspective irregardless of what others, including those living adjacent to the thing cal it
FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 1 year ago
China calls Taiwan “Chinese Taipei.” Should Google Maps show “Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)” on maps? Because I don’t see how that would be China’s call any more than the name of the Gulf would be Trump’s call.
raef@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Is there Google maps in China? If there is, I’d be surprised if it didn’t say that. That is claiming ownership. Countries can’t own a gulf beyond the domestic waters convention. But, I don’t know, that’s a good question because a regular Chinese person would just be confused. It wouldn’t effect any policy change
FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I did not say in China. Google Maps says “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)” in most of the world. It sure is here in Britain.
Also, calling the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America is a clear claim of ownership.
raef@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Mexico didn’t own it before any more than the US owns it now. I don’t like the nationalistic intentions, but I can rationalize it to myself that Mexico is also part of [North] America