# Satirical terms for one's own country



## Messquito

I'm sure many people hate certain aspects of their own countries, especially when it comes to the economy, the government or the social structure.

For example, in Taiwan, the younger people use the term 鬼島(ghostly island) to criticize the current state of governmental impotence, miscarriage of justice, aggravating economy, and especially the uncontrollable media.

And in Korea, they have the term, 헬조선(Hell Joseon/Korea), which, according to wikipedia, 





> is a satirical South Korean term that criticizes the current socioeconomic state of Korea.[1] The term is particularly popular with the younger Korean generation, one of whose major concerns is related to the unemployment and working conditions (including harsh treatment of employees due to Korean Confucianism and greed).[2] The term was coined in early 2010s.



Do you have any expressions or terms that are similar in your country?


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## Stoggler

Back in the 1970s the U.K. used to be called the Sick Man of Europe, because of its persistent economic, political and social problems.


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

Way before that, Turkey was "the sick man of Europe", if I can rely on my memory (which isn't always the case anymore, alas).

My left-leaning countrymen call our homeland "Murrica" (exaggeratedly mocking the pronunciation of a perceived part of the right (the rural part) ) and "AmeriKKKa", among other terms.

Derogatory names for the two major parties abound as well.


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## apmoy70

For Greece we use *«Η Ψωροκώσταινα»* [i p͡soɾoˈkostena] (fem.) --> _The dirt-poor-kostena_ (i.e. the dirt poor wife of Kostas), a 19th c. derogatory name of the country.
It was probably taken after a certain *«ψωροκώσταινα»* [p͡soɾoˈkostena] (fem.), a woman who lived in the first capital of the newly-established Modern Greek state in 1830's, Nafplion, who used to be rich, but in her late years lived as a beggar in the streets of the city; with the present Greek financial crisis, this name has been revived (unfortunately).

The name is a compound; MoGr combinatory form *«ψωρο-»* [p͡soɾo-] of the Classical fem. noun *«ψώρᾱ» p͡sṓrā* --> _scabies, acariasis_ < with _ω-vocalism_ from the Classical infinitive verb (found only in infinitive form) *«ψῆν» p͡sên* --> _to rub, scratch_ (with obscure etymology) + one of the most common first name for males *«Κώστας»* [ˈkostas] (familiar form of *«Κωνσταντίνος»* [konstanˈdinos] = _Constantine_) + ByzGr and MoGr productive feminine suffix *«-αινα»* [-ena] used to form the feminine form of masculine nouns, or andronyms.

Note that in colloquial MoGr the first part in compounds *«ψωρο-»* [p͡soɾo-]  describes a dirt poor, flat broke person and not someone who's infected by _scabies_ (Gr: *«ψώρα»*), a contagious infestation of the skin caused by a mite.

Edit: Much obliged to @ainttranslationfun


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## bibax

We call the Czech Republic "Absurdistan", which refers to the Theatre of the Absurd. _(the former Czech[oslovak] president Havel was one of the playwrights commonly associated with the Theatre of the Absurd)
_
However in Uncyclopedia, Absurdistan is somewhat misplaced.


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## apmoy70

^^Thank you for reminding me a modern satirical name of Greece coined by the younger generation as an attempt to criticise the country's governmental impotence, miscarriage of justice, social disorganization, deregulation of the public sector, precarious employement, high bureaucracy etc (the name suggests we're on a par with the Asian -stan republics, no offence to the Turkmen, Tadjik, or Pakistani co-forumers; I'm sure in certain statistic indicators you are way above us after 10 years of severe austerity).

*«Ελλαδιστάν» *is formed with the joining together of the combinatory *«Ελλαδο-»* [elaðo-] < the name of Greece in MoGr «Ελλάς» [eˈlas] (fem.) +  Persian suffix ـستان‏ (-estān) --> _place one stays_


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## Määränpää

Three names for Finland come to mind:

_*Härmä:*_ Originally the name of a rural region famous for knifefights. (The word also happens to mean frost and a type of fungus.)

_*sääntö-Suomi:* _Finland of (too many) regulations.

A vintage one: _*Kekkoslovakia:* _From the names of Czechoslovakia and Kekkonen, President of Finland 1956-1982.

...And a fourth one: _*sarvikuonojen maa:*_ the land of rhinoceroses (asocial, inflexible people). Africa was called the land of rhinoceroses in a hit song in 1988, but I don't know if people started calling Finland the land of rhinoceroses before that or after that.


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## Stoggler

Määränpää said:


> A vintage one: _*Kekkoslovakia:* _From the names of Czechoslovakia and Kekkonen, President of Finland 1956-1982.



Could you explain this one a bit more?  Why would Kekkonen be linked with Czechoslovakia?


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## Määränpää

Stoggler said:


> Could you explain this one a bit more?  Why would Kekkonen be linked with Czechoslovakia?


1) At the time, Czechoslovakia was part of the Eastern bloc and under dictatorship. If you didn't think Finland was democratic enough, you could compare it to an actual Eastern bloc country.

2) The contrived word _Kekkoslovakia_ sounds "natural" because in Finnish compound nouns _-nen_ always changes into _-s_. For example, _nainen_ (woman), _naispoliisi_ (policewoman). Hence, _Kekkonen_, _Kekkos_-.


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## sound shift

Britain, especially England, is sometimes called "(old) Blighty". There are various theories about the origin of this.


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## Määränpää

Määränpää said:


> _*sarvikuonojen maa:*_ the land of rhinoceroses (asocial, inflexible people). Africa was called the land of rhinoceroses in a hit song in 1988, but I don't know if people started calling Finland the land of rhinoceroses before that or after that.


Maybe this French play is the origin of the Finnish phrase as well?





tFighterPilot said:


> Look it up on Google, I know what I'm saying... Apparently the origin of the word is from this play Rhinoceros (play) - Wikipedia


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## sound shift

Stoggler said:


> Back in the 1970s the U.K. used to be called the Sick Man of Europe, because of its persistent economic, political and social problems.


Some people are calling it that once again, because of, er ... recent developments.


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## Encolpius

In the 70-80's Hungary was "a legvidámabb barak" [the happiest barrack]


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

Nowadays, in the USA: "Trumpland". :^(


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## Encolpius

How do you pronounce Trumpland? With a schwa at the and or like land?


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## Penyafort

The only one I can think of for Catalonia is _Comtat Gran_ ("the Great County"), which I've seen used from time to time in a satyrical manner, although not necessarily. 

The origin for it is the first line of the original lyrics of the Catalan anthem: _Catalonia, Comtat Gran, qui t'ha vist tan rica i plena _("Catalonia, the Great County, you were once so rich and bountiful"). The expression goes back to the times in which Catalonia was a sovereign entity within the Crown of Aragon, formed by a union of counties under the rule of the Count of Barcelona, thus considering it as a County of counties or Great County.


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## AndrasBP

Määränpää said:


> At the time, Czechoslovakia was part of the Eastern bloc and under dictatorship. If you didn't think Finland was democratic enough, you could compare it to an actual Eastern bloc country.


At the moment, if you don't think Hungary is democratic or developed enough, you may call it "Magyari*sztán*" (instead of Magyarország = "Hungarian Country"). This word also refers to our president Orban being good friends with undemocatic leaders of countries like Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.


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## Yendred

Just recently used by our President, we French often call ourselves "_Les Gaulois_" (The Gauls) in a ironical or double meaning manner, in reference to the peoples who lived on our territory in the Iron Age and the Roman period.

This term may cover many concepts. Gauls are supposed to be boorish, bawdy, coarse, rough and brutal.

Recently, in far-right political parties, the term "_Gaulois_" has taken the revendicative meaning of someone who is a native-born French person, versus someone with an immigrant background.


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## Demiurg

Germany is nowadays often called "Schland" (from Deutschland).  The term is derived from the incomprehensible chants of drunken German football fans.


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

Demiurg said:


> Germany is nowadays often called "Schland" (from Deutschland).  The term is derived from the incomprehensible chants of drunken German football fans.



That's downright schlanderous!


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## Demiurg

ain'ttranslationfun? said:


> That's downright schlanderous!


That word really exists. Fascinating!  But what does it mean?


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## Perseas

Demiurg said:


> That word really exists. Fascinating!  But what does it mean?


Is it a pun maybe on 'slanderous'? Just wondering...


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

Perseas said:


> Is it a pun maybe on 'slanderous'? Just wondering...



It was intended to be.


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## KalAlbè

Haiti:

*Tè glise* - slippery land. Anybody familiar with Haiti's politics will understand the name.


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