Re: Language Naming

> Sheets, Jeff wrote:
>
> > what about Latin?  Did the Romans call it Latin (or
> > some inflected version thereof) or did they call it something else?
>
> Lingua latina or lingua romana.
>
So Where'd they get Latina from?  Romana : Rome, Latina : ?

> > Is Arabic an English invention, or do
> > arabs actual pronounce something approaching Arabic when they name their
> > language?
>
> Native root (technically "`arab") with English suffix "-ic".
>
So the general convention for natlangs is naming it after the original
country/nation?  Are there any major exceptions to this?  I think Cherokee
would be one, isn't Tsa-La-Gi the Cherokee word for their tribe?  Do they
actually HAVE a name for their language?  I'm being specific about natlangs,
but I'm interested in knowing what General rules are used to name any given
language.  From what I can tell most languages are based on their homeland.
Are there any other ways that the native speakers of a language name it?


BTW - Sometimes I wish telepathy were possible...  I just can't seem to get
the exact question out.... :)