| Archive for langcafe2.myfreeforum.org Come in and have your daily cup of languages! |
| fab |
The world viewed from another point of view !The North being up and the south down is something we are used to see since we are born, due to the fact that the first geographers were From Europe, or at least from the more populous north hemisphere. While in reality it could as much being the inverse...Australian centred maps: 
André, are those maps with north down widely used in south Africa ?[/img] |
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| Deborah |
Oh, no! I'm falling! Aaaaaaaaah... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| greg in noord-frankrijk |
C'est toujours une très bonne idée d'étudier une carte avec le nord orienté vers le bas. Ça muscle le regard. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Benjamin [inactive] |
There's a map like that on the wall of the geography classroom at my school. It's certainly makes Europe look a lot less important, lol. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shouga |
I've always wondered if there were maps like that in different parts of the world, with a different part of the world being central as opposed to Britain being central, but certainly didn't expect it to be upside down! I agree with Benjamin; on those maps, Europe looks like just a small mishmash of countries... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pauline |
So, it seems this thread is well-prepared for the next magnetic reversal : all the wolrd will be in complete chaos but this thread will be very well !! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| fab |
More unusual : the mirror of Europe...
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| Shouga |
That mirror image confuses my poor eyes 
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| Pauline |
Not only the mirror image but also the sea is become the land and vice versa . it's *very* weird. |
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| Julian |
Here are two more alternative maps.
The Hobo-Dyer cylindrical projection upside-down map: 
Click to see full size image World Population Map (size of country in proportion to world population distribution): 
Click to see full size image And something to ponder... If the world were a village of only 100 people. 
Click to see full size image |
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| Shouga |
I've seen that 100-people-in-the-world thing, but only a short version of it - the version you link to is very interesting. It helps put things into perspective when we look at the world with only having 100 people in it, rather than having 6 billion. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| fab |
A strange Europe...
With Spain in north sea and Norway in the mediteranean ! 
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| greg in noord-frankrijk |
Execellent ! On y voit presque que du feu... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fredrik |
Yes, for Norwegians the Mediterranean is hot, hot, hot! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| fab |
Humor can also be a point of view...
The idealistic Europe seen by the English: 
France seen by CNN... 
They really need to take some geographer at CNN ! 
Europe seen by swedish 
Well... that's not always that hot. The snowfall that happened one time every 5 years. 
The traditional christmas bath in a water at 13°C only: 
The winter rains 
The inside mediterranean villages under snow 
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| Fredrik |
Doesn't sound that bad. I once holidayed on the Venetian riviera and the water was like 25°C. That was no fun at all, not refreshing, like bathing in piss. 
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| Akoni |
LOL! smelly
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| Pauline |
fab, the maps are very, very, very, very etc..... funny !!!!!!!!! LOL !!!!!!!!!! I've laughd very much when I've read them.
I'm wondering, the swedish think soemthing of all the countries but of Belgium *nothing* Why this ? Frederik can explain us probably. Europe seen by swedish
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| fab |
Pauline, it is just a joke !! don't try to explain averything... maybe that's just there wasn't enough place to write something.... they didn't say nothing about Austria either. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pauline |
it's so funny !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the americans didn't foudn it sufficient to invade Iraq, they've decided put it in another location as well
I'm wodernign about Germany : where it would be located if Iraq is where it is placed on this map ? I think that Angela merckel will be *very* fed up with the americans now !!!LOL !!!!
yes, probably for them Belgium and asutria havn't a particluar characteristic. |
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| Loic |
Very hilarious maps, Fab!
The Swedes seem preoccupied over whether a country plays ice hockey or not! I must say that I share their stereotype of Italy being the land of 'sweaty and hairy' men. How come all of them seem to have some sort of a rug on their chests? |
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| Fredrik |
Hmmm, I kind of think of Italians as very vain and shaved, but hey, I'm not Swedish! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| greg in noord-frankrijk |
Ça, c'est trop rigolo !
Mais ça, pas vraiment convaincant... |
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| Pauline |
sorry, fab and greg -I like this map because then I will live near the seaside 
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| Fredrik |
Pauline wrote:
Since I'm 1/16 Swedish, I'll tell you: Most Swedes (and other Scandinavians) will think: Belgium = Bryssel* = the more or less evil EU with all its Eurocrats. * Apparently Swedes call the city Bryssel, Danes Bruxelles or Bryssel while Norwegians just use the Dutch form, Brussel. That sucks, I think, "Bryssel" is way cooler! Of course, educated / curious people will have heard about the linguistical divide, all the wonderful medieval cities*, the Ardennes etc., but many people probably believe most Belgians are Eurocrats. (Pluss Swedes might remember Queen Astrid.) Indeed, I think many people would be surprised if you told them that Waterloo is in Belgium. Most people here pronounce it the English way, because of ABBA. * flere byer i Belgia? = any more Belgian cities? is actually a phrase in Norwegian, used about mechanically memorized knowledge of no use, from a 19th century anti-Latin-based-school novel called "Gift" (= Poison) about a little boy who dies from exhaustion memorizing Latin conjugations |
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| fab |
Oui, j'ai pas trouvé mieux... peut être en cherchant plus ! |
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| greg in noord-frankrijk |
Pas mieux non plus, hélas ! À part ceci sur un autre thème : 
Et le monde les fameux Shadoks : 
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| Walker |
 That map reveals some truth. 
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| Benjamin [inactive] |
The dividing red line on that Swedish map seems correspond to where people from England tend to believe it's okay to drink tap water. For example, no-one from would hesitate to drink the water straight from the tap in Germany, but many people here do still believe that it is not safe to drink tap water in, say, Italy or Spain. I don't know to what extent this is actually the case.
I actually wonder if this might be one of the reasons for why people here often associate France more with 'Northern Europe' than with Italy or Spain. You'll notice that France is above the red line on that map. I suppose that France is perceived as 'safe' — it's safe to drink the tap water, hospitals are up to standard, things are reasonably well organised and actually work etc. On the other hand, there is still prejudice against Italy and Spain, which are often perceived to be more corrupt with inferior public services (not saying that this is actually the case). |
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| fab |
It is funny that so many north Europeans tend think that Italy or Spain are underdevelopped countries - and that there seem to be in their minds a strong economic divide that is supposed to divide southern France to its neibours - safe and rich in one side - and almost third world on the other... such as a Mexican/US border ?... It is true that in the past the Iberian peninsula was until few time relatively backwarded towards the rest of western Europe due to the isolation due to the Franco regime - but that was not the case at all in Italy. The divide between a developped Europe and a reletively backwarded one was (still is in many cases) between Lazion region and Campania(naples). between the two cities the change is really very visible, although both cities are separated by only 150km. And of course above all between eastern and western Europe, even still today the difference is very important. concerning the idea that in France everthing works perfectly is a funny misconception from a french point of view. just have to see the numerous cases of political corruption and the endless pointless strikes that paralyse the country most of the time. As for the case of water, for those who would be tented to see those countries as underdevelopped, it is obvously drinkable in all of Italy and Spain without problem, even in sicily !
Concerning the level of life in Europe, it would be interesting to superpose it with the red line that was drawn by the swedish: 
In green the propesrour regions, in red the less prosperous. We just have to look at Italy to see how much this vision is wrong. Between the French and Italian side of the Alps it is the Italian side which is the richer. All the northern and central parts of Italy a among the richer regions of Europe, at same level than Southern Germany. It seems that on both sides of the Alps are the most propoerous places of Europe (with switzerland in the middle). southern Italy has still a lower economy, but it has nothing to see with the newcomer of the former eastern bloc but more like the very rural regions of France such as Britianny or Auvergne, eastern Germany, the rural regions of ireland or scotland... The only region of France as properous than northern Italy is the Parisian area. It is also the case for Spain, Madrid region being monf the richest regions of Europe. The map dates back from 1999, so we can expect that a big part of the reddish regions of Spain are now more properous, since Spain has known since those year a very important growth. between the south west of France and the nibouring regions of Spain we don't notice any difference of level of life - expect that Languedo-Roussillon is less rich that the Spanish side. |
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| fab |
concerning work and social relations, even it does not always fit with economic backwardness; the opposition between the "Europes" that the swedish vision has expressed could be representated better that way:
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| KSa |
Someone who has drawn this division line must have been dull if he included Russia, Belarus or Ukraine below the whit line, i.e. as Roman Catholic countries. |
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| KSa |
I've observed that not only the French but also other 'western Europeans' tend not to distinguish between Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania etc. but they just say 'eastern Europe'. I suspect that this shapeless object on this map called 'East countries' actually exists in people's minds. |
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| fab |
Of course it should be added orthodoxism to catholicism.
Concerning humour I find this, it is a bit vulgar and unrespectful but it could express how many people see Europe in France. And, as you noticed it in france Poland is seen most of the time as a eastern country. the notion of a central Europe is not widely spread and generally doesn't include Poland, but more Hungary/Austria, slovaquia, Tchequia, etc. 
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| Wanderin |
and this is post-appocalyptic world... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pauline |
Not a surprise what the french think of the belgians 
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| Liz |
The UK according to America:
Schotchland!!!!!!!!! What's that? A land where only bottles of whisky live? LOL! LOL! LOL! 
The Swedish map is fantastic!!!!!! What you think of Hungary is not too flattering: 1. It is pink 2. It's among the "countries we don't care about at all".
I've never seen Hungary in pink, though.
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| Walker |
Yes, Hungary is one of them countries where 1, nothing works 2, everything is corrupt and 3, you can't go out at night! And yes, it's pink and don't you forget it, ever!! And we don't care about it... at all!!!
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| Liz |
You are lucky enough to escape my seething rage and get away with it easily as I don't have enough knowledge and information about Sweden...So I'm unable to disparage it properly. 
Let's see... 1. Nothing works? No, everything works perfectly... until it goes wrong. In other words, everything goes pear shaped, especially women on the wrong side of 30...40...? Men in general find them sexier than the all-round fat women, though.
2. Everything is corrupt? Well, not really...only politicians are, but THEY JUST DON'T COUNT. 3. You CAN go out at night...just bear the consequences...or avoid visiting certain establishments in the outskirts of Budapest. Other places are quite safe...unless you are Swedish. But if you're a good runner, you'll have no problems and probably get out alive... 
4. The colour pink as a symbol for innocence seems to be incompatible with the presumed dreadful qualities of our fair land. 
5. If you don't care about it why do you Swedes bother to place it on the map and give a succint, nevertheless, rather misleading discreption of it? 
The map is hilarious anyway... At least I had a good laugh and managed to prove the misconception wrong that Hungarians are pessimistic!
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| Liz |
Whaaat? Discreption???? Did I think of discrepancies at the same time? Well, you can add "and they speak pidgin" to the list of our "positive" features.
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| Walker |
So you're unable to disparage Sweden? You might very well have all the knowledge and information there is about Sweden then.
Let's, indeed...
You know what you have coming then!
I reckon they don't since they're merely puppets controlled by people higher up, men with backslick, leather jackets and shiny cars.
Well, I'm working on it. That is, I'm working on starting working on it.
In these modern times, with the EU and everything, we have to make our "friends" look good. It's about appearances.
We bother because we're Swedes; we go by the book which involves leaving nothing out, even if it's pink. And like I said, it's about appearances, being attractive. How else would you attract unwitting touri... keep your economy going?
Living in exile, are you?
Hehe, it only gets better and better... Hey, Liz! Check this out:
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| Liz |
[quote="Walker"]
Now I know something about the Swedes...you are modesty personified!
Let's, indeed...
You know, as usual, present company is excepted, including myself.
Oh no...they are puppets controlled by no-one...They are just out of control. (Mind you, I'm always game for bashing polticians, particularly those who are emulating Tony Blair...just like our PM.  )
Paardon??? Men with backslicks, leather jackets and shiny cars??? Is it mere coincidence that this description (What the hell? I got the spelling right!) bears uncanny resemblance to secret agents (AVH) of the Rakosi-era? They are only history now, but you can find one of those cars in the House of Terror, where the spirit of those mysterious and cruel "men in black" still lingers in the atmosphere.
You seem to have got mixed up in "working".
I reckon you are hard-working enough to work out which gym is the most suitable for you to work out in. Then you can work up your physical condition and you might as well manage to work up to a professional runner or a body-builder, a boxer or all three of them. I hope it works for you and with the help of this you can avoid getting worked over. But all this comes *only* after work. 
That was my impression, too. I was just waiting to be proven right.
I learn loads of things about Swedes in general...now I know that *they bother*. They are *definitely* NOT like Tony Blair in this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sluVp4oknJw
Do you judge a country by the colour? Interesting...I've always thought tourists don't give a toss either way...However, I do. I would most probably avoid a pink country. But who knows anyway? Pink might stand for flourishing economy and a tourist trap...It might be a reason why Pink gave a concert in Hungary last year. 
Sort of...I am. However, in my opinion "exile" is too harsh a word to describe my voluntary part-time study full of fun and hard work at the same time. If I wanted to sound very serious, I could say I left the country for political reasons and use the "e-word" (emigration - for those who don't know what it stands for) but it would seem slightly odd in a pseudo-democratic wild capitalist state where I can say things like that without the risk of ending up in jail. Hopefully... 
Thanks, but I think this one is better: 
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| Walker |
So basically, we're more like Loren? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Liz |
No, you aren't. She "ain't bovvered", either. |
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| Walker |
No, but she bothers people. I think Tony was bothered even though he said he wasn't. So you've been to the House of Terror, I take it? As a spectator, I mean. |
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| Liz |
Yes, she does but Tony's just mocking her. "Am I bovvered? I ain't bovvered." is one of Lauren's catchphrases. It was just a sketch from the Katherine Tate Show, and Tony was asked to play a role and he did a very good job. I admitted somewhere that I've never been there. Probably it was another thread. It's a shame because it is almost mandatory for every Hungarian to visit the House of Terrors at least once in a lifetime. It's not the most pleasant place to be but one must learn from mistakes of the past. So, I want to visit it. |
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| Walker |
That's right. I've seen her on TV in what I suspect was the Katherine Tate Show. There was a series of sketches.
I see! |
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| Liz |
Do you have "Katherine Tate Show" on Swedish TV?
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| Walker |
Yes, we do. A celebrated British humor icon on Channel 5, says the headline. We too get some British TV programs, or should I say programmes. |
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| Elaine |
Something for the (NA/US-centric) cartophiles, more alternate reality maps--
The US according to Texans: 
The Nine Nations of North America: 
"Balkanized" North America (i.e. if the historical regional separatists had their way): 
"Ex Unum Pluribus" Map: 
US States Renamed for Countries with Similar GDPs: 
Inverted World 
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| greg in noord-frankrijk |
Funny maps, Elaine. Especially the one with national GDPs. The Californian GDP was a surprise so I checked the figures. The Californian GDP was lately estimated to be 1.727 billion $ in 2006, that is 1.190 billion €, a bit lower than 1.230 bn €, which stand for Italian GDP, while France's output was 1792 bn € in 2006.
In short, Californian & French GDP are roughly the same when the former is totalled in dollars and the latter in euros. 
Figures in $ |
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| Elaine |
I wonder if perhaps it was an old map. Anyway, here are some more peculiar maps (large files): A very strange map of Europe (it must've been made by a Belgian): 
Click to see full size image And here's something called "The Tory Atlas of the World", which from the looks of it must've been created back in the Thatcher '80s. Warning: it's very politically incorrect. The map key is funny though. 
Click to see full size image |
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| greg in noord-frankrijk |
I love those maps. Hallu totale !
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| Elaine |
I checked around a bit and apparently others like you questioned the accuracy of that map. One even went so far as to revise it: 
And as you can see, California is now comparable to Italy (and Canada). Surprising how some states are comparable to developing world countries, but maybe that's because so few people live there. |
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