By Staff
What is up with the spelling of the city in Italy hosting the Olympic games? One day we read Turin, the next it's Torino. It's even been spelled Turino, although that may have been an error. Whatever the spelling, let's try to make things clear.
The city in northern Italy that's hosting the Winter Olympics is “Torino” to the locals and NBC. For most non-Italians, it's always been Turin.
English-language media covering the games, including NBC and CBS, were split over what to call the city before the games began, but the two stations, along with USA Today, are going with Torino.
NBC, which has the U.S. broadcast rights for the games, reportedly thought Torino sounded more exotic than Turin, a name more closely associated with heavy industry rather than with winter sports.
On the other hand, their media outlets including the Associated Press, the New York Times and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, are sticking with the familiar Turin.
BBC, which broadcasts the games in Britian, came up with a brilliant idea to just call the games the “Winter Olympics” to keep things direct and simple.
So what is the difference and why are they making it so confusing?
Turin is the English translation of the Italian word Torino. Standard practice in the United States is if a city name has been translated differently, go with the English translation.
While some here may refer to the games and the city as Turin, the official name of the games is “Torino 2006,” and the International Olympic Committee refers to the city by its Italian name.
Whatever the case may be, it's a little confusing for most and it would be nice it it were spelled and used one way.
Just wait until the World Cup comes to Germany this summer, that city will be refered to as Munich, not Muenchen, as it is spelled.