Is spelling "Colombia", "Columbia" offensive to Colombian people?

Question

This girl on facebook recently sent me messages asking questions about Camp that I used to work in, and she will work in this summer. Later on I asked her, "So are you from Columbia, or NY? She responsed "Its, not Columbia, Its Colombia..." Was this just her, or is this something Colombian's take personally?

Answer 1

Maybe she's not offended at all, but helpfully correcting you.  Just as I would correct people who write "Phillipino" -- it's not the correct spelling, and people who persist in spelling it that way will appear ridiculous or ignorant.

Answer 2

im from colombia, and i dont get offended but i hate when people write it colUmbia bc it confuses me and i thnk theyre talking about columbia, sout carolina

Answer 3

No, it's not. It just shows you don't know much about the country.

I'm not trying to be nasty, that's the way it is. If someone wrote "Unitted stets" you would correct them, wouldn't you?

And yes, as someone said here, they will love you if you spell the name of their country right..:-)

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Answer 4

I recall one of my Colombian classmates at my MBA program reproaching  the professor for writing "Columbia" on the blackboard. He seemed annoyed, however I would not say offended.

Answer 5

well, i am colombian, and i think it's ok for people to spell it Columbia, since i can see how people can make that mistake, with the many places named ColUmbia here in the U.S.A, and i think all colombians agree with me, what does get most colombians angry is when we see these errors in textbooks, The NEWS, from our own geography teachers and their tests, etc.. because these are rather educated people. and it happens very offten...but aside from that its ok , she was probably just correcting you, or was stressed or something. and you're not ignorant everybody doesn't have to know everything

Answer 6

I don't think it'll be offensive, they would just think of you as an ignorant. It's good to be good rounded, they will like you if you do it right!! :)

Answer 7

No, it happens all the time since Columbia is very famous for the university.. also there is Columbia NC... a lot of people specially from the States do not know a lot of world Geography and common sense is to go to the closest which will be the United States, also it sounds a like " I would said Colombia because in English U is pronounce as  O"... To me is normal and funny, it should not be offensive

Answer 8

I don't think so one letter change their personality, they already know that for some people those name are hard to spelling and write those.