Re: [gpsd-dev] [PATCH 3/3] Correct and update information for QZSS and BeiDou

[Sanjeev Gupta]

On Wed, Apr 8, 2015 at 1:23 AM, Eric S. Raymond <address@hidden> wrote:

Where dd you get the bicaptalized "BeiDou" spelling? I have always
seen it spelled just "Beidou".

Ah,  Written Chinese is monosyllabic (a broad statement, but may serve).  So phrases that are not commonly used end up being compounded of two words; the combination then may develop a meaning of its own

My colleagues here in Singapore (which is ethnically Chinese, but not culturally so) call the system by its official, PRC, name:

北斗卫星导航系统

This literally translates as (or so I am told)

北 North
斗Scout

卫 Guard, surround
星Star

导 Guide (verb)
航 Boat

系Department
统 Integration

So each two characters mean:

The constellation known to ESR as Ursa Major, and used as a Compass

A star that surrounds, a satellite

Navigation

System

hence: Compass Satellite Navigation System.  As none of these four words are really common, they are made up of other words.

In literature from Shenzen, and online (hello, Alibaba), I have seen it written practically always as BeiDou.  If you did not, and considering it is a uncommon (classical) allusion, people may read it as Beid-Ou , and not understand.  For common phrases, this is not an issue (you know how to separate the word "hardhat", because it is common).  In a few years, once everyone has seen this spelling, we can drop the hinting.  Much as we now longer put the umlaut in naive.

But that is all beside the point.  StudlyCaps are for StUdS :-)

--
Sanjeev Gupta
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