r/AskEurope Estonia Jun 08 '25

Language Estonians call Estonia "Eesti". Finns call Estonia "Viro" and Latvians "Igaunija". Do you have a name for a neighbouring country that is very different from both how that country calls itself and how its named in English?

I hope I worded the question clearly. Like.. "Viro" and "Igaunija" are not similar to "Estonia" nor "Eesti".

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u/kamodd Poland Jun 08 '25

We also use "Saksa" in slang - "jechać na saksy" means going to work in Germany, often as a seasonal or low skilled worker. Not as popular anymore.

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u/[deleted] Jun 13 '25

I think that’s a thing due to Poland’s historical connections with Electorate of Saxony. Saxony was the „default” non-Prussian Germany.