Information Tourism

Cape Verde or Cabo Verde

On 27th November 2013, the Embassy of Cape Verde wrote a diplomatic communication requesting that the United States Government and United Nations change the name of the country from ‘Cape Verde’ to ‘Cabo Verde’. The US Board on Geographic Names approved the change on 9th December 2013. So, we should all be saying and writing Cabo Verde in English and if you’re game, here’s some other languages and pronunciations too:

  • Português: Cabo Verde
  • Afrikaans: Kaap Verde
  • Беларуская: Каба-Вердэ
  • Български: Кабо Верде
  • Català: El Cap Verd
  • Deutsch: Kap Verde
  • Ελληνικά: Το Πράσινο Ακρωτήριο
  • English: Cape Verde
  • Nederlands: Kaapverdië
  • Español: Cabo Verde
  • Esperanto: Cabo Verde
  • Français : Le Cap Vert
  • Italiano: Capo Verde
  • Polski: Cabo Verde
  • Slovenščina: Cabo Verde
  • Русский: Кабо-Верде
  • Suomi: Kap Verde
  • Svenska: Cabo Verde
  • Türkçe: Cabo Verde,
  • Українська: Кабо-Верде

That said, we in the UK seem to not want to let go of the Anglicised spelling and pronunciation of ‘Cape Verde’ though the local Creole spelling and pronunciation is ‘Cap Vert’, ‘Cabo Vert’ or ‘Cabo Verd’. Though you can get away with ‘Cape Verd’. It is not however pronounced ‘Cape Verday’ in your best Brummie accent!

Sardonically while checking in at Birmingham early one morning, I was asked where I was flying. I answered “Cabo Verd” with no ‘e’ to which the young lady looked perplexed and questioned “Cape Verday”? “No,” I replied with a cheeky smile “Cabo Verd”.

Pedantic maybe, but let’s make a effort and get it right!

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