Nearly Every Nation Has a Peculiar Manner of Spelling His Name—In Poland
He is Ivan Schmittiweiski, and in Turkey Yoo Seef.
Of all the families of the earth probably there is none more numerous
than that of Smith, and of all the Smiths in the world it seems that at
least fifty per cent have been christened John. If the name were not so
common we should probably admire it and see it through a glamour, as we
do many other names that are not half as solid and substantial.
As it is, plain John Smith is not very high-sounding; it does not
suggest aristocracy. It is not the name of any hero in die-away novels;
yet it is good and honest. Transferred to other languages it seems to
climb the ladder of respectability.
Thus in Latin it is Johannes Smithus; the Italian smoothes it off into
Giovanni Smithi; the Spaniards render it Juan Smithus; the German
adopts it as Hans Schmidt; the French flatten it out into Jean Smeets;
the Russian turns it into Jonloff Smitowski; the Icelanders say he is
Jahnne Smithson. Among the Tuscaroras he becomes Tam Qua Smittia; in
Poland he is known as Ivan Schmittiweiski; among the Welsh mountains
they call him Jihom Schmidt; in Mexico his name is written Jontli
F’Smitri; in Greece he turns to I’on Sinikton; in Turkey he is almost
disguised as Yoo Seef.