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autoglossonym

/ˈɔtoʊˌɡlɔsəˌnɪm/
IPA guide

Other forms: autoglossonyms

An autoglossonym is the name of a language in its own language. Instead of saying you're learning to speak Dutch, try using the autoglossonym: call it "Nederlands" instead.

Autoglossonym comes from Greek roots auto-, "self," glossa, "tongue or language," and onyma, "name." In English, one of the few autoglossonyms we regularly tend to use is, in fact, the word "English." It's the name of the language written the same way English-speakers refer to it. Other autoglossonyms include "français" and "Español."

Definitions of autoglossonym
  1. noun
    the name a language calls itself, for example, Español for Spanish in Spanish
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