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Why does this quiz spell "Usama Bin Ladin" instead of "Osama Bin Laden"? Am I stupid or something?"Usama Bin Ladin" is, of course, an Arabic name, and there are many different ways to write it in the Roman alphabet. Similarly, one might see the Chinese philosopher's name written "Lao-tse," "Lao-tzu," or "Laozi." All these spellings are imperfect attempts to replicate another language in the Roman alphabet, and as such none is "correct" or "incorrect." Although the press in the US almost unanimously spell Bin Ladin's name "Osama" with an o, the spelling "Usama" with a u is preferred by the FBI, Interpol, and by Bin Ladin himself when he writes his name in the Roman alphabet (or so I have read). That is why I use the spelling "Usama" in the quiz. Click here for a discussion of this issue by Slate.com. |
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