Because the Russians call it 'Kiev', and the Ukrainians call it 'Kiv'. For the time being at least it is still a Ukrainian city, and hopefully it will remain that way

Because the people who live in it asked that it be referred to using their pronounciation, several years ago, but it's only recent circumstances that have caused us to pay attention – nuff said.

**LINK**

On videos, I hear native Ukrainians pronounce it "Ki-yeev", but not stressed, so it might sound like Keev. On Phil's initial point, I did hear a Western presenter say Warsaw, then say "Var-sa-va", presumably the native pronunciation. Interestingly, there seem to be US journalists and presenters using "Mosc-oh" and not the Americal "cow". Still, nowhere near native "Muskva".

The Russian pronunciation seems to be taken as an insult by Ukrainians. I also note that placenames ending in "-iw" seem to be pronounced by Ukrainians as a "w" and not as "v". Given the size of the country and its history, I guess the may be marked variations around the country. And for the desire to take the country under Russian domination, we have to (partly) blame the (now named) Kyivan Rus, or at least Russian's view of their origins.

Oh, and I get annoyed when Putin becomes Pyootin. But that's me.

Bill

Chicken Kiev was invented when Russia ruled what is now Ukraine, hence the Russian name.

I am happy its being changed in the same way as I am happy that Ayers Rock has had its name restored to Uluru, some people have a greater right to name something and we should respect that our historic, anglicised name is decidedly second best.

I will have to disagree with that one Callum

Tony

Nothing new in place names changing over time, or being pronounced differently, or oddly.

Beaulieu – pronounced Bewlee
Bicester – pronounced Bister
Llanelli – pronounced Th-lan-ethlee
Bristol – originally Bristow, locals call it Brissel
Bombay – MumbaI
Cork – Cobh
Paris – pronounced Paree by the French
London – my friend says he's from Saff Lunnon
Hawick – pronounced 'Hoick'
Edinburgh – pronounced Edinbruh, not 'Eden Borough'
Mount Everest is named after the surveyor Colonel Everest, but his surname is pronounced 'Eve Rest'
Bath, Somerset – no-one knows: Baf, Bawth, Barf
Leominster – pronounced Lemster
Thailand – Siam
Istanbul – Constantinople
Aachen – Aix-la-Chapelle
The Hague – pronounced 's‑Gravenhage by the Dutch, who are the only people in the world who can say it correctly.
Ruislip – pronounced Ri-slip
Magdalen College – pronounced Maudlin

The list is endless.

Dave

" The list is endless "

Around here we have :

Flitwick – pronounced Flitik

Cogenhoe pronounced Cookner

But my two favourites are English christian names – Featherstonhaugh and Cholmondeley pronounced Fanshaw and Chumley respectively.

Rik

Rik how about Slaithwaite ( Slowit ) or Barnoldswick ( Barlick ) or Alnwick ( Anick )

If President Poo-tin (which I am told is also the Russian word for bed-pan) does to Kyiv what he has done to Mariupol and a large swathe of Syria, what it's called will be of academic interest only.

George

so what don't you agree with?

1. that your views count
2. that other people's views count
3. trying to understand the world as other people see it is an enjoyable activity in its own right.

Reading 'Reading' in Reading on a signpost I got rather lost.

One of the ones that has annoyed me for a long time is pronouncing the children's book hero Don Quixote as Keeotay rather misses the educational connection with the word quixotic.

Trottiscliffe (Trosley)