Toponymic guidelines for map and other editors, for international use
At the Third UN Conference on the Standardization
of Geographical Names in Athens in 1977 it became clear that the great
variation in geographical names and the approaches to their use in different
countries was not thoroughly understood by all experts, and certainly
not by the information users.
Dr. Josef Breu of Austria, Chairman of UNGEGN, initiated
a practical project to make the current toponymy and standardization methods
in different countries systematically available for cartographers and
other publishers. Resolutions to support this action were passed at the
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Conferences (1982, 1987, 1992).
The aim is to assist those who must use names on printed
products, by providing information about languages, their distribution
and status; linguistic and administrative maps; the alphabet used in written
forms of names, supplemented by information on the phonetic values of
characters and the use of capitalization, word strings, etc.
Dr. Josef Breu (Austria) was coordinator of the Toponymic
Guidelines until he resigned from the task in 1991. At that time Dr. Peter
Raper (South Africa) took over the guidance of the project.
Several resolutions of the UN Conferences on Standardization
of Geographical Names have addressed the need for Toponymic Guidelines
and over 30 countries have presented their national guidelines. Chairs
of UNGEGN divisions are encouraged to use step-by-step methods to develop
guidelines for countries in their divisions unable to initiate this work
themselves.
Guidelines should be distributed as widely as possible
to cartographers and publishers. The Internet now provides a solution
for easier timely world-wide dissemination of toponymic guidelines, without
the high costs of printing and distribution. On the other hand, for the
more "permanent" characteristics of guidelines, hard copy editions
remain invaluable reference tools for frequent users.
United Nations Conferences on the Standardization of
Geographical Names - Resolutions on toponymic guidelines passed at the
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Conferences (1982, 1987, 1992)
IV/4 Publication of toponymic guidelines for map and
other editors
The Conference,
Recognizing the desirability of international
exchange of information concerning the main facts, measures and achievements
in the field of national name standardization,
Noting that within the United Nations Group of
Experts on Geographical Names progress has been made in this respect since
its eighth session,
1. Recommends that countries should be
encouraged to publish and keep up-to-date toponymic guidelines for map
and other editors which may enable cartographers of other countries
to treat correctly all problems of cartographic toponymy of the countries
that produced such guidelines, and which may be of help to all users
in interpreting maps;
2. Further recommends that those guidelines
contain, inter alia and as appropriate, the following items:
a. Legal status of geographical names in the
respective languages of multilingual countries;
b. Alphabets of the language or languages and
furthermore, in the case of non-Roman alphabets and scripts, the officially
introduced romanization keys;
c. Spelling rules for geographical names;
d. Aids to pronunciation of geographical names;
e. Linguistic substrata recognizable in the
existing place names, but only as far as their knowledge may be of
benefit to the cartographer;
f. Relationship between dialect(s) and standard
language(s);
g. Peculiarities of dialect and areal distribution
of the main dialects;
h. Areal distribution of languages within multilingual
countries;
i. Names authorities and measures taken in
names standardization;
Source material;
j. Glossary of words necessary for the understanding
of maps;
k. Abbreviations in official maps;
l. Administrative division;
3. Recommends also that the toponymic guidelines
submitted by Austria should serve as a sample of format and contents;
4. Further recommends that a correspondent should be
appointed by the United Nations Group of Experts on the Standardization
of Geographical Names to co-ordinate the work of developing national
toponymic guidelines and to maintain communication with national experts
involved in the development of such guidelines.
V/11 Differentiation of toponyms from other map text
The Conference,
Noting the difficulties and misunderstandings
that may arise in distinguishing toponyms from non-toponymic text on maps,
Recognizing that users whose native language is
different from that used on a map may have particular difficulties in
this area,
Recognizing also that the automated scanning of
maps by optical electronic means may facilitate the automated recording
of toponyms,
1. Recommends that a clear typographical distinction
be made on national topographical maps between toponyms and text that
serves other purposes;
2. Also recommends that the methods of differentiation
be explained in national toponymic guidelines for map and other editors.
V/14 Publication of toponymic guidelines
The Conference,
Recalling resolution 4 on the publication by countries
of toponymic guidelines for map and other editors, adopted by the Fourth
United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names,
Noting that, while some countries have already
complied with that resolution, many have not yet done so,
Considering the key role played by such publications
in attaining the objectives of national standardization as the basis for
international standardization,
Recommends that countries be strongly encouraged to publish and
keep up to date toponymic guidelines for map and other editors dealing,
inter alia, with the items listed in resolution 4 of the Fourth Conference,
and that the United Nations Secretariat provide appropriate assistance
for the publication and dissemination of such guidelines.
VI/7 Toponymic guidelines for map and other editors
The Conference,
Noting with appreciation the increasing number
of countries preparing toponymic guidelines for map and other editors,
Considering that wider dissemination of these
toponymic guidelines is essential to maximize their usefulness,
Recommends:
a. That toponymic guidelines be issued in combined
volumes, in at least one of the working languages of the United Nations,
b. that provision be made to issue the guidelines,
in the World Cartography bulletin.
As originally proposed by Dr. Josef Breu in his Circular
No 2, 12 December 1977, with additions, modifications and new numbering
of 1981 (Circular Letter No 20). The title reflects modifications from
the Eighth Session of UNGEGN, 1979 and from the Fourth Conference, 1982.
Item 6 follows a resolution of the Fifth Conference, 1987.
Toponymic Guidelines for Map and Other Editors, for
International Use
Name of individual country
1. Languages
1. General remarks
2. National language(s)
1. Legal situation and practical application in administration
and official cartography
2. Alphabet(s) and transcription(s)
3. General spelling rules for geographical names
4. Pronunciation
5. Grammatical pecularities which are essential for
the treatment and understanding of geographical names
6. Distribution of main dialects and their characteristics;
how far are dialectal name forms adapted to the standard form of the
language(s)? (In the case of many African countries with English,
French, Portuguese or Spanish as official languages: Distribution
of main vernaculars and their characteristics; how far are vernacular
name forms adapted to the spelling of the official language?); linguistic
maps
Minority languages
1.3.1 - 1.3.6, as under 1.2
3. Names authorities and names standardization
1. National names authority. Aims, functions, rules,
address.
2. Provincial names authorities. Aims, functions,
rules, addresses.
3. Names standardization. Legal aspects, procedures,
progress.
3. Source Material
1. Maps: map series containing standardized names.
Which sheets of a series contain already standardized names?
2. Gazetteers containing standardized names.
4. Glossary of appellatives, adjectives and other words
necessary for the understanding of maps. (As such glossaries will serve
the needs of foreign users they must contain also - and above all - words
of the general vocabulary.)
5. Abbreviations used on official maps; the decoding
and meanings
6. Methods of differentiating toponyms from other
text on national maps
Annex Administrative maps
Available Toponymic Guidelines
"Toponymic
guidelines for map and other editors, for international use: an overview
of existing guidelines and UNGEGN work to date" (WP 6, 20th session
of UNGEGN, 2000), Kerfoot & Narhi
- WP 21 Toponymic guidelines of Poland for map editors
and other users
- WP 41 Toponymic Guidelines for map and other editors
- revised edition 1998 - Islamic Republic of Iran
- WP 47 Edition of Toponymic Guidelines for map and
other editors - Slovakia
- WP 86 National standardization - Toponymic Guidelines
for map and other editors - Italy (second edition, 1999)
- WP 90 and WP 90/Corr. Toponymic Guidelines of Greece
- WP.49 Finland ...4th, revised edition
- WP.112 Italy ...3rd edition
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