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Subject: Re: Re: Harbors and harbours
Message-ID: <22600003@tub.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 10-Feb-86 12:04:00 EST
Article-I.D.: tub.22600003
Posted: Mon Feb 10 12:04:00 1986
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Nf-From: tub!net    Feb 10 17:04:00 1986


> I think I would agree that Harbour Pointe should be spelled that way,
> but there is a difference between misspelling the name because of its
> relationship to common words, and "translating" foreign names. What
> about the following?
> 
> - K/obenhavn (Da), K"openhamn (Sw), Copenhagen (Eng)
> - Helsing/or (Da), Elsinor (Eng)
> - Stockholm (Sw, Eng), Estockolmo (sp? Sp), Tukholma (Fi)
> [...]

A related problem is that in some countries several official languages
co-exist due to certain political, historical, or geographical
circumstances.  In Europe, the most prominent example for a
multi-lingual country is Switzerland, which has four official languages
(french, german, italian, and raeto-romanic(sp?)).  In such countries,
place names are often spelled differently in the different languages.
Examples:

   Finland (swedish + finnish)
      Abo (swedish, the `A' with a circle above)  == Turku (finnish)
      Helsingfors (swedish)                       == Helsinki (finnish)

   Belgium (flemish + wallonian(?))
      Brussel (flemish)                           == Bruxelles (wallonian)

   Ireland (gaelic + english)
      Baile Atha Cliath (gaelic)                  == Dublin (english)
      Corcaigh (gaelic)                           == Cork (english)
      Luimneach (gaelic)                          == Limerick (english)

   Israel (hebrew + arabic)
      Yerushalayim (hebrew (== Jerusalem))        == El-Quds (arabic)


The actual spelling of a foreign place name also depends on how the name
is translated or "transcribed".
Generally, two different methods are used to transcribe foreign names
(correct me if I'm wrong).  The name is either transliterated, that is,
transcribed on the basis of single letters or symbols; the advantage of
this method is that the transliteration can easily be reversed in order
to obtain the original name.  However, it is more common to perform a
transcription on a phonetic basis; the advantage is that the
pronunciation of the resulting word is similar to that of the original
name.  I have found two examples:

Transliteration      Phonetic transcription
  Rankun               Rangoon          (german Rangun)
  Chongqing            Ch'ungch'ing     (german Tschungking)


> ...and many others, of course. Bye the way, how should Cambodja/Campuchea
> be spelled this year?

The official name of Cambodia/Campuchea is `Ravax Samaki Songkruos
Cheat Kampuchea' (Democratic Peoples Republic of Kampuchea).  Thus, I
think Campuchea is acceptable.  However, the Oxford Dictionary of
Concurrent English mentions Cambodia, but not Campuchea.  So perhaps we
should consult the ultimate authority, that is, quiz(6)?  `quiz asian
capital' accepts both "Cambodia" and "Khmer".

--
Oliver Laumann            net@DB0TUI6.BITNET            net@tub.UUCP