Paper on the disappearance of exonym

UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES
Working Group on Exonyms, Prague, September 24-26, 2003
Paper on the disappearance of exonym
Defining exonyms causes permanent confusion in the terminology of the standardization
of the geographic names. The problem has often been discussed with members of UNGEGN
for many years. It was also outlined on the body of the Commission for Geographical Names
in Prague whose members would like to elaborate the list of the Czech exonyms and offer
their results to the public. All similar lists issued in the past have become step by step in my
country out of date.
It is estimated that many thousands of Czech exonyms exist. How many of them do
Czech people know? Thus, how many of them do people employ in communicating? How do
the speakers/writers understand the exonyms and distinguish them from the endonyms? I
am afraid the answers would be rather sad than optimistic. The map and atlases publishers
prefer endonyms in general and succeeded in reducing exonyms. The Czech tourists are
used to look for their destination on maps as if the Czech exonyms did not exist. The
teachers continue to neglect the subject geography in schools so that the youths do not see
any differences between names like Trento and Taranto, Main and Mainz, Genève and
Genova, Trier und Trieste, Konstanz and Constanţa or even Constantinopolis.
To all
mentioned names there are exonyms in Czech as well, which makes the understanding still
more complicated.
The
practice
in
publishing
geographical
glossaries
augments
confusion.
The
Encyclopaedical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic published the
Geographic Topographic Glossary in 1993. The Chinese capital was in this book headed
“Peking/Pej-t’ing/Beijing” without any explication. Only the experts know that those three
names stand consecutively for the (inter)national exonym, the Czech phonetic transcription
and the pinyin transcription. The glossary entries have been headed ruleless. Thus, for
example “Aachen/Cáchy” means endonym/Czech exonym, “Anglie/England” means the
same reversed, “Alexandrie/Iskandaríja” represents exonym/phonetic transcription and
“Halab/Aleppo” the same vice versa. The item “Athína/Athénai/Athény” shows the historical
form in the phonetic transcription from Greek as well.
It is not to be wondered that the exonyms step-by-step fell out of use. But does this
process help to the better understanding of geographical names? We may agree with the
positive answer if we watch the situation on the international level. The disappearance of the
exonymes on the national level is rather prejudicial to communication. I tried to investigate
the bilateral understanding of the selected couples exonym/endonym with my colleagues.
Getting out of premise that the number of exonyms issued in the school atlases has been
stable for the past 15-20 years I found out the Czech exonyms from the territory of the middle
Europe occurring in the widely distributed School Atlas of the World. My effort resulted in the
list of 175 exonyms of the features situated in the area that included Poland, the German
speaking countries, the BENELUX countries, Northern Italy, Slovenia, Hungary and the
French, Croatian, Serbian, Romanian, Ukrainian and Belarussian borderland. This list is
attached to this paper.
Then the names of towns were selected from the list and the endonymic forms were
distributed to my colleagues. They were to complete the simply Czech sentence with the
names in a form that they knew. There is the resulting knowledge standard in the table
below. Unfortunately the number of respondents was too small to give the accurate portray to
the aim of the probe. Seeing that the gathered scale of knowledge is of orientation only
without any claim to present the results of the regular research.
Endonym/Czech exonym
Aachen (Cáchy)
Antwerpen (Antverpy)
Basel (Basilej)
Bautzen (Budyšín)
Braşov (Brašov)
Bremen (Brémy)
Bruxelles/Brussel (Brusel)
Bydgoszcz (Bydhošť)
Cluj-Napoca (Kluž)
Częstochowa
(Čenstochová)
Debrecen (Debrecín)
Dresden (Drážďany)
Genève (Ženeva)
Gniezno (Hnězdno)
Görlitz (Zhořelec)
Graz (Štýrský Hradec)
Győr (Ráb)
Klagenfurt (Celovec)
Köln (Kolín nad Rýnem)
Konstanz (Kostnice)
Leipzig (Lipsko)
Leuven (Lovaň)
Knowledge of exonym
*
C
B
A
D
A
C
A
B
D
B
C
A
A
D
D
D
D
E
C
E
A
E
Liège (Lutych)
Linz (Linec)
Ljubljana (Lublaň)
Luxembourg (Lucemburk)
Mainz (Mohuč)
Metz (Mety)
Miskolc (Miškovec)
Mulhouse (Mylhúzy)
München (Mnichov)
Nürnberg (Norimberk)
Pécs (Pětikostelí)
Plauen (Plavno)
Potsdam (Postupim)
Regensburg (Řezno)
Rostock (Roztoky)
Rzeszów (Řešov)
‘s-Gravenhage (Haag)
Strasbourg (Štrasburk)
Szczecin (Štětín)
Szeged (Segedín)
Timişoara (Temešvár)
Torino (Turín)
Trento (Trident)
Trier (Trevír)
Venezia (Benátky)
Warszawa (Varšava)
Weimar (Výmar)
Wien (Vídeň)
Wrocław (Vratislav)
Zagreb (Záhřeb)
Zürich (Curych)
E
C
C
C
D
C
E
E
A
B
D
C
C
C
E
C
E
C
A
C
C
B
D
D
A
C
C
A
D
A
C
*) A = perfect, B = perfect, mistakes in orthography, C = normal, D = week, E = none
I must notice that letter “E” has been joined to the names Konstanz and ‘s-Gravenhage
although people mostly know the respective exonyms. The problem is in their synchronous
knowledge of the endonymic form.
What did find out? The list numbered 53 important towns from the territory of Middle
Europe. The Czech exonymic forms are well-known only for 16 of them indeed, and only 11
of them are written without orthographic mistakes in general. Many different qualities and
attributes of the names and features are of importance to maintaining those exonyms. The
trend is influenced by frequency in communication too. In the near feature some exonyms
lettered with “C” may be marked with the letters D or E and all names “A” could become “B”
again, if they were absent from the Czech media in the essential way.
Appendix I
Selected Czech Exonyms (School Atlas of the World, ed. 1999)
Notes: 1. Names in square bracket are added for purposes of
identification.
2. Endonyms are in cursive form.
Aachen (Cáchy)
Country
Type of the feature
DE
town
Alsasko [Alsace]
FR
area, region
Antwerpen (Antverpy)
BE
Ardeny [Ardennes]
BE/FR
town
mountains
Argony [Argonne]
FR
mountains
Arlberský tunel [Arlberg-Tunnel]
AT
tunnel
Atterské jezero [Attersee]
AT
lake
Bačský průplav [Велики канал]
Bakoňský les [Bakony]
CS
canal
HU
mountains
Basel (Basilej)
CH
town
Bautzen (Budyšín)
DE
Bavorský les [Bayerischer Wald]
DE
town
mountains
Bělověžský prales [Белавежская пушча/Puszcza Białowieska]
BY/PL
forest
Benátský záliv [Golfo di Venezia]
IT
Bergamské Alpy [Alpi Orobie]
IT
bay, gulf
mountains
Bernské Alpy [Berner Alpen/Alpes Bernoises]
CH
mountains
Blatenské jezero (Balaton)
HU
lake
Bodamské jezero [Bodensee]
CH/DE/AT
lake
Braşov (Brašov)
RO
town
Bremen (Brémy)
DE
Brennerský průsmyk [Brennerpass/Passo del Brennero]
AT/IT
town
pass
Bruxelles/Brussel (Brusel)
BE
Bukové hory [Bükk]
HU
town
mountains
Bydgoszcz (Bydhošť)
PL
town
Cluj-Napoca (Kluž)
RO
Curyšské jezero [Züricher See]
CH
town
lake
Częstochowa (Čenstochová)
PL
town
Debrecen (Debrecín)
HU
Dněpro-bugský kanál [Дняпроўско-Бугскі канал]
BY
town
canal
Дністер/Nistru (Dněstr)
UA/MD
river
Dolní Lužice [Niederlausitz]
DE
area, region
Dolní Slezsko [Śląsk Dolny]
PL
Dolomity [Dolomiti/Dolomiten]
IT
area, region
mountains
Dresden (Drážďany)
DE
Durynský les [Thüringer Wald]
DE
town
mountains
Elbe Seiten kanál [Elbe Seitenkanal]
DE
canal
Ems (Emže)
DE
river
Enns (Enže)
AT
river
Fehér-Körös/Crişul Alb (Bílý Kriš)
HU/RO
river
Flandry [Vlaanderen/Flandre]
BE/FR
Franský Jura [Fränkische Alb]
DE
area, region
mountains
Franský les [Frankenwald]
DE
mountains
Gardské jezero [Lago di Garda]
IT
lake
Gdaňská zátoka [Zatoka Gdańska/Gdan'skij zaliv]
PL/RU
bay, gulf
Genève (Ženeva)
CH
town
Gniezno (Hnězdno)
PL
town
Görlitz (Zhořelec)
DE
Grajské Alpy [Alpi Graie/Alpes Grées]
IT/FR
town
mountains
Győr (Ráb)
HU
Hauensteinský tunel [Hauenstein-Tunnel]
CH
Havel (Havola)
DE
Helská kosa [Mierzeja Helska]
PL
river
peninsula
Horní Lužice [Oberlausitz]
DE
area, region
Horní Slezsko [Śląsk Górny]
PL
area, region
Hornorýnská nížina [Oberrheinisches Tiefland/Plaine d'Alsace]
DE/FR
Chiemské jezero [Chiemsee]
DE
lowlands
lake
Istrie [Istra]
HR/SI
Istrijský poloostrov [Istra]
HR/SI
area, region
peninsula
jezero Iseo [Lago d'Iseo]
IT
lake
Julské Alpy [Julijske Alpe/Alpi Giulie]
SI/IT
mountains
Karavanky [Karawanken/Karavanke]
AT/SI
mountains
Karnské Alpy [Karnische Alpen/Alpi Carniche]
AT/IT
mountains
Karpatské podhůří [Podkarpacie]
PL
slopes
Kielský záliv [Kieler Bucht/Kieler Bugt]
Klagenfurt (Celovec)
DE/DK
AT
bay, gulf
Köln (Kolín nad Rýnem)
DE
town
Konstanz (Kostnice)
DE
town
Körös (Kriš)
HU
Lago di Como (Comské jezero)
IT
river
lake
Leipzig (Lipsko)
DE
town
Leuven (Lovaň)
BE
town
Liège (Lutych)
BE
town
Linz (Linec)
AT
town
Ljubljana (Lublaň)
SI
town
Lotrinsko [Lorraine]
FR
area, region
Lübecký záliv [Lübecker Bucht]
Lublinská vrchovina [Wyżyna Lubelska]
DE
PL
bay, gulf
highland
Luxembourg (Lucemburk)
LU
town
Mainz (Mohuč)
DE
town
Malá nížina uherská [Kisalföld]
HU
Malopolská vrchovina [Wyżyna Małopolska]
PL
lowlands
highland
Marnsko-rýnský průplav [Canal de la Marne au Rhin]
FR
canal
Maros/Mureşul (Maruše)
HU/RO
river
town
tunnel
town
Mazovská nížina [Nizina Mazowiecka]
PL
lowlands
Mazurská jezerní plošina [Pojezierze Mazurskie]
PL
plateau
Meklenburská jezerní plošina [Mecklenburgische Seenplatte]
DE
plateau
Metz (Mety)
FR
town
Miskolc (Miškovec)
HU
Montceniský průsmyk [Col du Mont Cenis]
FR
town
pass
Moravské pole [Marchfeld]
AT
lowlands
Mosel/Moselle (Mosela)
Mulhouse (Mylhúzy)
FR/LU/DE
river
FR
town
München (Mnichov)
DE
Neuchâtelské jezero [Lac de Neuchâtel/Neuenburger See]
CH
town
lake
Neziderské jezero [Neusiedler See/Fertő]
AT/HU
lake
Nízké Taury [Niedere Tauern]
Nürnberg (Norimberk)
AT
mountains
DE
town
Pádská nížina [Pianura Padana]
IT
lowlands
Pécs (Pětikostelí)
HU
Penninské Alpy [Walliser Alpen/Alpi Pennine/Alpes du Valais]
Piemont [Piemonte]
CH/IT
IT
town
mountains
Pinské bažiny [Пінскія балоты]
BY
moorland
Plauen (Plavno)
DE
Plitvická jezera [Plitvička jezera]
HR
town
lakes
Po (Pád)
IT
river
Pobaltská nížina [Pobrzeże Południowobałtyckie]
PL
lowlands
Podolí [Поділля]
UA
area, region
Polesí [Палессе]
BY
area, region
Pomořanská jezerní plošina [Pojezierze Pomorskie]
PL
plateau
Pomořanská zátoka [Pommersche Bucht/Zatoka Pomorska]
DE/PL
bay, gulf
Postojenské jeskyně [Postojnska jama]
SI
cave
Potsdam (Postupim)
DE
průsmyk Červené věže [Trecătoarea Turnul Roşu]
RO
town
pass
Прыпяць/Прип’ять (Pripeť)
Rakouské alpské předhoří [Österreichisches Alpenvorland]
BY/UA
AT
river
mountains
Regensburg (Řezno)
DE
Rhaetské Alpy [Rätische Alpen/Alpi Retiche]
CH/IT/AT/LI
town
mountains
Rhein/Ren/Rhin/Rijn (Rýn)
Rhônsko-rýnský průplav [Canal du Rhône au Rhin]
CH/LI/AT/DE/FR/NL river
canal
FR
Rostock (Roztoky)
DE
Rujana (Rügen)
DE
town
island
Rýnský vodopád [Rheinfall]
CH
waterfall
Rzeszów (Řešov)
PL
town
Saale (Sála)
DE
river
Savojsko [Savoy]
FR
area, region
Sebes-Körös/Crişul Repede (Bystrý Kriš)
HU/RO
Severofríské ostrovy [Nordfriesische Inseln]
DE
river
islands
area, region
Severomořsko-baltský průplav [Nord-Ostsee-Kanal]
DE
canal
Severoněmecká nížina [Norddeutsches Tiefland]
DE
lowlands
s-Gravenhage (Haag)
NL
town
Schelde/Escaut (Šelda)
NL/BE/FR
Simplonský tunel [Simplon-Tunnel/Galleria del Sempione]
CH/IT
river
tunnel
Solná komora [Salzkammergut]
AT
Splužský průsmyk [Splügenpass/Passo dello Spluga]
CH/IT
Strasbourg (Štrasburk)
FR
Středoněmecká vysočina [Deutsche Mittelgebirgsschwelle]
DE
town
mountains
Středoněmecký průplav [Mittellandkanal]
DE
canal
Svatogotthardský tunel [Galleria del San Gottardo/St.Gotthard-Tunnel]
CH
tunnel
Szamos/Someşul (Samoš)
HU/RO
river
Szczecin (Štětín)
PL
town
Szeged (Segedín)
HU
town
Štětínský záliv [Stettiner Haff/Zalew Szczeciński]
DE/PL
Švábský Jura [Schwäbische Alb]
DE
bay, gulf
mountains
Švýcarský Jura [Jura]
CH
mountains
Terstský záliv [Golfo di Trieste/Tržaški zaliv]
IT/SI
Thunské jezero [Thuner See]
CH
bay, gulf
lake
Timişoara (Temešvár)
RO
town
Torino (Turín)
IT
Transylvánská vysočina [Podişul Transilvaniei]
RO
town
mountains
Trento (Trident)
IT
town
Trier (Trevír)
DE
town
Velká nížina uherská (Alföld)
HU
lowlands
Velkopolská jezerní plošina [Pojezierze Wielkopolskie]
PL
plateau
Velkopolská nížina [Nizina Wielkopolska]
PL
lowlands
Venezia (Benátky)
IT
Vierwaldstättské jezero [Vierwaldstätter See]
CH
town
lake
Viselský záliv [Zalew Wiślany/Kaliningradskij zaliv]
PL/RU
Vogézy [Vosges]
FR
Volyňsko-podolská plošina [Волинська височина, Подільська височина] UA
area, region
pass
bay, gulf
mountains
Východní Beskydy [Beskidy Wschodnie]
PL
plateau
mountains
Východní Karpaty [Східні Карпати]
UA
mountains
Východofríské ostrovy [Ostfriesische Inseln]
DE
islands
Vysoké Taury [Hohe Tauern/Alti Tauri]
AT/IT
mountains
Warszawa (Varšava)
PL
town
Weimar (Výmar)
DE
town
Weser (Vezera)
DE
river
Wien (Vídeň)
AT
town
Wisła (Visla)
PL
river
Wrocław (Vratislav)
PL
town
Zagreb (Záhřeb)
HR
Západní Beskydy [Beskidy Zachodnie]
PL
town
mountains
Západní hory (Apusenské hory) [Munţii Apuşeni]
RO
mountains
Západofríské ostrovy [Waddeneilanden]
NL
islands
Zürich (Curych)
CH
Ženevské jezero [Lac Léman]
CH/FR
town
lake
Submitted:
Pavel Boháč
Land Survey Office
Prague