Folia onomastica Croatica, No. 34, 2025.
Pregledni rad
https://doi.org/10.21857/ygjwrcev5y
Standardization of Geographical Names and Exonyms
Ivana Crljenko
orcid.org/0000-0002-1315-0644
; Sveučilište u Zadru Odjel za nastavničke studije u Gospiću
Sažetak
This article is an overview of the standardization of geographical names at the
international and national level. It deals with the beginnings, dynamics, importance,
problems, possibilities, necessities and scope of standardization. Its purpose
is to raise awareness of the issues regarding the writing and use of toponyms, especially
exonyms. The basic terminology related to the topic is defined at the beginning
of the article (geographical name, toponym, standardization of geographical
names, standardized geographical name, international and national standardization
of geographical names, endonym, exonym, and Croatian exonym).
The next topic is introducing the international framework for the standardization
of geographical names. As elaborately presented, international standardization
is closely related to the purpose and work of the United Nations Group
of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) founded in 1967. Afterwards, the
Croatian experiences in the standardization of toponyms are presented. Croatian
standardization began with the adoption of the first rules on writing toponyms in
Croatian orthographies at the end of the 19th century.
Due to the many specificities of exonyms compared to endonyms, the topics
regarding exonyms are explained in more detail in the larger part of the article.
One topic refers to the changed treatment of exonyms within UNGEGN – from a
negative treatment in the 1970s and 1980s, which used to encourage their reduction,
to an increasingly positive one, which is gradually recognizing exonyms as
parts of cultural heritage. Further, the basic questions, problems and solutions related
to the writing and use of exonyms in international practice are highlighted.
Some exonym classifications are also given.
An overview of treatment and rules on the writing and use of Croatian
exonyms according to different orthographies is also provided. In this section of
the article, the improvements and some deficiencies in the exonym rules in modern
orthographies are pointed out. Due to these shortcomings, inconsistencies in
the writing and general use of exonyms still exist, which is exemplified by names
taken from school textbooks and lexicographical works. Finally, the basic problems
related to writing exonyms are grouped and supported with specific examples;
the recommended solutions are presented as well.
Ključne riječi
standardization; geographical names; toponyms; exonyms; orthographies
Hrčak ID:
341568
URI
Datum izdavanja:
17.12.2025.
Posjeta: 519 *