Актуальные проблемы передачи наименований российских топонимов на иностранные языки

Abstract

After analyzing a number of international and national regulatory documents in the field of names of geographical and other objects, as well as the practice of applying the requirements of these documents, the authors concluded that the main method of geographical objects’ names transmitting, as well as those of streets, squares, stops, road and city signs, and of other inner-city objects in foreign languages (letters of the Latin alphabet) is currently adopted transliteration. On the one hand it can simplify spelling them with Latin letters, but, on the other hand inscriptions unreadable in any language are created, since their pronunciation is unknown. In connection with participation in international economic and other activities, holding mass events with foreign representatives, the problem of writing and adequate reading the names of geographical and other objects in other languages (letters of the Latin alphabet) has aggravated. The authors see the solution of the mentioned task in creating a specialized multilingual database through including transcribed names in it, i. e. converted according to pronunciation into English, then into the official languages of the United Nations and German. This will require enormous work, which should involve translators, philologists, cartographers and local historians; in addition, it will be necessary to revive the work of the department of geographical names in the head scientific organization in the industry of geodesy, cartography and names of geographical objects.