A Mediterranean Example of Problematic Treatment of Geographical Names: Piranski zaliv (Bay of Piran) or Savudrijska vala (Bay of Savudrija)? Drago Kladnik, Milan Orožen Adamič, Primož Pipan ABSTRACT: The established geographical name Bay of Piran refers to the largest bay in the Gulf of Trieste at the extreme north end of the Adriatic Sea. After the collapse of Yugoslavia and the emergence of independent countries demarcated along the borders of the former Yugoslav republics, the previously undemarcated body of water between Slovenia and Croatia became the focus of a border dispute between the two countries. The name ‘Bay of Piran’ (Sln. Piranski zaliv, Cro. Piranski zaljev) is derived from the Italian name Vallone di Pirano ‘Bay of Piran’, which replaced the Italian name Valle di Sicciole ‘Bay of Sečovlje’ (as well as Ital. Valle di Siciole, Sln. Sečoveljski zaliv) a century and half ago. Since 2000 there have been Croatian attempts to establish the completely new name ‘Bay of Savudrija’ (Cro. Savudrijska vala, Sln. Savudrijski zaliv). KEYWORDS: geographical names, sea name, border conflict, Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Piranski zaliv, Piranski zaljev, Savudrijska vala ADDRESSES: Drago Kladnik Anton Melik Geographical Institute Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Gosposka ulica 13, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia E-mail:
[email protected] Milan Orožen Adamič Anton Melik Geographical Institute Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Gosposka ulica 13, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia E-mail:
[email protected] Primož Pipan Anton Melik Geographical Institute Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Gosposka ulica 13, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia E-mail:
[email protected] 1 Introduction Geographical names for regions, bodies of water, relief forms, and parcels of land, administrative units, and local features that form the basis for the names of inhabitants are unique spiritual, cultural, social, historical, and political indicators.