E/CONF.105/137/CRP.137
13 July 2017
Original: English and Arabic
Eleventh United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names New York, 8-17 August 2017 Item 14 a) of the provisional agenda* Writing systems and pronunciation: Romanization
Romanization System from Arabic letters to Latinized letters 2007
Submitted by the Arabic Division **
* E/CONF.105/1 ** Prepared by the Arabic Division
Standard Arabic System for Transliteration of Geographical Names
From Arabic Alphabet to Latin Alphabet (Arabic Romanization System)
2007
1 ARABIC TRANSLITERATION ALPHABET
Arabic Romanization Romanization Arabic Character Character
ٛ GH ؽٔيح ء >
ف F ا }
ٕ ػ N % ٛـ KH ؿ H ٝاُزبء أُوثٛٞخ ك٢ ٜٗب٣خ أٌُِخ W, Ū ٝ ك D
١ Y, Ī م DH a Short Opener ه R
ā Long Opener ى Z
S ً ā Maddah
SH ُ ☺ Alif Maqsourah u Short Closer ٓ &
ū Long Closer ٗ {
ٛ i Short Breaker #
ī Long Breaker ظ !
ّ ّلح Doubling the letter ع <
- 1 -
DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW ALPHABET
How to describe the transliteration Alphabet: a. The new alphabet has neglected the following Latin letters: C, E, O, P, V, X in addition to the letter G unless it is coupled with the letter H to form a digraph GH .(اُـ٤ٖ Ghayn)
b. This Alphabet contains: 1. Latin letters which have similar phonetic letters in Arabic : B,T,J,D,R,Z,S,Q,K,L,M,N,H,W,Y. ة، ،د، ط، ك، ه، ى، ً، م، ى، ٍ، ّ، ٕ، ٛـ، ٝ، ١ 2. Digraphs or Ligatures to represents Latin letters that have no similar phonetic letters in Arabic such as: GH, SH, DH, KH, TH corresponding to the Arabic س ,ؿ ,م ,ُ ,letters: Th[<, Kh[<, Dh[l, Sh;n, Ghayn ؽ
ظ :>]* One digraph underlined by a Diacritical Mark which is the letter .3 !,*,~.
4. Seven letters surmounted or underlined by Diacritical Marks to produce the phonetic convenient sound. {, |, ?, #, }, &, % corresponding to the Arabic letters: { long opener, | long closer, ? long breaker, #ā< (ٛ), }[d (ٗ), &[d .(and %[< (ػ ,(ٓ)
5. Two diacritical letters, (<) and (>) that appear on the vowel marks [A (opener), U (closer), and I (breaker)], vowel letters and long vowel marks [Ī (long breaker), | (long closer), { (long opener)], or as an independent mark as follows: a. Hamzah (<):
< < A < U
< b. >Ayn (>): > >A >U >I >{ >| >? > > a >u >i > [ > \ > ; 6. Diacritical Marks that surmount or underline some Arabic letter in order to - intensify their pronunciation ( and -): {, ?, |, %, #, }, and &. .? | } transliterated as )أ، ٝ،١) Vowel letters that follow stretching letters .7 - 2 - ) َ ُ ِ( c. Vowel marks or lightened vowels: the opener, the closer and the breaker transliterated as A, U, and I. In addition to the silent Soukoun beared by consonant letters. ROMANIZATION RULES First: Names in Arabic are composed of one definite or indefinite word, or several words. Each word is composed of letters. Examples: ثِــل – اُجــِل - عجــَ أٌُٔـــَ – اُلاه اُجٚ٤ــبء – ٌٓــٚ أٌُوٓــــخ Balad , Al Balad, Jabal Al Makmil, Ad D[r Al Bayd[’, Makkah Al Mukarramah Second: There are twenty eight letters in Arabic, starting with the (Hamzah) <, and ending with (y[<): (Alif (Hamzah)<, B[<, T[<, Th[<, J;m, %[<, Kh[<, D[l, Dh[l, R[<, Zayn, S;n, Sh;n, &[d, }[d, T[<, *[<, >ayn, Ghayn, F[<, Q[f, K[f, L[m, M;m, N\n, H[<, W[w, Y[<). We recognize this alphabet that contains basic letters, Digraphs, letters with diactrical marks, diactrical letters, vowels and vowel marks as follows: Transliteration Alphabet أبجدية التحويـــــل Arabic Alphabet Transliteration Arabic Alphabet Alphabets Beginning Middle End ﺀ ﺄ أ ﺆ ﺉ ٟ ﺄ ـؤ ﺈ ـئـ ﺌ أ أُ ﺇ ﺁ أ ☻ ,? ,| ,} , A, U, I,’ ـت ة ثـ ﺂ ـجـ ثـ ة B,b ـذ د ـزـ رـ رـ د T,t ـش س ـضـ صـ صـ س TH,Th,th ـظ ط ـغـ عـ عـ ط J,j ـػ ؼ ـؾـ ؽـ ؽـ ػ $,% ــ ؿ ـقـ فـ فـ KH,Kh,kh ؿ ـل ك ـل ك ك ك D,d ـن م ـن م م م DH,Dh,dh ـو ه ـو ه ه ه R,r - 3 - ـي ى ـي ى ى ى Z,z ـٌ ً ـَـ ٍـ ٍـ ً S,s ـِ ُ ـْـ ّـ ّـ ُ SH,Sh,sh ـٔ ٓ ـٖـ ٕـ ٕـ ٓ ^,& ـ٘ ٗ ـٚـ ٙـ ٙـ ٗ [,{ ـٛ ٜ ـطـ ٛـ ٛـ ٛ @,# ــع ظ ـظــ ظــ ظ ظ ~,*,! >,>A,>a,>U,>u,>I,>i, ــغ ع ـؼـ ػــ ػـ ع >,>{,>[,>|,>\,>?,>;, ــؽ ؾ ـــــ ؿــ ؿــ GH,Gh,gh ؽ ــق ف ــلــ كــ كــ ف F,f ــن م ــوــ هــ هــ م Q,q ــي ى ــٌـ ًــ ًـ ى K,k ــَ ٍ ــِــ ُــ ُــ ٍ L,l ــْ ّ ــٔــ ٓــ ٓــ ّ M,m ــٖ ٕ ــ٘ــ ٗــ ٗــ ٕ N,n ــٚ ــ ْخ ٙ ــٜــ ٛــ ٛــ ٛـ H,h ــْٝ ٞ ــ ْٞ ْْ ــW,w,|,\ ٝ ٝ ٞ ــ٢ ١ ـِـ ٤ْ ـ ٝــ٤ــ ٣ــ ٣ـ ١ ;,?,Y,y اُلزؾخ َ Fat$ah omitted ــ٢ــ ١ َ ) )َ ه٤ٖوح (A,a (Short ــَـب ــَب آ )ـَب(٣ِٞٛخ (Long) ],} اُٚٔخ Dammah omitted ــ ُ ) ُ ( ه٤ٖوح (U,u (Short ــُٞ ــُٞ )ـُـ٣ٞٛ )ِٞخ (Long) \,| اٌَُوح Kasrah omitted ــ ِ ) ِ ( ه٤ٖوح (I,i (Short ــ٢ِ ــ٢ِ )ـِـ٤ـ( ٣ِٞٛخ (Long) ;,? Third: Arabic letters that have similar basic phonetic Latin letters are transliterated as follows: Arabic Letters Examples Transliteration Notes Letters Beginning Middle End Romanized Arabic ث٤وٝد Bayr\t ـجـ ة ـجـ ثـ ثـ B b روثَ Turbul ـذ د ـزـ رـ رـ T t عي٣ٖ Jizz;n ـظ ط ـغـ عـ عـ J j كاٞٓه D[m\r ـل ك ـل ك ك D d - 4 - هR\miyah ٚ٤ٓٝ ـو ه ـو ه ه R r ىثلا٢ٗ ;Zabad[n ـي ى ـي ى ى Z z ٍٞه٣ب ]S\ry ـٌ ً ـَـ ٍــ ٍـ S s كبه٣ب ]F[ray ـق ف ـلـ كـ كـ F f Qalam\n Guttural هِٕٞٔ ـن م ـوـ هـ هـ Q q ًوثالء ’]Karbal ـي ى ـٌـ ًـ ًـ K k ُج٘بٕ Lubn[n ـَ ٍ ـِـ ُـ ُـ L l ٖٞ٘ٓهح Mans\rah ـْ ّ ـٔـ ٓـ ٓـ M m ٗبػٔخ N[>imah ـٖ ٕ ـ٘ـ ٗـ ٗـ N n ٛال٤ُّخ Hil[liyyah ـٚ ـخ ٙ ـٜـ ٛـ ٛـ H h Fourth: Arabic letters %[’, &[d, }[d, and #[’ )ٛ ،ٗ ،ٓ ،ػ( have no similar Latin phonetic letters. They are all transliterated as letters underlined with diacritical marks as follows: Transliteration Arabic Examples Notes Letters Letters Romanized Arabic ٞؽ H Gutturalهإ Hawr[n أػ H\r[n ٝ $ % ٕٞ S Gutturalه S\r ٓ ^ & ٙ D GutturalجDab>ah ٚؼ ٗ [ { ٛ T Gutturalواثٌِ ٛ Tar[blus @ # are )س، ؿ، م، ُ، Fifth: The Arabic letters Th[’, Kh[’, Dh[l, Sh;n, and Ghayn )ؽ transliterated as digraphs composed by two letters giving the suitable sounds: Examples Transliteration Arabic Notes Letters Letters Romanized Arabic Pronounced TH as in صبُش Th[lith س TH th third in English Pronounced as CH فو٣جKH kh ؿ Khuraybah ٚ in Dutch DH dh Pronounced as THE مٛت Dhahab م in English - 5 - Pronounced SH as in ّٔالٕ SH sh ُ Shaml[n Sharp in English Pronounced as the ؿبك٣و GH gh ؽ Gh[d;r Parisian R is written as a digraph underlined by a diacritical mark as (ظ) >]* Sixth: The letter follows: ظٜوإ Example: *ahr[n . )ظ( ~ ,* ,! * is pronounced as a guttural “the” in English. Seventh: >Ayn and Hamzah are written as diacritical letters ( ’ / ‘ ) and are transliterated as follows: a. Hamzah: At the beginning of the word : It is transliterated by the suitable vowel mark it bears: - If the vowel mark is an opener (fat$ah), (hamzah) should be transliterated as an A. . أثٞ ًٔبٍ Example: Ab\ Kam[l - If the vowel mark is a closer (}ammah), (hamzah) should be transliterated as a U. . أُّ هٖو Example: Umm Qa^ir - If the vowel mark is a breaker (Kasrah), (hamzah) should be transliterated as an I. . ٤ػٖ إثَ Example: >Ayn Ibil b. Hamzat al qati‘ Anywhere situated in a composite name, it is always pronounced and transliterated as an (opened hamzah) A (hamzah maftou$a). Examples: أٞ٣ة Ayy\b ٝاك١ أٞ٣ة W[d; Ayy\b - 6 - c. Hamzat al wasl: Pronounced in the first word of a composite name and omitted in the rest. Examples: أُ٘لة Al Mandib ثبث ُِٔ٘لة Babul Mandib In transliteration it should be considered always as (hamzat qati>). Example: Bab Al Mandib instead of Babul Mandib d. Hamzah at the middle of the word: ُؤُؤح It is written independently; Example: lu 2. When ‘ is silent (Soukoun on it) it is transliterated independently. ثؼِجي Example: Ba>labak ثـ ِئـ ْو اُ َ جـ ِ ْغ ‘Bi’r As Sabi - 7 - Eighth: Vowel letters are transliterated as follows: ☺ ] } : ألف a. The Alif 1. At the beginning of the word: It follows the same rule as the Hamzah at the beginning of the word 2. In the middle of the word: ā ًٔبٍ Example: Kam[l 3. At the end of the word: [ صو٣ب ]Example: Thurayy 4. Alif Maqsoura: ☺ ٍَِـ ْ Example: Salw☺ َٟٞ \ | ,W w : و b. The w[w 1. At the beginning of the word: . ٝاAlways transliterated as W w waw ٝ ٝاك١ ;Example: W[d ٝاٝ ــ In the middle of the word: \ w ُٞ .2 (a) Following a stretching letter, it should be transliterated as ū. كٜٞ٘ٓه Example: Damanh\r (b) Following a soft letter, it is transliterated as w كال١ٝ ;Example: Fl[w 3. At the end of the word: \, w[w (a) Following a stretching letter, it is transliterated as \ ٝاك١ عExample: W[d; Jil\ ِٞ٤ (b) Following a soft letter, it is represented as w, waw ث٤ذ ػِـ Example: Bayt >Illaw ّٞ - 8 - ِْ 4. At any position when it is silent: w, waw ٍٞكاء >]Example: Sawd ياء >]c. The letter y 1. At the beginning of the word: Y ٣ـ The letter y[< is always represented by ٣بٛو Example: Y[@ar ī y ٣ـ ــ٤ـ :In the middle of the word .2 ٣ـ ــ٤ـ إۑ a) Following a stretching letter it is transliterated as: ī) أثٞ ه٤و Example: Ab\ Q; r ’]y y يـ ــيـ :b) Following a soft letter it is transliterated as) ٤ٓبك٣ٖ Example: May[d;n y ; ــ٢ ، ١ :At the end of the word .3 إۑ a) Following a stretching letter it is transliterated as: ī) اُٞاك١ Example: Al w[dī ‟]y y ٣ـ ــ٤ـ :b) Following a soft letter it is transliterated as) ثزق٘ب١ Example: Btikhn[y ‟]y y ٣ـ ــ٤ـ :Anywhere situated in the word, when silent, it is transliterated as .4 ٤ػلExample: >Aydam\n ٕٞٓ A letter is called “stretching” if its vowel mark is compatible with the following vowel letter. Example: - 9 - ٤َٓ ُلػ Mayd\n ٕٝبٓو Amir< أثٞ ه ٤َو Ab\ Q;r Here Q , > and d are stretching letters. A letter is called “soft” if its vowel mark is not compatible with the following vowel letter. .Here M is a soft letter ٤َٓلExample: Mayd\n ٕٝ y (ي) w, and (و) d. The vowel letters They are treated as consonants after soft letters, for that reason they are transliterated in their original form: W Y Examples: ٞٓاٍْ Maw[sim ٤ٓبك٣ٖ May[d;n And not as vowel letters: Ī | Examples: ٞؽهإ r[n\% ّبك١ ;Sh[d Ninth: The vowel marks (opener, closer, breaker and silent) A U I are transliterated in the form of their compatible vowel letters as follows: a. The “Opener” is compatible with Alif and transliterated as A a ث٤َوٝد Example: Bayr\t b. The “Closer” is compatible with W[w and transliterated as U u ُهة صالص٤ٖ Example: Rub Tl[t;n c. The “Breaker” is compatible with Y[’ and transliterated as I i عَو اُجبّب ]Example: Jisr Al B[sh d. The “Silent” (Soukoun) is beared by consonant letters or vowels after soft letter and has no corresponding in the transliteration alphabet. Tenth: The markers (Ash Shaddah, Al Maddah) (doubling and stretching) are transliterated as follows: .the letter is doubled , اُْ َّلح ( ّْ ) a. Doubling اُـ ّلاهح Examples: Al Ghadd[rah - 10 - اٞؼَُٔك٣ّخ Al Mas>\diyyah اُل ّٝاه Ad Duww[r b. The Maddah or the stretched Alif is the combination of the Hamzah with the Alif. It is transliterated as follows: آ at the beginning of word Ā .1 آهاّ Example: Ār[m آ in the middle of word <ā .2 ٓوآة Example: Mir<[b Eleventh: Definite article: Al a. Preceding all 14 letters called lunar letters: أ، ة، ط، ؿ ،ػ، ع، ؽ، ف، م، ى، ٍ، ّ، ٛـ، ٝ، ١ A, B, J, %, Kh, „, Gh , F, Q, L, M, H, W, Y "Al" Is transliterated as it is pronounced originally and lunar letters keep their original pronunciation. اُٞاك١ Examples: Al w[dī اُجبة Al B[b b. Preceding all 14 letters called solar letters: د، س، ك، م، ه، ى، ً، ُ، ٓ، ٗ، ٛ، ظ، ٍ، ٕ T, Th, D, DH, R, Z, S, Sh, &, }, #, *, L, N The definite article Al is assimilated to the first silent part of the doubled sun letter preceded by the Hamzah “A” as follows: At, Ath, Ad, Adh, Ar, Az, As, Ash, A^, A], A@, A~, Al, An The definite noun is pronounced as it is originally: Examples: أٌُْ Ash shams اُو٣بٗ [Ar Riyā ًلو اُي٣بد Kafr Az Zayy[t - 11 - c. The first letter of the article (Al) and the first letter of the name should be capitalized. No signs should be used to form parts of names: Examples: اُي٣زAz Zayt\n and not Az-Zayt\n ٕٞ اُجِل Al Balad and not Al-Balad and Tanwīn (nunation) at the end of the (ى) Alif maqs\rah ,(ة) Twelfth: T[’ marb\tah name: a. T[< (marb\tah) at the end of the name is pronounced t[<; in transliteration, it should be lightened to h. اُو٘بثخ Example: Al Qinn[bah But when followed by another word in a composite name, it should be transliterated as t (t[’). ه٘بثخ ثوٓبٗب ]Example: Qinn[bat Brumm[n b. Alif maqs\rah should be transliterated as “ ☻, ☺ ” in order to distinguish it from the stretched Alif ({, [), or the Alif followed by Hamzah ({’, [’). ٓو٠ٍ ٓطوExample: Mars☺ Ma@rūh ػٝ c. The nunation is neglected and the last letter keeps silent. .not Baladun ثِ ٌل = ثِل not Jabalun, and Balad عجٌَ = عجَ Example: Jabal Thirteenth: a. The simple exonyms: Simple Exonyms composed of one word are transliterated and pronounced ,٣ٝ Weyganـابٕ) according to their original international transliteration system Foch), and are written in Arabic according to their كاؿ Gouraud , ُٞاٞهٝ pronunciation. - 12 - Re-transliteration is not allowed under all circumstances. b. The complex exonyms: Exonyms composed of several words are transliterated according to their original transliteration system; Embedded endonyms follow the Arabic Romanization rules. ؽبالد سور مير l[t Sur Mer]% إ٤َٓ ٞؾُك Example: Emile La$$\d The Arabized exonyms or these exonyms that have been used for quite enough period of time should be considered as endonyms. ٤ػٖ إبل Example: >Ayn Ibil Ibil in Aramaic language means irrigation. Fourteenth: Composite names: a. Every word should be written separately. First letter is capitalized others linked letters are written in small Latin letters. b. No signs or marks are used to link the different parts of a composite name. Examples: ٤٘ٓخ اُٚ٘ـ٤ِّـَّخ Minyah A] }inniyyah not Minyah-A]-}inniyyah عٞاه اٞؾُى Jiw[r Al %awz not Jiw[r-Al-%awz c. The first letter of the digraph is written capital at the beginning of the word, the second is written small. Examples: ٓطَ أٌُْ Mu@ill Ash Shams ٤ػٖ اُقوٝث٢ ;Ayn Al Kharr\b< عَ اُضو٣ب ]Jal Ath Thurayy - 13 - d. The conjunct names should be written in transliteration, with independent conjunction Wa or joined to the definite article Al. Examples: ا٤ُٔخ ٝ ٤ٓخ Al Miyyah Wa Miyyah ٓيٛو ٝأُغنٝة Mizhir Wal Majdh\b Fifteenth: Double names: Locations and cities may support more than one name such as historical and world wide known names. For this reason, two names should be written; one of which between brackets. Examples: ث ؼِْجي (Ba>labak (Heliopolis عج٤َ (Jubayl (Byblos اُجزواء (Al Batr[< (Petra اُلاه اُجٚ٤بء (Ad D[r Al Bay][< (Casa Blanca Sixteenth: Remarks: a. Distinction between Hamzah (’), ‘Ayn (‘), and Alif maqsūrah (☻): The diacritic letters may create some ambiguity between Hamzah (’), ‘Ayn (‘), or the diacritic mark of Alif maqsūrah (☻). They should be carefully distinguished. Examples: ؼٓبك Ma>[d ٍل ٓأهة Sadd Ma سلوى ☺Salw - 14 - b. The use of digraphs: Sh Th Kh Dh Gh may create some confusion. A slash (/) that separates between the confusing letters should resolve the problem. Examples: ٤ِّخ ٤ٍٜ might be confused with Shaylahِخ S/haylah م٣ت might be confused with Dhayb كٛ ٤ْ ت D/hayb Else, it could be transliterated as formal Arabic (Fu^$☺) language. Therefore, the first letter should be accentuated with the relative vowel sign (Fathah, Dammah, and Kasrah). Examples: ٤ٍُِٜخ Suhaylah ُك٤ٛت Duhayb But, if the Digraph falls in the middle of the word, then a slash must be used Examples: أمّ not Adham أكAd/ham ْٛ أّْ not Ashum أAs/hum ٍْٜ c. The word (ibn) begins with (Hamzat Wasl) and should be transliterated as (Hamzat Qati>) as stated in rule seven. Examples: اثٖ أُولغ However the form of national or local normalization of geographical names containing the word Ibn or Ab\ should be taken into consideration when transliterated. Abu and Ibin may appear under several forms Ab\ , Ab; , Ab[ , b\ , Bin , Ban\, Ban;, etc …. They should be transliterated as officially normalized. - 15 - .ػ) should be written separately from succeeding wordsجل) ”d. The word “Abd Examples: ػجل اُوAbd Ar Ra$m[n not Abdul Ra$m[n ٖٔؽ< ػجل أُطِت Abd Al Mu@@alib not >Abdul Mu@@alib< The approval on this System has been granted by the general committee of the conference, after voting on it and amended by a sub-committee created for this purpose and it was signed by all the members of the general committee and authenticated by the representative of Arab League‟s general secretary according to procedures. Beirut in 31 may 2007 Signature Editor reporter AL JABER Ibrahim (Jordan) AL RACHED Mohamed (K.S.A) Vice chairman Vice chairman Doctor EL-Kayidi Sayf (U.A.E) General P.S.C KHRAISH Maroun (Lebanon) Chairman Representative of The Arab league’s General Secretary Doctor SYALA Anwar (LIBYA) Mr. Ambassador AL SOLEH Abed Ar Rahman - 16 -