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Regulations of Translating the Standardized Geographic Names

  • PostDate:2009-11-09 00:00

Article 1 These Regulations are established in accordance with Article 30 of the Land Surveying and Mapping Act (hereinafter referred to as the Act).
 

Article 2 Phonetic translation shall be used primarily for the translation of standardized geographic names.

When the standardized geographic name contains an attribute name, the English semantic translation shall be used for the attribute name.

If the attribute name and the standardized geographic name are seen as a whole to form a term, then the phonetic translation shall be used for its translation.

The attribute name in the preceding paragraph refers to the name describing the attribution of the standardized geographic name.
 

Article 3 If there is a direction indicated in the standardized geographic name, the English semantic translation shall be used for its translation. If there is a code or ordinal number, it shall be written in Arabic numerals.
 

Article 4 If there is a special consideration on history, linguistics, custom or tradition, religion, international convention or other reasons, the translation of the standardized geographic name can be exempt from  Article 2, subject to the approval of the central competent authority.
 

Article 5 The first letter of translations of standardized geographic names should be written in upper case letters. The rest are written in lower case letters. Each word should be written in continuous form except under the following circumstances:

1. When the first letter is a, o or e and it is not the first word of the translated Chinese, a ( ' ) syllable dividing mark is placed between the syllables.  

2. When phonetic and semantic translation methods are used together, a space should be placed between the words.
 

Article 6 The following examples are the translations for the attribute names of administrative regions or administrative organizations.

            1. : Province

2. : City

3. : County

4. /: Township

5. : District

6. (): Village

7. : Neighborhood
 

Article 7 The following examples are the translations for the attribute names of physical geographic features.

1.平原: Plain

2. 盆地: Basin

3. 島嶼: Island

4. 群島: Islands

5. 列嶼: Archipelago

6. : Reef

7. 沙洲: Sand Bar

8. 岬角: Cape

9. : Mountain

10.山脈: Mountains

11.: Peak

12. / : River

13. / : Lake
 

Article 8   The following examples are the translations for the attribute names of streets:  

1. 大道: Boulevard; may also be abbreviated as Blvd.

2. : Road; may also be abbreviated as Rd.

3. : Street; may also be abbreviated as St.

4. : Lane; may also be abbreviated as Ln.
 

Article 9  The following examples are the translations for the attribute names of public facilities that serve as landmarks:

1. 政府: Hall

2. 公所 / 事務所: Office

3. : Bridge

4. / / / / / / 道院: Temple

5. 教堂: Church

6. : Shrine

7. 機場: Airport

8. : Port

9. 水庫: Reservoir

10. 車站: Station

11. 停車場: Parking Lot

12. 醫院: Hospital

13. 公園: Park

14. : Canal

15. : Ditch

16. / / / : Pond
 

Article 10 These Regulations shall become effective on the date of promulgation.