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International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B4. Istanbul 2004
Descriptive elements (generic element, generic term or — in
IAU definitions — descriptor term)
Usually currently used IAU descriptive elements are true (as far
as our current knowledge makes it possible); they are
intentionally false only for some traditionally named lunar
features (Lacus, Mare, Palus, Sinus). The translation of both
elements in this case is traditional, however, this makes lunar
nomenclature also false in the target language. Such names on
Mars had existed but has been renamed. A forced but more
transparent method would be to add a true generic element: Sea
of Rains Basin. In the case of many IAU terms, they are very
broadly used, for different features. In the translation, many
different translation can be used for the same Latin term:
Planitia, for example, can mean (impact) basins and plains as
well. In some cases the generic Latin term has earth parallel
term, in other cases it can be directly translated from Latin, in
the last case it can be kept in the original form, but transcribed
to the target language.
However, in many cases the descriptor term does not reflect to
the true geology: Farrum, farra is defined as “Pancake-like
structure, or a row of such structures” — while the same can be
named also as Tholus, tholi (on Io). The same way tholi and
paterae are usually volcanic calderas, while calderas on high
volcanoes are not named, they are Mons, montes, just as mesas,
massifs on Io are or larger impact basin rims on the Moon,
while smaller craters hight rims are not named. Corona, coronae
are “Ovoid-shaped features" on Venus and Miranda, but
Venusian coronae had and has also many names arachnoid,
nova that are only used in geology. A unusual part of planetary
nomenclature is the Moon, where — in contrast with its former
nomenclature and the current Martian nomenclature — there are
no regional names assigned for the highland regions: no terrae
on the Moon. Thus, the highest hierarchic level is missing on
this part of the moon (most of the far side). Large scale features
are not well defined on other planets as well: ,,The boundaries
of many large features (such as terrac, regiones, planitiae, and
plana) are not topographically or geomorphically distinct; the
coordinates of these features are identified from an arbitrarily
chosen center point. Boundaries (and thus coordinates) may be
determined more accurately from geochemical and geophysical
data obtained by future missions." (Gazetteer... 3, 2003) May
be this will help define lunar regional named features as well.
NB: Undersea features names - the same internationally
standardized artificial forms - are usually translated to the target
language, both its generic and specific elements. Here I propose
to keep the labeling function (avoiding more chaos) of the
specific element, which, as for its meaning, usually has little
relation with the feature itself (no Blue Mountain on Mars),
while the generic element (term) should be made transparent,
since it does have a close connection with the feature.
Local versions — Endonyms
Local names for local features. Some extraterrestrial names are
based on (named after) terrestrial geographical features, but of
course are not endonyms. They usually use their latinized or
“international” (ie. English) form. Even Greek personal names
or Gods are latinized. An example for an exception is lo, where,
instead of a Latin form, IAU used the English exomym of many
geographic names (Danube, lonian (sea). It makes more
difficult to find out which version to use. As label, it should be
the English one, but as a name, for many languages, it has an
endonym. If the terrestrial “donor” feature is located in the area
of the target language, they usually traditionally use that form
(local endonyms of the Carpathians instead of Carpatus
861
Montes). It is an open question whether to extend the rule of
using the endonyms or exonyms for other toponyms that has no
tradition but is of the same kind as the case of the Carpathians,
or not (example: Danube Planum on lo).
Exonyms
Name used in a specific language for a geographical feature
outside the area where the language has official status. Most
extraterrestrial names are neither endo-, or exonyms: they are
standardized, artificial international names. However, some
names have become exonymes for most languages during the
last centuries. Such are the maria of the moon and the most
prominent features of Mars (here exonyms are in fact historic or
mythological exonyms). These can be kept in its traditional
form, where all elements are translated (on the Moon), or,
replaced with the standard not-translating method (on the Moon
then it would become Imbrium Basin, which 1, sounds alien for
most astronomers, 2, are used for the unfilled basin in geology
3, but is best fit into a standardized nomenclature.) (See
paragraph on test map.)
Classical names - a poetic argument
The so called Classical albedo features (Mars, Mercury) which
has been used — although differently — well before the IAU, and
are used extensively by amateur astronomers — brings up an
another question: should we use the local (exonym?) versions of
these mythological names (in many cases, only transcripted or
transliterated: i.e. with more accents) or we'd better drop the
traditional mythical form and we consider these names again as
labels and keep the latinized form. The negative point in it is
that this way many names became opaque while applying only
slight changes, the original “poetic” meaning — that had an
important role in popularizing Mars in the 19” Century — can be
restored. Schiaparelli established the “rule” of giving
mythological names to landforms, which became very popular
and, may be more importantly, easily remembered by the
educated people of that century. He simply copied the Greek
map of the Mediterranean. At that time it was also a common
practice to name and show names on the map in Latin form:
Mare Gemanicum etc. So, at that time, his Latin nomenclature
perfectly fit into the terrestrial nomenclature system and were
all transparent to their readers. Our goal is that at least partly,
this “sense” of names be re-established in their modern form.
(of course, for scientific purposes, the original IAU
nomenclature should be used even in articles in local papers or
books).
Transformation without translation
Here two opportunities are available:
1, Transcription: phonetic transformation of a name. (for non-
roman alphabets). Usually the original form can not be restored
from the transcribed one.
2, Transliteration: letter by letter transformation, when the
original form can be restored from the transcribed. While
international single romanization methods (Russian, Chinese
Pinyin) makes international trading, international scientific
discussions and mapmaking much easier (or, making it
possible), these names 1, do not fit to the various languages, 2,
look alien to many (contain letters that are not used in some
languages) and 3, usually are hard (or impossible) to pronounce
to those who are not familiar with the romanization principles
(e.g. to most people) — not because they could not pronounce
the sound, but because they don't know how to read/interpret a
given letter.
