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Suggested guideline to deal with the complexities of Basque toponyms. Extension of Wikipedia:Naming conventions (settlements)
Many Basque geographical names (toponyms) have several forms, sometimes it's just a matter of spelling and in other cases two or more different names co-exist. Additionally in some cases, specially the major regions and cities, also have a different English name.
This guideline suggests the best way of dealing with this problematic:
Regions (provinces) edit
The English version of the names should be in titles, with official, Basque and Spanish/French versions in the first line. These are the English names:
- Alava (official: Araba/Álava, eu: Araba, es: Álava)
- Biscay (official: Bizkaia, eu/es: Bizkaia, occasionally es: Vizcaya)
- Guipuscoa (official: Gipuzkoa, eu/es: Gipuzkoa, occasionally es: Guipúzcoa)
- Labourd: (eu: Lapurdi, fr: Labourd)
- Lower Navarre (eu: Behe Nafarroa, Benafarroa, fr: Basse Navarre)
- Navarre (offcial: Navarra, eu: Nafarroa, es: Navarra)
- Soule (eu: Zuberoa, Xiberue, fr: Soule)
Major towns edit
Same as regions but often more problematic. When in doubt use the official name:
- Bayonne (en, fr). Eu: Baiona.
- Bilbao: no problem - same name in all languages.
- Mauleon (?) - eu: Maule; fr/official: Mauléon
- Pamplona. Official: Pamplona-Iruñea, eu: Iruñea, Iruinea; es: Pamplona, Iruñea, Iruña
- San Sebastian (?) - Official: Donostia-San Sebastián; eu: Donostia; es: Donostia or San Sebastián; fr: Saint Sebastian; en: San Sebastian (?)
- Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (official, fr). Eu: Donibane-Garazi
- Vitoria-Gasteiz (official name). Eu: Gasteiz, Vitoria-Gasteiz, es: Vitoria, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Gasteiz.
Minor towns and other municipalities edit
In general the official name should be used in the title with the corresponding explanation in the first line(s), when needed.
Ambiguous names edit
Places such as Durango that have "clones" elsewhere (i.e. Durango, Mexico), should be named Durango, Biscay, ([placename, province] following the precedent of the convention adopted for South Africa. This is to avoid POV-specific terms such as Durango, Spain or Durango, Basque Country.
Sub-regions (comarcas/eskualdeak) edit
In general the official name should be used in the title with the corresponding explanation in the first line(s), when needed.
Some cases such as Ezkerraldea may be dubious (Left Bank?) but the principle of chosing unique titles should favor the official names over the ambiguous (and ill known) English ones.
Other cases such as Uribe/Uribealdea may have their own Basque language problematic to be solved according to common usage and coherence with other articles when no official name exists.
Natural features edit
- Bay of Biscay well known internationally as such. Eu: Bizkaiko Golkoa, Kantauri Itsasoa; es: Mar Cantábrico (part of it is also known as: Golfo de Vizcaya); fr: Golfe de Gascogne.
- Major ranges such as Pyrenees, Basque Mountains and Cantabrian Range should use the English name
- Major rivers such as Adour and Ebro should use the English name
- Minor rivers, individual mountains, smaller ranges should use the Basque name when in doubt or the one most commonly used by the natives of the area when known.