W sprawie oceny, weryfikacji i używania egzonimów na mapach

Niektóre egzonimy (tradycyjne i spolszczone nazwy geograficzne) są wartością, którą trzeba kultywować, ale są również takie nazwy, których użycie nie znajduje uzasadnienia. Artykuł dotyczy zakresu stosowania egzonimów i nazw oficjalnych (endonomów), kryteriów oceny egzonimów będących w użyciu oraz możliwości ograniczenia ich liczby.

In Polish there exists a large number of exonims, i.e. geographical names in polonized versions. They simplify infection and creation of related words or approximate the original pronunciation, e.g. Kuba (Spanish Kuba). For these reasons most state and city na,es have their Polish variants. Organization and unification of Polish onomastics is taken care of by the Commission of Standarization of Geographical Names outside Poland. The first list of Polish Geographical names was published in 1959. Following a UN recommendation, lists of Polish exonims and names of countries, capitals and inhabitants were published in 1994-1996. Approximately 6000 published exonims are used in school atlases, encyclopedias and other publications, although not always in a consistent way. International standarization of geographical names aims to limit the number of exonims in use and their range. UN conferences on standarization of geographical names passed seven resolutions concerning exonims. The most significant is the resolution of 1972, which stated, that: 1) exonims are a living, important part of language; 2) some exonims continue to be used, although they are not needed. It also recommended, that the naming authorities prepare lists of exonims in use and analyze, which names are redundant and should be deleted. Following the UN recommendations, certain suggestions concerning the use of exonims can be formulated: 1. Exonims, which are traditionally established, commonly known and used should be preserved. 2. Outdated exonims should not be brought back into use. 3. Historic names should not be used for contemporary geographic object. 4. Diacritical marks should be respected. 5. Political aspect of exonims should be taken into account (avoid names, which could cause international reactions; they should be shown in smaller print and in perentheses). 6. New exonims should not be introduced (with the exception of genetic namrs accepted in popular publications). 7. Endonims should have priority on maps, which are to be used while travelling abroad and on official topographic names (abroad). 8. In most cases, e.g. in school atlases, Polish exonims should be preferred. There are some practical exceptions to these rules; e.g. due to difficult sound clusters in country's name Kyrgystan. it has been polonised, becoming a new exonim - Kirgistan. Some of the names included on the published list raise objections of the conscious users geographic names. Over half of the list is comprised of the exonims, which were in use before World War II, and which are still used today. Some of them can be deleted from the list of Polish exonims. The remaining exonims have been established by the Commission relatively lately; they have been functioning for several to over twenty years. Those are usually spelling polonizations, which enable an average Pole to read the name correctly. Original names should be returned to. Conducted analysis does not justify a radical reduction of polonized names in developing countries. Nevertheless it can lead to a conclusion, that all exonims in use should be reviewed, because some of them could well be deleted.