----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hello, I find this question interesting and under the title of political
bias when it comes to map place names. There are many examples on world
and national maps of this bias. I think the name should be Persian Gulf
since that is the way it has been for awhile, and I know the British
starting using the name The Gulf 15 years ago. Some maps use both Persian
Gulf and Arabian Gulf. Ernie Woodson, SUNY Buffalo
On Fri, 20 Sep 1996, James Boxall wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> A small disagreement has developed among a few persons here at my
> institution (it's not nasty..yet). I have given some information and an
> 'informed' opinion about the names "Persian Gulf " and "Arabian Gulf", but I
> believe a greater body of learned opinion exists on MAPS-L which can provide
> some mediation in this situation. (They did not like the idea of calling the
> area "The Gulf")
>
> You may be interested to know that one producer of maps ( John Bartholomew &
> Son) labeled the water body "Persian Gulf" on a 1977 map of Iran, and then
> "Arabian Gulf" on a map titled "Arabian Gulf ", also 1977, which focused on
> the Gulf States. I would gather that this is an indication of the 'politics
> of maps', but I would be interested to know if this was done to avoid
> upsetting users of the Iran map and users of the map showing Arab Gulf States.
>
> We, like many libraries, have instituted policies to deal with concerns
> about the materials collected in our library. However, the persons who
> created the policies had not imagined that maps would become an issue (I
> tried to warn them :-))
>
>
> By the way, some dictionaries/gazetteers use Perisan - see Arabian, others
> use Arabian - see Persian. (The 1984 Websters Geographical Dictionary
> states Arabian Gulf - see Perisan Gulf, and then proceeds to say either can
> be used.)(Chambers World Gazetteer states Persian Gulf -see Arabian)
>
> Hmmm?? How's that for a friday morning question ?!
>
> Cheers
> James
>
>
> James Boxall (Map Curator)
> Map Collection, Science Services
> Killam Library, Dalhousie University
> Halifax, Nova Scotia
> Canada B3H 4M8
> (t) 902-494-3757
> (f) 902-494-2062
> (e) [log in to unmask]
>
> http://www.library.dal.ca/~science/mapcoll.html
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> "What in observation is loose and vague
> is in information deceptive and treacherous"
> Francis Bacon, 1621
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>
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