----------------------------Original message----------------------------
The US Board on Geographic Names gazetteers show the "Persian Gulf" as the
"approved" name form. "Arabian Gulf" is shown as a variant
cross-referenced to Persian Gulf.
However, this is US policy, which does not apply to Canada, etc. However,
there is a Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographic Names which may have
a policy on Canadian official use of the name. The CPCGN is the
counterpart to the US BGN and British Permanent Committee on Geographic
Names.
Check at: www-nais.ccm.emr.ca/cgndb/english/cpcgn.html
Ed Taylor
GEOname Digital Gazetteer, GDE Systems, Inc.
Home Page: http://www.gdesystems.com/IIS/Slipsheets/GEONAME.html
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
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> "What in observation is loose and vague
> is in information deceptive and treacherous"
> Francis Bacon, 1621
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>
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