The naming of seas maritime features and currents

The naming of seas, maritime features and currents Mátyás MÁRTON and Gábor GERCSÁK (Budapest, Hungary) 26 April 2007

Eötvös Loránd University

Major points of discussion • • Structure of names Specific and generic elements Word-for-word translations General geographical attributes or cardinal points as specific terms • Identification of objects • Examples in English, German and Hungarian

Names and their origin • • • Names of seas Names of parts of seas Names of sea currents Names of undersea features (Names of islands)

Word-for-word translations • Sea: Black Sea – Schwarzes Meer – Fekete-tenger • Part of sea: Bay of Mexico – Golf von Mexiko – Mexikói-öböl • Sea current: Gulf Stream – Golfstrom – Golf-áramlás • Undersea feature: Guinea Rise – Guineaschwelle – Guineai-hát

Generic terms • Sea: Baltic Sea – Ostsee – Balti-tenger (Keleti-tenger) • Part of sea: Drake Passage – Drake. Straße – Drake-átjáró • Sea current: Kuro Shio – Kuroschio – Kuro-shio • Undersea feature: Sunda Shelf – Sundaschelf – Szunda-self

Specific terms • Sea: White Sea – Weißes Meer – Fehértenger • Part of sea: Bay of Biscay – Golf von Biskaya – Vizcayai-öböl ♦ Perzsa-öböl (– 1959) ♦ Perzsa (Arab)-öböl (1961– 2001) ♦ Perzsa-öböl (2004–) • Currents: Peru Current – Humboldstrom – Perui (Humboldt)-áramlás

Specific terms of undersea features describing the location • Near to: Madagascar Basin – Madagaskarbecken – Madagaszkárimedence • Direction: South Honshu Ridge – Süd. Honschurücken – Déli-Honshui-hátság • Extension: Azores-Gibraltar Ridge – Azorenschwelle – Azori–Gibraltári-hátság

Specific terms of undersea features as "reminder names" • Ship: Atlantis Seamount – Atlantis Kuppe – Atlantis-fenékhegy • Expedition: Northern Holiday Seamount – ? – Northern Holiday-fenékhegy • Institution: An Rise – ? – AN-hát • Person: Gauss Seamount – ? – Gaussfenékhegy

"Inexpressive" terms in names • General geographical attributes: ♦ Great – Groß – Nagy♦ New – Neu – Új♦ Mid – Mittel – Közép- • Cardinal points: ♦ North – Nord – Észak♦ Southeast – Südost – Délkelet-

"Inexpressive" names • Sea: North Sea – Nordsee – Északitenger • Part of sea: Canal do Norte – Északi-csatorna • Sea current: Nord Cape Current – Norwegischer Strom – Északi-fokiáramlás • Undersea feature: East Cape Ridge – ? – Keleti-foki-hátság

Translation of geographical names in publications • National Geographic World Atlas (2005, in Hungarian from the German edition) • Sea of Japan − Japán-tenger − East Sea − ? (Inconsistent, but logical for Germans) • Possible confusion with Ostsee (East Sea) for the German readers and with the outdated Keleti-tenger (= East Sea = Baltic Sea) for Hungarian map users

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