[Tagging] Which languages are admissible for name:xx tags?

[Jyri-Petteri Paloposki]

On 25.3.2020 12.58, Christoph Hormann wrote:
> In terms of our traditional values and principles active use of the name
> is not the necessary criterion, it is verifiable local knowledge.  Like
> with any kind of names practical verification of names would be
> possible by inquiring about the name to people locally.  This
> essentially means the following practical requirements:
> 
> * there being a sufficient number of people present locally that
> speak/write the language in question.  Those don't have to be people
> living there, it can also be visitors.
> * these people knowing the name in said language - being able to look it
> up on some external source does not count, that is wikipedia
> verifiability, not OSM verifiability.
> * these people largely consistently agreeing on the same name.

I slightly disagree with this one. IMO a name in a foreign language 
would be admissible if it is recognised by native speakers of the 
language either back home or in the local community OR if the name is 
otherwise regarded correct by mainstream media or a language authority.

I recently checked if the foreign cities listed in the Finnish Wikipedia 
as having a specific Finnish name were correct in OSM. I stumbled upon 
Yokohama, for which I didn't know there's a Finnish wording (Jokohama). 
However once I saw it, it definitely is understandable and clearly 
Finnish. It is also used by the Finnish mainstream media[1] and endorsed 
by the Institute for the Languages of Finland[2], which is the authority 
responsible for recommendations concerning the Finnish language. Still, 
if asked, I wouldn't have instantly been able to recognise the name as 
correct despite being a native Finnish speaker.

1) https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10956002
2) http://www.kielitoimistonohjepankki.fi/haku/jokohama/ohje/633

Best regards,
-- 
Jyri-Petteri Paloposki