[OSM-talk] Languages

[Maarten Deen]

Stephan Plepelits wrote:
> On Thu, May 07, 2009 at 11:41:43AM +0200, Pieren wrote:
>> On Thu, May 7, 2009 at 11:25 AM, "Marc Schütz" <schuetzm at gmx.net> wrote:
>> >>    name=Bergstrasse
>>
>> How do we know if the tag "name" is German ? Well, because it's a geo
>> db and we know where the element is. Make the live of contributors
>> easy and let software working hard for us.
>>
> Yes, we know where an element is. But how do we know what is the language
> in that part of the planet? Am I supposed to maintain a separate database
> with this knowledge?
>
> Which are the countries with german language?
> - Germany (ok, that's easy)
> - Austria (people who don't confuse it with Austrlia should know)
> - Switzerland (but not in all parts)
> - Some villages in Brazil I suppose
> - In Trannsylvania it might have been relevant, but the German population
>   decreased in the last century

- Eastern part of Belgium.

But for roadnames, I do not see the point in using a different language than
the one on the sign. If I tell someone to go to the Mountainroad in Vienna,
then they will probably end up in Wien, Austria, but where the *** is that
Mountainroad? It's not to be found on any sign or map.
Better ask a local... Mountainroad? Never heard of it.

For place names I see a use, as different countries have been naming foreign
cities in their own langauge, but for minor features like roads I don't see
the use.
But even so: I would opt to use the local name in the name tag and use name:xx
for names in foreign languages for people to render them as they please.
And I thought that that convention was already used. It is at least for the
Dutch carnaval map (that's a map where most of the cities names are rendered
in the local name as used during carnaval)
<http://tile.openstreetmap.nl/?zoom=10&lat=51.45&lon=5.71&layers=0B00000F>

That still does not solve completely the problem in dual-language areas like
Brussels, but there both local names are in the name tag (as both local names
are on street signs).

Regards,
Maarten