[OSM-talk] naming an item in multiple languages

[Richard Weait]

On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 8:30 PM, Robin Paulson <robin.paulson at gmail.com> wrote:
> i live in nz, a country with two (three if you count sign langauge)
> government-approved languages: english and maori.
>
> lots of items are named in both, for example the highest volcano in
> auckland is called Mount Eden/Manugawhau - the latter literally
> translates as "hill of the whau tree"
>
> so, when i name it, i get something like this:
> name:en=Mount Eden
> name:mi=Maungawhau
>
> so, what do i put for name=?
>
> anything at all?
> it is mostly known as mount eden, so is it that?
>
> some things are more commonly known by their maori name than their
> english name, e.g.:
> name:mi=Te Araroa
> name:en=The Long Path
>
> so, it Te Araroa in the name= tag?
>
> and then, some only have a maori name. for example, Pukekohe. do i name it
>
> name:mi=Pukekohe
> or
> name:en=Pukekohe
> or
> name=Pukekohe
>
> or some combination of these?
>
> we also have Auckland, which sits in an area known as "Tamaki",
> although the latter is not clearly enough defined to allow it to be
> rationally mapped as the city of auckland is*. what to do here?
>
> * which makes a nice commentary on the whole highly political nature
> of mapping, and how a map is a not a benign concept.

Some places have a customary arrangement of the alternate names.
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=50.8454&lon=4.3472&zoom=13&layers=M

http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=32.606&lon=44.035&zoom=11&layers=M

Some places have multiple customary arrangements (or perhaps multiple
acceptable arrangements)
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=28.555&lon=77.269&zoom=9&layers=M

And others have a history of not agreeing.  One fall back guideline
for name= is "what is on the sign".