DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20134#0169
I. CONSIDERATIONS ON THE METHOD EMPLOYED.
1. Collection and elaboration of material.—2. Principles of writing foreign languages in a European alphabet.—Phonetic
transcription.—Transliteration.—3. Limits to physical accuracy.—4. Alphabet selected; importance of simplicity for
practical use.—5. Account of systems hitherto in use.
1. COLLECTION AND ELABORATION OP MATERIAL.
The G eographical Glossary presented in this volume was collected during our
travels, chiefly with a view to avoid in our manuscripts errors in writing those
geographical names which must occur in our maps and publications in general. Many
Indian names had assumed, under the disguise of Roman characters, an appearance
quite different from that which they presented in their original spelling. This cir-
cumstance, together with the inducement offered by the result, that the information
obtained also for countries beyond India proved to be rather more detailed and
somewhat better defined than we could expect, gave me the idea of introducing into
our publications also a selection of geographical names; but I have limited myself to
such names only, for which to the spelling also an interpretation of their meaning
could be added.1
We soon had to acquire a practical knowledge of Hindostani; this, and the
selection of good Hindostani interpreters, who also had to act as guides in the
1 In addition to those communicated in the following pages, a large number of names in native characters, with
the corresponding transcription, had gradually accumulated in our manuscripts. The Hindostani portion of the col-
lection we have found of great value in the preparation of our publications; but the mere details of the spelling of
all these names could not be embodied in this volume. The original materials are contained in Vols. 7, 8, and 39 of
our manuscripts; they were also very useful for the spelling of the numerous topographical names, particularly in
our 2nd Vol., the Hypsometry.
1. Collection and elaboration of material.—2. Principles of writing foreign languages in a European alphabet.—Phonetic
transcription.—Transliteration.—3. Limits to physical accuracy.—4. Alphabet selected; importance of simplicity for
practical use.—5. Account of systems hitherto in use.
1. COLLECTION AND ELABORATION OP MATERIAL.
The G eographical Glossary presented in this volume was collected during our
travels, chiefly with a view to avoid in our manuscripts errors in writing those
geographical names which must occur in our maps and publications in general. Many
Indian names had assumed, under the disguise of Roman characters, an appearance
quite different from that which they presented in their original spelling. This cir-
cumstance, together with the inducement offered by the result, that the information
obtained also for countries beyond India proved to be rather more detailed and
somewhat better defined than we could expect, gave me the idea of introducing into
our publications also a selection of geographical names; but I have limited myself to
such names only, for which to the spelling also an interpretation of their meaning
could be added.1
We soon had to acquire a practical knowledge of Hindostani; this, and the
selection of good Hindostani interpreters, who also had to act as guides in the
1 In addition to those communicated in the following pages, a large number of names in native characters, with
the corresponding transcription, had gradually accumulated in our manuscripts. The Hindostani portion of the col-
lection we have found of great value in the preparation of our publications; but the mere details of the spelling of
all these names could not be embodied in this volume. The original materials are contained in Vols. 7, 8, and 39 of
our manuscripts; they were also very useful for the spelling of the numerous topographical names, particularly in
our 2nd Vol., the Hypsometry.