• Spatial Information Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.53-61
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• 2013

This study has a research objective to suggest detailed rules and principles to transcribe geographical names in English for English version electronic map service. For this, guidelines which are used in English transcription of local geographical names in Korea and English transcription situations of Korea geographical names in foreign electronic map service were examined. Examining results of current situations showed the English transcription method of home and abroad geographical names caused the chaos because it is not homogenized. In order to identify easy and preferred transcription method for foreigners among English transcription methods about the geographical names which are used together like this, the preference of English transcription methods of the geographical names was examined targeting foreigners. Survey results showed that foreigners prefer to transcribe in Roman character (Romanization) with its semantic word together than just to transcribe the Roman character. Reflecting this preference research results, our country's geographical names were classified as Natural features, Cultural features and man-made structures, and Administrative units and the detailed English transcription rules and principles of each geographical names were suggested.