9.7.2 Name of a place

Use this domain for words referring to the name of a place.

OMC Codes: 
103 Place Names
Louw Nida Codes: 
93B Places
  • What words refer to the name of a place?
    place name
  • 9.7.2.1 Names of countries

    Use this domain for the proper names of the countries that exist around the language community, especially those countries where your language is spoken. Include the name of your own country. Do not list every country in the world, unless your language has developed special names or pronunciations for those countries. Include any country that you refer to in your language, especially those names whose pronunciation you have adapted to fit your language. Give the form of the name that you use, rather than the official spelling. For instance the Japanese refer to their country as 'Nihon', but in English will call it 'Japan'. So
    'Japan' is an English word and should go into an English dictionary. But 'Nihon' is not an English word and should not go in the dictionary.

  • What are the proper names of the countries where your language is spoken?
    Great Britain, United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland
  • What are the proper names of the neighboring countries?
    Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Mexico
  • What words are used to refer to a citizen of these countries?
    Brit, the English, American, Canadian, Aussie, Kiwi
  • 9.7.2.2 Names of regions

    Use this domain for the proper names of the regions within your country or language area. Some of these may be political regions. Others may be informal terms. Give the local pronunciation, rather than some foreign spelling. You may want to limit this domain to just those areas within your language area. However if you have special names for areas outside of your language area, for example 'the Mideast', you should include them.

  • What are the names of the regions in the area?
    Yorkshire, California, Midlands, Midwest, the South, outback
  • 9.7.2.3 Names of cities

    Use this domain for the proper names of cities, towns, and villages in the language area. Include the names of important cities outside of the language area if your language has a special name for the city or a different pronunciation for it. It might be good to use a map for this. In fact it is good to include a map of the language area in a published dictionary. If your language area is very large, there may be hundreds or thousands of cities, towns, and villages. In this case you will have to decide which should be included in the dictionary. Or you could decided to list them in a special section.

  • What are the names of the cities in the language area?
    London, Washington D.C.
  • What are the names of districts within a city?
    Westminster, Chelsea
  • 9.7.2.4 Names of streets

    Use this domain for the proper names of highways, roads, streets, and trails in the language area. If there are many such names, only include the important names (e.g. King's Highway) or commonly used names (e.g. Main Street).

  • What are the names of the streets in the language area?
    King's Highway, Highway 66, Main Street, Piccadilly Square, Oregon Trail
  • 9.7.2.5 Names of heavenly bodies

    Use this domain for the proper names of the heavenly bodies.

  • What are the names of the planets?
    Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
  • What are the names of the constellations?
    Milky Way, Big Dipper, Orion, Pleiades, Southern Cross
  • What are the names of the stars?
    North Star, Morning Star, Betelgeuse, Alpha Centauri
  • What are the names of other heavenly bodies?
    Halley's Comet
  • 9.7.2.6 Names of continents

    Use this domain for the proper names of the continents. Only include the names of continents if your language has borrowed or adapted the name and you talk about them in your language.

  • What are the names of the continents?
    Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America,
  • 9.7.2.7 Names of mountains

    Use this domain for the proper names of the mountains in the language area. Only include the names of mountains outside the language area if your language has borrowed or adapted the name and you talk about them in your language.

  • What are the names of the mountains in the language area?
    Mount Rainier, Mount McKinley
  • What are the names of the mountain ranges in the language area?
    Rocky Mountains, Sierras, Appalachian Mountains
  • 9.7.2.8 Names of oceans and lakes

    Use this domain for the proper names of the oceans and lakes in the language area. Only include the names of oceans and lakes outside the language area if your language has borrowed or adapted the name and you talk about them in your language.

  • What are the names of the oceans?
    Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea
  • What are the names of the lakes in the language area?
    Lake Superior, Lake Michigan
  • 9.7.2.9 Names of rivers

    Use this domain for the proper names of the rivers in the language area. Only include the names of rivers outside the language area if your language has borrowed or adapted the name and you talk about them in your language.

  • What are the names of the rivers in the language area?
    Thames, Mississippi, Missouri, Hudson