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The problem of geographic nomenclature in Antarctica differs
from that of any land area of comparable size. Antarctica has
no permanent settlements. Even in the stations continuously occupied
for a number of years, the personnel are rotated. The continent
has been visited and explored by the representatives of many
nations, who, by their heroic efforts to broaden man's knowledge
of this land of ice and snow, have fully demonstrated the international
nature of the world of science. Most major features of Antarctica
have been discovered and mapped, but a vast number of secondary
features continue to be only partially delineated and remain
unnamed.
The following statement of policy guides the Advisory Committee
on Antarctic Names of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in deciding
individual cases. It should be helpful also to those persons
proposing names for natural features in Antarctica. Decisions
on Antarctic names are based on priority of application, appropriateness,
and the extent to which usage has become established. The nationality
of the honoree is not a factor in the consideration of personal
names. The grouping of natural features into three orders of
magnitude, with corresponding categories of persons according
to the type of contribution which they have made, is intended
to provide the greatest possible objectivity in determining the
appropriateness of a name.
Because Antarctica has no history of permanent settlement, and
because the continent has been unveiled through the efforts of
explorers, scientists, and others, the Board has found it practical
to apply the names of such persons to Antarctic natural features.
The requirements for naming features, coupled with the availability
of names of deserving people, further justify this practice.
It does not, however, preclude the use of other than personal
names. Nonpersonal names are discussed below.
The names of Antarctic buildings, facilities, stations and other
installations, not being natural features, do not fall within
the purview of the Board. Such names, though not included as
main entries in the decision list, are significant in the overall
nomenclature and do occur frequently in the text of decisions.
Policies
Types of natural features
The kinds of features that have been named in Antarctica are
roughly grouped in three categories. There is considerable latitude
for judgment in classifying individual features, since it is
practically impossible to set size limits for "large glaciers," "great
mountains," or "large bays."
Features having special significance or prominence in geographic
discovery, scientific investigation, or the history of Antarctica
may be placed in the next higher category than their size would
warrant.
- First-order features
- Regions or "lands"
- Coasts
- Seas
- Plateaus
- Extensive mountain ranges
- Major subglacial basins, mountains,
or plateaus
- Ice shelves
- Large glaciers
- Second-order features
- Peninsulas
- Mountain ranges, except the most extensive
- Great or prominent
mountains
- Glaciers, except the largest
- Prominent capes
- Islands or ice rises
- Gulfs
- Large bays
- Straits or passages
- Harbors
- Extensive reefs, shoals, or banks
- Third-order features
- Minor mountains and
hills
- Nunataks
- Cliffs
- Rocks
- Minor shore features
- Points
- Capes (except the greater or more prominent ones)
- Glaciers
(except the greater or more prominent ones)
- Bays (except
the greater or more prominent ones)
- Coves
- Anchorages
- Parts of these features
- Reefs, shoals, and banks of small
extent
Application of personal names to features
Personal names generally are applied to natural features as
outlined here:
- First-order features
- Leaders or organizers of expeditions
to Antarctica
- Persons who have made discoveries of outstanding
significance in Antarctica, or leaders of parties or captains
of ships that have made such discoveries
- Persons who, through their work with Antarctic expeditions,
have made outstanding contributions to scientific knowledge
or to the techniques of Antarctic exploration
- Persons who
have provided the major financial or material support to
an expedition, thereby making such an undertaking possible
- Second-order features
- Persons whose outstanding
heroism, skill, spirit, or labor have made a signal contribution
to the success of an expedition
- Persons who have made important
contributions in the planning, organization, outfitting,
or operation of expeditions to Antarctica
- Ship captains
or leaders of field parties of such expeditions
- Persons
whose contributions to the knowledge of the Arctic either
have advanced our knowledge of Antarctica or have expanded
the possibilities of Antarctic exploration
- Persons who
have made outstanding contributions to equipment for polar
exploration
- The directors or heads of learned societies
that have given significant support or made material contributions
to Antarctic exploration
- Persons who by substantial contributions
of funds or supplies have made possible an Antarctic expedition
- Persons who have done outstanding work in the utilization
of data, identification of specimens, or interpretation
of the results of Antarctic exploration
- Third-order features
- Persons who have assisted
in the work of organizing or conducting Antarctic exploration,
or who have assisted in analysis of information gathered
in the course of such exploration
- Members of expeditions,
including ship-based personnel
- Persons whose contributions
to knowledge in their respective fields have facilitated
the discovery, recognition, identification, or recording
of Antarctic phenomena
- Teachers or administrators in
institutions of higher learning who have contributed to
the training of polar explorers
- Persons who have made
material contributions in any form to Antarctic expeditions,
and who have by their words or actions demonstrated an
interest in further scientific research rather than in
seeking commercial exploitation of such contributions
Application of nonpersonal names
Names in the following
categories may be applied to a feature in any order of magnitude
with which there is association. Examples of nonpersonal names
are:
- Names that commemorate events (e.g., Charcot's Deliverance
Point and Nordenskjöld's Hope Bay)
- Names of ships from
which discoveries have been made (e.g., Cape Grönland
and Cape Norvegia)
- Names of organizations that have sponsored,
supported, or given scientific or financial assistance to Antarctic
expeditions (e.g., Royal Society Range, Admiralty Mountains,
Banzare Coast) or names of institutions of higher learning
that have contributed to the training of polar explorers
- Names
peculiarly descriptive of the feature (e.g., Deception Island,
Mount Tricorn, or Three Slice Nunatak); descriptive names not
unique or particularly appropriate and for which there are
likely to be duplicates are undesirable
- Any other nonpersonal
name that because of its acknowledged importance occupies a
major role in Antarctic exploration or history (e.g., Mount
Glossopteris)
Criteria of appropriateness
- Newly proposed names will be considered for first,
second, or third order features in the light of their appropriateness,
as evidenced by the following factors arranged in order
of weight:
- Chronological priority of discovery,
naming, or other relevant action
- Actual association of the
person, ship, or organization, event, etc., with the feature
- Association
of the person, ship, organization, event, etc., with other
polar exploration
- Contribution of the person to the
knowledge of Antarctica
- Association of the person, ship,
organization, event, etc., with other polar exploration
- Contribution
of the person to relevant fields of knowledge
- Extent
to which financial or material contributions have contributed
to the success of an expedition or to the collection of
valuable scientific data
- Previous recognition through
a geographic name in Antarctica
- It is advisable in
future naming in Antarctica to apply the name of one
person to only one feature.
- To avoid confusion,
the names of persons having the same surname should
be applied to no more than one feature of a kind.
- The
possibility of ambiguity or confusion with names already
in use
- The duplication of names in use
is undesirable.
- Since descriptive names are
often ambiguous and easily duplicated, they should
be avoided, unless a descriptive name is peculiarly
appropriate.
- The duplication in Antarctica
of names well known in other parts of the world
is undesirable even though qualified by adjectives
such as "new," "south," and "little."
- Names already in use will be considered in the light
of:
- Appropriateness, as outlined above
- Wideness of acceptance,
as evidenced by extended use on maps and in literature.
Usage considered sufficiently fixed and/or unanimous may
be accepted as valid grounds for approval of a name that
otherwise would not qualify.
Fields of knowledge pertinent to Antarctica
The following is a list of fields of knowledge in which outstanding
contributions may be considered justification for commemoration
in an Antarctic place name. It is to be considered neither exclusive
nor exhaustive, and no order of priority is intended.
-
Navigation and astronomy
- Oceanography and hydrography
- Surveying, photogrammetry, and
cartography
- Meteorology and climatology
- Geodesy and geophysics
- Glaciology and ice physics
- Radio, radar, and allied fields
- Geology, volcanology, and
seismology
- Geography
- Botany and its subdivisions
- Zoology and its subdivisions
- Engineering research and applications
Recommended language and form
In keeping with long-established policies based upon trends
in the normal evolution of geographic names, considerations will
be given to brevity, simplicity, and unambiguity in selecting
the form of names derived by these procedures:
- The application of full names and/or titles of persons
is not considered appropriate. Titles will be translated
where their use is required.
- The names of organizations, ships,
and other nonpersonal names, when unduly long and cumbersome,
will ordinarily be used in some shortened though intelligible
form.
- English generics are preferred. Complete translation
of names will generally be avoided, but well established
translated forms may be accepted.
- An English generic may be
added, or may be substituted for an included generic term,
in the case of nonpersonal, non-English, single-word names
that include a generic or a definite article, or both.
- Board-approved
romanization systems are used for transliteration from nonroman
alphabets.
Inappropriate names
Names in the following categories will not be considered, unless
otherwise appropriate according to the principles stated herein,
or unless such names are widely and firmly established as of
the date of approval of these principles.
- Names suggested because of relationship or friendship
- Names
of contributors of funds, equipment, and supplies, who by
the nature and tone of their advertising have endeavored
to capitalize or to gain some commercial advantage as a result
of their donations. This would not include advantages resulting
from testing of donated equipment under Antarctic conditions;
in cases of doubt, the decision shall be in favor of the
individual whose name has been proposed
- The names of products,
sled dogs, or pets will ordinarily not be considered appropriate
for application to natural features.
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