2018-06-24
The following table will show which romanization systems are used in KNAB to represent place names from non-Roman languages.
Column 3 indicates cases when there are own romanization systems in use for Estonian. Mostly these are for languages using the Cyrillic, some have been adopted in the 1970's by the Estonian orthological committee (VÕK), others have been adapted for KNAB. > is given in cases when the system indicated in Column 4 is used.
Column 4 names the system used in KNAB as the main, representative system for any particular language. Abbreviations:
Column 5 indicates methods used in KNAB to ensure the possibility to restore original-script spellings of names. In many instances the romanization systems used are reversible, and there is no need for additional measures. This is signified by the equal mark (=). "KNAB additional symbols" means that the "normal" Roman-script spelling is complemented by additional symbols, such as the middle point (·), in cases there could be ambiguities. In some cases (Burmese, Thai, Tibetan, etc.) the original spellings are recorded using separate transliterations. This means that names are recorded twice: using both "pronounceable" romanizations and transliterations (often ISO ones, if available). Transliterated name forms do not show in the Internet-version of KNAB.
Column 6 describes how will the user of the Internet-version see the corresponding non-Roman names. All names are first given using romanization systems indicated in Column 4. For ten languages (Armenian, Bulgarian, Byelorussian, Georgian, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Mongolian, Russian, Tajik, Ukrainian) an additional variant has been generated using the appropriate BGN/PCGN romanization systems. (These variants are not added if they coincide with the main name form.)
To facilitate an overview of all changes on this page (additions of new systems, revisions of existing ones) there is a page with chronology of changes.
| Language | Script | In Estonian texts | In KNAB | To ensure reversibility | Presentation on the Internet |
| Abaza | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Abkhaz | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2011 |
| Adyghian | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2012 |
| Altay | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1995 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Amharic | Ethiopic | > | BGN/PCGN 1967, without diacritics | BGN/PCGN + KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Amharic |
| Arabic | Perso-Arabic | > | UN 1972 | = | romanization / Arabic |
| Armenian * | Armenian | Est. transcr., VÕK 1976 | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Armenian / BGN/PCGN romanization 1981 |
| Assamese | Assamese | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Assamese |
| Avar | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 |
= | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2011 |
| Azerbaijani | Roman | > | Roman | = | Roman |
| Bashkir | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | draft Roman alphabet 2002 (adapted) | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Batak | Batak | > | Roman alphabet |
= | Roman |
| Belarusian | Cyrillic | Est. transcr., VÕK 1976 | UN 2012 | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 1979 |
| Bengali | Bengali | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Bengali |
| Buginese | Buginese | > | Roman alphabet |
= | Roman |
| Buhid | Buhid / Roman | > | Roman alphabet | = | Roman |
| Bulgarian * | Cyrillic | > | UN 2012 | KNAB additional symbols | UN romanization 2012 / Cyrillic / UN romanization 1977 |
| Burmese | Burmese | > | BGN/PCGN 1970 | KNAB transliteration 2003 | romanization / Burmese |
| Buryat | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Caucasian smaller peoples | - | - | KNAB 2003 | = | (transcription) |
| Chechen | Cyrillic / Roman |
> | Roman alphabet 1992 | = | Roman / Cyrillic |
| Cherokee | Cherokee | > | Samuel Worcester (1st half of the 19th c.) | = | romanization |
| Chinese | Chinese | > | UN 1977 | Unicode | romanization / Chinese |
| Chukchi | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Church Slavonic | Glagolitic / Cyrillic | > | KNAB 2012 | = | romanization |
| Chuvash | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1995 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2011 |
| Coptic | Coptic | > | KNAB 2001 | = | romanization / Coptic |
| Crimean Tatar * | Roman / Cyrillic | > | Roman alphabet 1993 | = | Roman / Cyrillic |
| Dargwa | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Dari | Perso-Arabic | > | UN 1967 (Persian) | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Dari |
| Dungan | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 (=pinyin) | = | romanization |
| Dzongkha | Tibetan | > | national romanization 1997 | see Tibetan transliteration | romanization / Dzongkha |
| Erzya | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Eskimo (in Russia) | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Even | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Evenk | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Gagauz | Roman / Cyrillic | > | KNAB 1995 | = | Roman / Cyrillic |
| Georgian * | Georgian | Est. transcr., VÕK 1976 | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Georgian / national romanization 2002 |
| Greek | Greek | > | UN 1987 | UN 1987 transliteration | romanization / Greek |
| — Classical Greek | Greek | > | Latin transcription | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Greek |
| Gujarati | Gujarati | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Gujarati |
| Hanunó'o | Hanunó'o / Roman | > | Roman alphabet | = | Roman |
| Hebrew | Hebrew | > | UN 2007 | ISO 259:1984 | romanization / Hebrew |
| Hindi | Devanagari | > | UN 1972 | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Devanagari |
| Hmong | Roman / Pahawh Hmong | > | Romanized Popular Alphabet | = | Roman |
| Ingush | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 2003 (= Roman alphabet 1923-1937) | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Inuktitut | Canadian aboriginal syllabics | > | de facto national romanization | = | romanization / Inuktitut syllabics |
| Japanese | Sino-Japanese | > | Modif. Hepburn | = + Unicode | romanization / Japanese |
| Kabardian-Circassian | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2011 |
| Kalmyk | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Kannada | Kannada | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Kannada |
| Karachay-Balkar | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1995 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2011 |
| Karakalpak * | Cyrillic / Roman | > | Roman alphabet (2016) | = | Roman / Cyrillic |
| Karay | Cyrillic / Roman | > | KNAB 2002 | = | romanization |
| Karen | Karen (Burmese) | > | KNAB 2009 | KNAB Burmese transliteration 2009 | romanization / Karen |
| Kayah | Kayah Li | > | KNAB 2012 | = | romanization / Kayah Li |
| Kazakh * | Cyrillic | Est. transcr., VÕK 1977 | de facto national romanization 2004 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 1979 |
| Khakass | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1995 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Khanty * | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Khmer | Khmer | > | UN 1972 | KNAB transliteration 1994, modified 2003 | romanization / Khmer |
| Kirghiz | Cyrillic | Est. transcr., VÕK 1977 | KNAB 1981 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 1979 |
| Komi | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Komi-Permyak | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Korean | Korean | > | national romanization 2000 (South Korea) / McCune-Reischauer 1939 (North Korea) | KNAB transliteration 1998 | romanization / Korean |
| Koryak | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Kumyk | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1995 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Kurdish | Arabic / Roman | > | Kurmanji Roman alphabet 1932 | = | Roman |
| Lakh | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Lao | Lao | > | BGN/PCGN 1966 | KNAB Thai transliteration 2003 | romanization / Lao |
| Lepcha | Lepcha | > | traditional (based on Mainwaring 1876) | = | romanization |
| Lezgian | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Limbu | Limbu | > | KNAB 2012 | = | romanization |
| Lisu | Lisu / Roman | > | pinyin | = | romanization |
| Macedonian | Cyrillic | > | UN 1977 | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Malayalam | Malayalam | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Malayalam |
| Maldivian | Thaana | > | national romanization 1987 | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Thaana |
| Mansi | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Marathi | Devanagari | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Devanagari |
| Mari | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| — Hill Mari | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Miao (A Hmao) | Miao | > | pinyin | = | Roman |
| Moksha | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Moldavian | Roman | > | Roman | = | Roman |
| Mon | Mon (Burmese) | > | KNAB 2003 | KNAB Burmese transliteration 2003 | romanization / Mon |
| Mongolian | Cyrillic |
Est. transcr. | KNAB 1993 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 1964 |
| — Classical Mongolian * | Mongolian | > | KNAB 2007 (cmg, in Mongolia); UN 1977 (mvf, pinyin, in China) | KNAB transliteration 2007 | romanization / Mongolian |
| Nanai | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Nenets | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Nepali | Devanagari | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Devanagari |
| Nivkh | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| N'Ko | N'Ko | > | KNAB 2012 |
= | romanization |
| Nogay | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1995 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Northern Thai | Tai Tham | > | KNAB 2012 | KNAB transliteration | romanization |
| Oriya | Oriya | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Oriya |
| Ossetic | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1998 (= Roman alphabet 1923-1938) | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2009 |
| Pashto | Perso-Arabic | > | BGN/PCGN 1968 | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Pashto |
| Persian | Perso-Arabic | > | UN 1967/2012 | KNAB additional symbols | UN romanization 1967 / Persian / UN romanization 2012 |
| Punjabi | Gurmukhi | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Punjabi |
| Russian | Cyrillic | Est. transcr., VÕK | UN 1987 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 1947 |
| Serbian | Cyrillic | > | UN 1977 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Selkup | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Shan | Shan (Burmese) | > | KNAB 2003 | KNAB Burmese transliteration 2003 | romanization / Shan |
| Sinhalese | Sinhalese | > | KNAB 1989 (=UN 1972 proposal, modif.) | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Sinhalese |
| Syriac | Syriac | > | BGN/PCGN 2011, KNAB modif. | = | romanization / Syriac |
| Tabassaran | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 2003 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Tagalog | Roman / Tagalog (obs.) | > | Roman alphabet | = | Roman |
| Tagbanwa | Tagbanwa / Roman | > | Roman alphabet | = | Roman |
| Tai Dam * | Tai Viet | > | KNAB 2013 | = | romanization |
| Tai Lü * | New Tai Lue | > | KNAB 2013 | = | romanization / New Tai Lue |
| Tai Nüa * | Tai Le | > | KNAB 2013 | = | romanization / Tai Le |
| Tajik | Cyrillic | Est. transcr., VÕK 1977 | KNAB 1981 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 1994 |
| Talysh | Cyrillic / Roman | > | KNAB 1998 | = | romanization |
| Tamasheq | Tifinagh | > | KNAB 2012 | = | romanization / Tifinagh |
| Tamazight | Tifinagh | > | KNAB 2012 | = | romanization / Tifinagh |
| Tamil | Tamil | > | UN 1972 | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Tamil |
| Tat | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 2012 | = | romanization |
| Tatar | Cyrillic / Roman | > | Roman alphabet 2001 (simplified version) |
= | Roman / Cyrillic |
| Telugu | Telugu | > | UN 1972, modif. | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Telugu |
| Thai | Thai | > | UN 2002 | ISO 11940: 1998 | romanization / Thai |
| Tibetan | Tibetan | > | UN 1977 (pinyin) | Wylie transliteration 1959 | romanization / Tibetan |
| Tigrinya | Ethiopic | > | BGN/PCGN 2007 | = | romanization / Tigrinya |
| Turkmen | Roman | > | Roman alphabet 1999 (1993 modif.) | = | Roman |
| Tuvinian | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1995 | = | romanization / Cyrillic |
| Udmurt | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1994 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2011 |
| Uighur | Perso-Arabic | > | UN 1977 (pinyin) | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Uighur (Arabic) / Uighur (Latin) |
| Ukrainian | Cyrillic | Est. transcr., VÕK 1975 | UN 2012 | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 1965 |
| Urdu | Perso-Arabic | > | UN 1972 | KNAB additional symbols | romanization / Urdu |
| Uzbek | Roman / Cyrillic | > | Roman alphabet 1995 | = | Roman / Cyrillic |
| Vai | Vai | > | KNAB 2012 |
= | romanization |
| Yakut | Cyrillic | Est. transcr. | KNAB 1995 | = | romanization / Cyrillic / BGN/PCGN romanization 2012 |
| Yiddish * | Hebrew | > | KNAB 2016 | ISO 259: 1984 | romanization / Yiddish |
* – These documents have also earlier versions.
See also instructions on Russian rendering of geographical names.