Divergens og konvergens i standardisering af danske stednavne – fra 1910 til nutiden

Abstract

The standardization of place-names stems from idealistic notions that one can establish unambiguously correct written forms. However, the correct spelling of a place-name cannot always be agreed upon by public administration, language users in the field, or linguists among themselves. Contemporary spelling principles are in practice a challenge to maintain consistently in standardized place-names. The Danish Place Name Committee learned this early on. The interests of the citizens, the interests of the politicians, and internal strife in the Place Name Committee have had an influence on place-name standardization in Denmark, where ideals deviated right from the very first attempts of standardization. Many specific challenges are and have been the same throughout the over 100 years that the Place Name Committee has existed. In this article, examples of spelling rules, selected cases, and issues related to standardization of Danish place-names are discussed from the perspective of the present chair of the Danish Place Name Committee.