Transliteration of Libyan placenames

Map of Libya

Transliteration of Libyan placenames is the process of converting Libyan placenames written in the Arabic alphabet into the Latin alphabet. Libyan places have, in most cases no common English name, so when they are referred to, they need to be transliterated, from Libyan Arabic or Standard Arabic. Over the decades, many systems have been used result in locations, which thus have multiple transliterations in circulation.

Background

Writing names of Libyan places in Latin alphabet is a confusing dilemma. In the past, the colonist Italians tried, despite the constraints of their language, to write these names as accurate as the local Libyans pronounce them, in Libyan Arabic, except for some places renamed by Roman, Greek, or Italian names, like (Al-Qubba-Giovanni Berta), (Shahat-Cirene), and (Sussa-Apollonia).

During World War II, the British used the Italian maps so they used the names almost as the Italians has already written it and so did the war’s historians.

However, most Libyans were not acquainted of these previous experiments. Moreover, after the political change on September 1, 1969,^[1] any alphabet other than the Arabic one had been banned in writing any signs or tablets, so Libyan officials were uninterested in writing tablets or signs in foreign alphabet. People who were interested, either Libyan or foreign, tried to write the names after bringing them back to their Standard Arabic origin, sometimes far from reality. For example, in a place is known in Standard Arabic as “Ajdabia”, in Libya Arabic “Jdabia”, and the Italian wrote it “Agedabia”. Another place named in Standard Arabic. “Marsa Al Burayqa”, in Libyan Arabic, “Marsa El Breiga”, and the Italians wrote it Mersa Brega. A third example is “Al-Uqayla” in Standard Arabic “El Agheila” in Libyan Arabic, which was Italians wrote it.

There is no agreement on transliteration of Libyan placenames except for a few cities like Tripoli, Benghazi, and Tobruk.

List

Here is a list of selected Libyan cities and towns, showing how the places could be transliterated from Standard Arabic and Libyan Arabic. It shows also how the Italians had already transliterated the names to Italian alphabet. However, none of the choices has been suggested to be used alone.

Note that any (h) preceded by a vowel is lightly pronounced or silent (like in Darnah).

Standard Arabic	Libyan Arabic	Italian	Page(s) in English Wikipedia
Ajdabia	Jdabia	Agedábia	Ajdabiya
Al Abraq	Labrag	Luigi di Savoia[2]	Al Abraq
Al Abyar	Labiar	El Abiár	Aybar
Al ʿAziziyah	El Aziziyah	El Azizia	‘Aziziya
Al Baydaʾ	El Bayda	Beda Littoria	Bayda
Al Bardiya	El Bardiya or El Bûrdi	Bardia	Bardia
Al Jaghbub	El Jaghbub	Giarabub or El Giaghbub	Jaghbub
Al Khums	El Khums	Homs	Khoms
Al Makhili	El Mkhili	Mechili	Mechili
Al Marj	El Marj	Barce	Marj
Al Qubbah	El Gûbbah	Giovanni Berta[3]	Al Qubah
Al Uqaylah	El Agheila	El Agheila	El Agheila
At Tamimi	Et Timimi	Tmimi	Timimi
Awjilah	Awjilah	Áugila	Awjila
Az Zawiyah	Ez Zawiah	Ez Zauia	Zawiya
Bani Walid	Bani Wlid	Beni Ulid	Bani Walid
Banghazi Bani Ghazi	Banghazi	Bengasi	Benghazi
Darnah	Darnah	Derna	Derna
Daryanah	Deriana	Driána	Deriana
Ghadamis	Ghadamis	Gadames	Ghadames
Ghat	Ghat	Gat	Ghat
Gharyan	Ghiryan	Garian	Gharyan
Jalu	Jalu	Giálo	Jalu & Jalo oasis
Marsa Al Burayqah	Marsa El Breiga or El Breiga	Mersa Brega	Brega
Maradah	Maradah	Maráda	Marada
Marawah	Marawah	Maraua	Marawa
Misratah	Misratah	Misurata	Misrata
Qaminis	Ghemines	Ghemínes	Qaminis
Sabha	Sabha	Sebca	Sabha
Shahhat	Shahhat	Cirene	Shahhat & Cyrene
Suluq	Solug	Soluch	Suluq
Susah	Susah	Apollonia	Susa, & Apollonia
Tarabulus	Trablis	Tripoli	Tripoli
Yifrin	Yifrin	Jefren	Yafran
Zallah	Zallah	Zella	Zella
Zuwarah	Zwarah	Zuara	Zuwara

See also

• Libyan Arabic
• Romanization of Arabic
• List of cities in Libya

Notes

1. See for example Act no.12; 1984, banning the usage of all languages other than Arabic in all dealings, reprinted in a governmental book named:"Al Qawaneen wal Lawa'eh wal Qararat that al Alaqa bil wazeefa al Amma wal Muwazzaf", part IV, prepared by Mohammed Omar Kassab et al.
2. Bulegma, & Kezeiri (ed.), " Al Jamahiriya ...", p.405
3. Bulegma, & Kezeiri (ed.), " Al Jamahiriya ...", p.405

References

• El Hadi Mustapha Bulegma, & Saad Khalil Kezeiri (ed.), " Al Jamahiriya: Dirasa fil Jughrafia", Ad Dar al Jamahiriya lil nashr wa tawzee wa e'lan, Surt, Libya, 1995.

And Libya's maps at:

• Rodolfo Graziani, “Libia Redenta”, Torella Editore; Napoli, 1948, pp. 336–337,& 352-353.
• National Geographic Magazine, “Map of Africa”, a presented map in the February 1980 issue.