UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES (UNGEGN)

Working Group on Romanization Systems

Resolutions page

Resolution V/19 (1987)

Romanization of the Greek alphabet for geographical names

The Conference,

Noting that the conversion of the Greek alphabet into Roman letters has been extensively discussed at earlier United Nations conferences on the standardization of geographical names and sessions of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names,

Noting also the positive opinion, expressed at the Fourth Conference, on Standard No. 743 (ELOT 743) of the Greek Standardization Organization, prepared by Greece and Cyprus,

Recognizing that this system is linguistically sound and suitable for the transcription and transliteration of Greek names,

Recognizing also that this system has been officially sanctioned by the Governments of Greece and Cyprus for cartographic and administrative purposes, and that it has been used for maps of Greece and maps and gazetteers of Cyprus,

Recognizing further that a suitable transitional period will be required before the system can be fully implemented and that donor countries should provide practical assistance to receiver countries for that purpose,

Recommends that the ELOT 743 conversion system set out in the annex to the present resolution be adopted as the international system for the romanization of geographical names in the Greek alphabet.


ANNEX to V/19

ELOT 743

Conversion table

Greek character and combination of charactersConversion into the latin alphabetRemarksPronunciation according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (7)
TranscriptionTransliteration
Α, αaaɑ
(ΑΙ, αι) (6)aiaiɛ
(ΑΙ, άι)áïáïɑi
(ΑΙ, αϊ)ɑi
ΑΥ, αυ (9)avav̱(1)ɑv
afaf̱(2)ɑf
Β, βvvv
Γ, γggɣ
ΓΓ, γγngṉgŋg
(ΓΚ, γκ)gkgkg (3)
ŋg (4) (5)
ΓΞ, γξnxṉxŋx
ΓΧ, γχnchṉchŋx
Δ, δddδ
Ε, εeeɛ
(ΕΙ, ει)eieii
(ΕΙ, έι)éïéïɛi
(ΕΙ, εϊ)ɛi
ΕΥ, ευ (9)evev̱(1)ɛv
efef̱(2)ɛf
Ζ, ζzzz
Η, ηii
ΗΥ, ηυ (9)ivi̱v̱(1)iv
ifi̱f̱(2)if
Θ, θththϑ
Ι, ιiii
Κ, κkkk
Λ, λlll
Μ, μmmm
ΜΠ, μπbb(3) (5)b
mpmp(4)mb
Ν, νnnn
(ΝΤ, ντ)ntntd (3), nd (4) (5)
Ξ, ξxxx
Ο, οooo
(ΟΙ, οι)oioii
(ΟΙ, όι)óïóï
(ΟΙ, οϊ)
ΟΥ, ου (9)ououu
Π, πppp
Ρ, ρrrr
Σ, σ, ςsss, z (8)
Τ, τttt
Υ, υyyi
(ΥΙ, υι)yiyii
Φ, φfff
Χ, χchchχ
Ψ, ψpspsps
Ω, ωoo

Remarks