The problem of geographical terminology in toponymic standardisation The paper I wish to present at the International Congress on Terminology is based on the contents of a report commissioned by the Directorate for Studies and Information of the Linguistic Policy Department of the Basque Government. This report was presented at the first meeting of the Special Committee for Toponymics, dependent on the Advisory Board for the Basque language in Donostia-San Sebastián in November last. The need to standardise geographical terms, especially toponymic terms, arose during work to standardise place names in the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC), which has been going on at the DEIKER Institute at the University of Deusto for the last ten years. The lack of geographical standardisation in the BAC and Navarre can be seen in the anarchical way in which everyday geographical terms are used in maps, road signs, text books, the media, etc. Each user applies their own criteria to geographical terms, giving rise to confusion and inconsistencies. The first UN conference on the standardisation of geographical names (held in Genoa in 1967) recommended the drawing up of glossaries of geographical terms. Recommendation 19A of the conference recommended that a study be undertaken into the nature of the geographical features bearing names in a particular region, and the different meanings of the words used to name those features. Before looking in detail at the different areas to be dealt with in the paper, we must define what a toponym is. A toponym or geographical name is a proper noun made up of a specific element and, usually, a common or generic element. The latter indicates the general nature of the geographical feature while the former specifically identifies the individual feature in question. Examples would be Peña de Anboto, Avenida Ramón y Cajal, Río Ibaizabal, Alto de la Horca, etc. The above definition of a toponym reveals just how important geographical terms are, especially when it is realised that standard toponymic studies give two versions (Basque and Spanish) of each term. In general terms the generic element can be translated, while the specific one should be left unchanged. This would standardise the above terms in Basque as follows: Anbotoko atxa, Ramón y Cajal etorbidea (?), Ibaizabal, La Horca gaina (?). However the following points require consideration: 1. We do not know the exact meaning of many generic elements: "alto" (given here in Basque as "gaina") could mean "mountain pass", "hill", "peak" or various other things. 2. "Standardised" geographical terms may be allocated arbitrarily. For instance in the district of Deusto we find avenida ("avenue") used for two thoroughfares which should not both be described thus: "Avenida Ramón y Cajal" is an ordinary street, while "Avenida Lehendakari Agirre" is a true avenue. 3. There is a lack of standardised geographical terminology. For instance the Spanish term avenida is translated into Basque variously as ibilbidea, etorbidea or pasealekua, depending on which Town Hall allocated the names. Likewise the Spanish term pico ("peak") may appear as gallur, haitzorrotza, haizpunta, mokorra, mokoa, punta, or tontorra depending on the author or research body involved (DEIKER, Elhuyar, Government of Navarra, Euskatzaindia, etc.). After this initial presentation, the paper will continue along the following lines: 1. Analysis of the problem from the viewpoint of users of geographical terms. 2. Importance of and need for a standardisation of geographical terms as part of work to standardise toponyms. Reference will be made to the recommendations of the UN and of various specialists. 3. Summary of how geographical terms have been dealt with in toponymic standardisation work by the DEIKER institute at the University of Deusto. 4. Conclusions. Questions and answers