UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES (UNGEGN)

Working Group on Romanization Systems

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 characters Conversion into the latin alphabet Remarks Pronunciation according to the International Phonetic Alphabet ⁽⁷⁾

Transcription Transliteration

Α, α a a ɑ

(ΑΙ, αι) ⁽⁶⁾ ai ai ɛ

(ΑΙ, άι) áï áï ɑi

(ΑΙ, αϊ) aï aï ɑi

ΑΥ, αυ ⁽⁹⁾ av av̱ ⁽¹⁾ ɑv

af af̱ ⁽²⁾ ɑf

Β, β v v v

Γ, γ g g ɣ

ΓΓ, γγ ng ṉg ŋg

(ΓΚ, γκ) gk gk g ⁽³⁾

ŋg ^{(4) (5)}

ΓΞ, γξ nx ṉx ŋx

ΓΧ, γχ nch ṉch ŋx

Δ, δ d d δ

Ε, ε e e ɛ

(ΕΙ, ει) ei ei i

(ΕΙ, έι) éï éï ɛi

(ΕΙ, εϊ) eï eï ɛi

ΕΥ, ευ ⁽⁹⁾ ev ev̱ ⁽¹⁾ ɛv

ef ef̱ ⁽²⁾ ɛf

Ζ, ζ z z z

Η, η i i̱ i

ΗΥ, ηυ ⁽⁹⁾ iv i̱v̱ ⁽¹⁾ iv

if i̱f̱ ⁽²⁾ if

Θ, θ th th ϑ

Ι, ι i i i

Κ, κ k k k

Λ, λ l l l

Μ, μ m m m

ΜΠ, μπ b b ^{(3) (5)} b

mp mp ⁽⁴⁾ mb

Ν, ν n n n

(ΝΤ, ντ) nt nt d ⁽³⁾, nd ^{(4) (5)}

Ξ, ξ x x x

Ο, ο o o o

(ΟΙ, οι) oi oi i

(ΟΙ, όι) óï óï oï

(ΟΙ, οϊ) oï oï oï

ΟΥ, ου ⁽⁹⁾ ou ou u

Π, π p p p

Ρ, ρ r r r

Σ, σ, ς s s s, z ⁽⁸⁾

Τ, τ t t t

Υ, υ y y i

(ΥΙ, υι) yi yi i

Φ, φ f f f

Χ, χ ch ch χ

Ψ, ψ ps ps ps

Ω, ω o o̱ o

Remarks

(1) Before the consonants β, γ, δ, ζ, λ, μ, ν, ρ and all vowels.
(2) Before the consonants θ, κ, ξ, π, σ, τ, φ, χ, ψ and at the end of the word.
(3) At the beginning of the word.
(4) In the middle of the word.
(5) At the end of the word.
(6) The combinations in parentheses are included in the table for the sake of clarity because they are converted according to the conversion rules of each character they consist of.
(7) For information only. It is not part of the standard.
(8) Before the consonants β, γ, δ, ζ, λ, μ, ν, ρ.
(9) They are converted according to the conversion rules of each character when the vowel before υ has an accent or when υ has the diaeresis sign.
(10) When the character combinations ευ, αυ, ηυ, are stressed in Greek and the accent is transcribed, then in the latin script the accent is set on the vowel (ie, év, éf, áv, áf, ív, íf)

Greek character and combination of characters	Conversion into the latin alphabet		Remarks	Pronunciation according to the International Phonetic Alphabet ⁽⁷⁾
Greek character and combination of characters	Transcription	Transliteration	Remarks
Α, α	a	a		ɑ
(ΑΙ, αι) ⁽⁶⁾	ai	ai		ɛ
(ΑΙ, άι)	áï	áï		ɑi
(ΑΙ, αϊ)	aï	aï		ɑi
ΑΥ, αυ ⁽⁹⁾	av	av̱	⁽¹⁾	ɑv
	af	af̱	⁽²⁾	ɑf
Β, β	v	v		v
Γ, γ	g	g		ɣ
ΓΓ, γγ	ng	ṉg		ŋg
(ΓΚ, γκ)	gk	gk		g ⁽³⁾
				ŋg ^{(4) (5)}
ΓΞ, γξ	nx	ṉx		ŋx
ΓΧ, γχ	nch	ṉch		ŋx
Δ, δ	d	d		δ
Ε, ε	e	e		ɛ
(ΕΙ, ει)	ei	ei		i
(ΕΙ, έι)	éï	éï		ɛi
(ΕΙ, εϊ)	eï	eï		ɛi
ΕΥ, ευ ⁽⁹⁾	ev	ev̱	⁽¹⁾	ɛv
	ef	ef̱	⁽²⁾	ɛf
Ζ, ζ	z	z		z
Η, η	i	i̱		i
ΗΥ, ηυ ⁽⁹⁾	iv	i̱v̱	⁽¹⁾	iv
	if	i̱f̱	⁽²⁾	if
Θ, θ	th	th		ϑ
Ι, ι	i	i		i
Κ, κ	k	k		k
Λ, λ	l	l		l
Μ, μ	m	m		m
ΜΠ, μπ	b	b	^{(3) (5)}	b
	mp	mp	⁽⁴⁾	mb
Ν, ν	n	n		n
(ΝΤ, ντ)	nt	nt		d ⁽³⁾, nd ^{(4) (5)}
Ξ, ξ	x	x		x
Ο, ο	o	o		o
(ΟΙ, οι)	oi	oi		i
(ΟΙ, όι)	óï	óï		oï
(ΟΙ, οϊ)	oï	oï		oï
ΟΥ, ου ⁽⁹⁾	ou	ou		u
Π, π	p	p		p
Ρ, ρ	r	r		r
Σ, σ, ς	s	s		s, z ⁽⁸⁾
Τ, τ	t	t		t
Υ, υ	y	y		i
(ΥΙ, υι)	yi	yi		i
Φ, φ	f	f		f
Χ, χ	ch	ch		χ
Ψ, ψ	ps	ps		ps
Ω, ω	o	o̱		o