Thai romanization question (fwd)

[Yuphaphann Hoonchamlong]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 09:31:11 -0400
From: Kim Uyen Tran <kim.tran at yale.edu>
To: michael farris <maf at amu.edu.pl>
Cc: Yuphaphann Hoonchamlong <yui at alpha.tu.ac.th>
Subject: Re: Thai romanization question (fwd)

Dear Michael Farris:

I am the Catalog Librarian at Yale University's Southeast Asia Collection.

For the transliteration of our vernacular material, which includes Thai,
Lao, Burmese, Khmer, etc., we use the ALA-LC ROMANIZATION TABLES :
TRANSLITERATION SCHEMES FOR NON-ROMAN SCRIPTS approved by the Library of
Congress and the American Library Association. "These tables were developed
for use when the consistent transliteration of a non-Roman (vernacular)
script (e.g., Arabic script) into Roman alphabet is needed. This
publication covers more than 140 languages written in various non-Roman
scripts".

As for your question concerning the cataloging of Thai personal names,
according to the ANGLO-AMERICAN CATALOGUING RULES, 2nd ed., the general
rule is to enter the name in direct order. This means that as an American
library, we would use the first name rather than the surname. There are
specific rules for other names such as royalty, nobility, and Buddhist
monastics, ecclesiastics, and patriarchs.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Kim Uyen Tran

Catalog Librarian
Southeast Asia Collection
Yale University Library
kim.tran at yale.edu
--------------------------------------

At 09:08 AM 6/12/01 +0700, you wrote:
>
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 11:48:11 +0200
>From: michael farris <maf at amu.edu.pl>
>To: gil at eva.mpg.de
>Cc: Yuphaphann Hoonchamlong <yui at alpha.tu.ac.th>, sealteach at nectec.or.th
>Subject: Thai romanization question
>
>
>Hello,
>
>The Institute of Linguistics of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland
>began a small-scale Thai language program this last academic year. We also
>recently received a very generous gift of materials including many books in
>Thai and are wondering how to catalogue them.
>The usual procedure in our library is to catalogue books not written in
>Polish in their original language (without translations). If a language does
>not use the Roman alphabet, then a system of romanization is used.
>So, is there any particular system of romanization favored by librarians?
>Our Thai lecturer made a preliminary list of some of the materials but he
>didn't seem to be using a consistent system. He also won't be available for
>further consultation and our next Thai lecturer won't arrive before October
>(by which time we were hoping to get a lot of the materials already
>catalogued). I'm pretty familiar with the Thai alphabet so I can do some of
>the work but am wondering if there is any particular system in wide use or
>if it's catch as catch can.
>Also, I understand that personal names are more important than family names
>in Thailand. Are items catalogued by personal or family names in Thailand
>and how are they catalogued outside of Thailand?
>
>Thanks in advance for any help.
>
>-mike farris