Organisations with titles in foreign languages: capitalise or not?

[halcombe]

I'm making reference – in a piece in English - to the ‘Bibliothèque
nationale de France'.

Now, I'm pretty sure that that is the correct way to punctuate the
name *in French* - which, in such compound names, generally rejects
the English standard of capitalising every significant word.

But – even assuming that's right – it does not follow that the same
rule should apply in English.

It seems to me that any translation of the name into English -
‘National Library of France' – would be a ‘surtraduction': if the
context did not make clear what one was talking about, better to use
the name in French and provide an explanation in English.

Leaving the choice of the original in its original punctuation – which
looks pretty odd in English – or a hybrid: words French, punctuation
English.

It sounds like the sort of question that a newspaper style guide would
cover. I've looked at the ‘Guardian' version [1] – but no joy. (In
fact, it has some pretty free-and-easy suggestions on capitalisation
of English words!)

[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide/0,5817,184913,00.html

[John Dean]

halcombe wrote:
> I'm making reference - in a piece in English - to the 'Bibliothèque

> nationale de France'.
>
> Now, I'm pretty sure that that is the correct way to punctuate the
> name *in French* - which, in such compound names, generally rejects
> the English standard of capitalising every significant word.

Confirmed by their website - http://www.bnf.fr/
>
> But - even assuming that's right - it does not follow that the same

> rule should apply in English.
>
> It seems to me that any translation of the name into English -

> 'National Library of France' - would be a 'surtraduction': if the

> context did not make clear what one was talking about, better to use
> the name in French and provide an explanation in English.

I agree. Or give a reference when first using a translation so readers know
what you're talking about 'The French National Library ('Bibliothèque
nationale de France') is ...'
On the English version of their site, the BnF use the French name
consistently

> It sounds like the sort of question that a newspaper style guide would

> cover. I've looked at the 'Guardian' version [1] - but no joy. (In

> fact, it has some pretty free-and-easy suggestions on capitalisation
> of English words!)

I think the Guradian's Style of Capping is weird and wouldn't rely on them
at all.

The Times style guide http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,2941,00.html
is more traditional and conservative. Which is nice.
--
John Dean
Oxford
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