CHAPTER 2: Some specific issues related to geographical names data modelling
The special characteristics of place names data, compared to other geospatial data, are usually related to data modelling needs. The following sections provide some tentative principles for a general conceptual model for place names information as well as the core elements of the model and the interrelationships and key attributes of the elements. The model presented here, in its broadest application, is intended for modelling place name information in a multilingual, multi-names, and multi-scriptural environment.
2.1 Basic conceptual model for geographical names data 
Figure 1 - General conceptual model taken from the European Spatial Data Infrastructure (INSPIRE)
The basic principles of the conceptual model are the following (described in more detail in chapter 2.1.1).
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Named places are a subset of all places. Places may be represented by geospatial data objects
A named place has at least one and may have up to any number of names
A place name is related to a single named place and may be related to geospatial data objects representing the place.
A place name has at least one and may have up to any number of spellings (except for non-written languages).
A place name is related to a single named place
A spelling is related to a single place name
A place name may have up to any number of pronunciations
Figure 2 - Conceptual data model taken from the European Spatial Data Infrastructure (INSPIRE)
The basic principles of the elements, relations, and attributes of the basic conceptual model are:
- Named place, place name, spelling of name and pronunciation of name are different concepts and classes with attributes of their own
- Each instance of each class has an identity of its own
- A named place may have one or several names in one or several languages
- A place name may have one or several spellings in different scripts (except for non-written languages)
- According to the model, all scripts are equal, although in the UNGEGN's applications the 'native' script would take precedence, and romanization is emphasized over any other transliteration or script conversion
- A place name may have unlimited number of pronunciations
- Geometry and feature type are attributes of the place
- Language and 'nativeness' (endonym or exonym) are attributes of the name
- Text (character content) and script are attributes of the spelling
- (Properly executed) transliteration doesn't change the name, the language of the name, or the 'nativeness' of the name
- Αθηνά is a Greek endonym spelled in the Greek script and Athína the same Greek endonym spelled in the Latin script. The spelling Athína has been converted from Αθηνά by using an internationally approved transliteration schema
- Athens is an English exonym spelled in the Latin script