On the transcription of Dutch proper names in Bulgarian

This paper, 'On the Transcription of Dutch Proper Names in Bulgarian' aims at providing general rules and guidelines to be applied in a new model for the transcription of Dutch proper names in Bulgarian. The fundamental principles of translation, transliteration and transcription have been considered as the most common methods for rendering proper names from a source language into a target language with a different writing system. It is crucial that the rendering of proper names be based on the authentic articulation of the Dutch name, avoiding the imitation of its true pronunciation. The written form of the name should also be taken into account as a lasting means of communication which can affect spoken language. Such traditional versions often occurred in the past as a result of lexical translations of parts of the name or of the whole name, as well as of morphological and/or phonological adaptations. The paper shows that when rendering Dutch names into Bulgarian priority should be given to transcription over transliteration. However, the latter can be used when a sound has no equivalent in Bulgarian or when it is necessary for a name to be easily and accurately retranscribed