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1) Yes, either Γκόρντον (if transliterating by written letters) or Γκόρνταν (if transliterating by spoken sound).
2) The Greek spelling reform of about 30 years ago, which eliminated many double-consonant spellings, shows a very strong preference to transliterate foreign words without using the same Greek consonant twice in a row. The Greek spelling of /d/ as ντ, combined with the contemporary preference to avoid double consonants in transliterations, leads to the problem (and the confusion that you mention) that arises when English d is preceded by n, as in Brenda. You might, on rare occasion, see someone use νντ in an attempt to represent the preceding /n/ sound, but in practice a double ν here in the form of νντ is almost universally avoided, and ντ serves in this instance for both /d/ and /nd/, as well as for /nt/ -- thus βίντεο for video, ριμπάουντ for rebound [basketball], σέντερ for center [basketball position]. similarly: /d/ Σέφιλντ - Sheffield (UK) Λιντς - Leeds (UK) Έντζγουντ - Edgewood Καναντέρ - Canadair αβοκάντο - avocado Μάντι - Maddie (short for Μαντλίν - Madeleine) /nd/ Μέριλαντ - Maryland (US) Έβα Μέντες - Eva Mendes (actress) Λονγκ Αϊλαντ - Long Island (New York) Έλροντ, Γκάνταλφ - Elrond, Gandalf ("Lord of the Rings") Ράντολφ - Randolph Χάντελσμπλατ - Handelsblatt (German newspaper) Γιούνιοντεϊλ - Uniondale (Long Island, NY) Μιντανάο - Mindanao (Philippines) Κατμαντού - Kathmandu (Nepal) Σιντ - Sind (Pakistan province) /nt/ Κεντ - Kent (UK) Μάριο Σεντένο - Mario Centeno (Eurogroup president) (mixed) Έντμοντον - Edmonton (Canada) Εντ Μίλιμπαντ - Ed Miliband (UK politician) Στέιτ Ντιπάρτμεντ: - State Department Σίντι Κρόφορντ - Cindy Crawford (supermodel) Ιντιπέντεντ - Independent (British newspaper)
By the way, an analogous situation can arise with English b, mb, and mp, where Greek μπ can represent both English /b/ and /mb/, as well as /mp/ -- κλαμπ for club [entertainment; sports], ζόμπι for zombie, Τσάμπιονς Λιγκ for Champions' League [soccer]. similarly: /b/ Χάντελσμπλατ - Handelsblatt (German newspaper) Ζάγκρεμπ - Zagreb (Croatia) Καμπέρα - Canberra (Australia) /mb/ χάμπουργκερ - hamburger Ζάμπια - Zambia Αλάμπρα - Alhambra Ζεράρ Κολόμπ - Gérard Collomb (French Interior Minister) Μουμπάι - Mumbai (Bombay) Ταμπόρα - Tambora (volcano in Indonesia) /mp/ λάμπα - lamp χιμπατζής - chimpanzee Καμπάλα - Kampala (Uganda) Ιμπρεσιονιστής - Impressionist Τόμπκινς - Thompkins (mixed) Μπάμπεργκ - Bamberg (Germany)
Much less of an issue is g/ng, where γκ represents /g/, and νγκ is normally used to represent ng in foreign words.
3) I would transliterate your last name, a non-Greek name, as Μόρις (by sound) or somewhat less preferably as Μόρρις (by spelling), not Μόρης or Μόρρης, i.e., with Greek ι rather than η, because the -ης spelling visually implies a declinable native Greek name, which Morris is not.
Regards, Greg Brush
[originally posted Friday, 28 November 2014, 12:08 PM] |