Impact of cartographic and labeling standards on the dissemination of Toponymy: particularities of bilingual regions. A case study: Euskadi, Spain
Oihana Mitxelena-Hoyos, José-Lázaro Amaro-Mellado · Cartography and Geographic Information Science · 2025
Toponymy constitutes a system of literal location, which involves the understanding between linguistic and cartographic norms for effective communication. This complexity increases in bilingual territories. This study evaluates the impact of different labeling standards (national and regional) on cartographic legibility in Euskadi (Spain). One standard aims to homogenize results, while the other addresses bilingualism in Euskadi. The goal is to understand how different criteria for capital letters, language, and generic name omissions affect map readability. Apart from semiological issues, labeling efficiency is related to the length of label characters and the omission of names due to label overlapping. The methodology involves applying both standards to the same toponymy database, producing cartographic outputs at scales of 1:25,000 and 1:5,000. Then, a visual and statistical analysis of these maps is conducted. Quantitative results show greater legibility and labeling capacity for the regional standard, especially at the 1:25,000 scale. However, omitting generics in labels requires more effort in cartographic communication through symbolization. Finally, the flexibility in the use of the national standard, based on cartographers’ experience, often converges with the regional standard’ solutions for this bilingual area.