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Catholic Bible Translation Guidelines
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Proper Name Transliteration Guidelines

A synthesis of Church norms, the Korean Catholic implementation model, and observed Mongolian practice for rendering biblical and liturgical proper names.

Created: 2026-07-09 Scope: biblical and liturgical proper names Format: research summary HTML
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0. One-sentence conclusion (executive summary)

The Church's Magisterium does not prescribe a letter-by-letter transliteration table, but establishes only higher-level principles and delegates the determination of local-language spellings to the Episcopal Conference (§1); the Korean Catholic Church implemented that delegation through a three-part structure—“national standard + detailed rules + conventional and exception list”—and a dual track (biblical text = original-language pronunciation; liturgy and saints' names = Latin) (§2); and Mongolian Catholic data already follows the broad outlines of those principles (Latin stem forms and conformity to orthography), but remains unstandardized in the absence of a rules document (coexisting variants and mixed use of transliteration and semantic translation) (§3). ∴ (Derived) Mongolian guidelines should therefore adopt the structure of the Korean model, respect established official Mongolian forms (known_terms.json and Missale_Romanum_MN.md) as the conventional layer, use Mongolian Cyrillic orthography as their reference point (currently based on a secondary source—the original MNS national standard remains unverified), codify rules for choosing between transliteration and semantic translation, and normalize observed variants (§5 contains derived principles). Because final spellings are subject to the approval of the Episcopal Conference and the confirmatio of the Apostolic See, the glossary project treats official Mongolian sources as primary; only when they are silent does it derive a candidate from the principles and then seek confirmation (consistent with the authority structure in §1 and the project's CLAUDE.md §1.4, “No speculation”).

1. Normative layer — what the Church's Magisterium prescribes and delegates (source: §01)

The Magisterium does not provide a uniform transliteration table for biblical proper names. Instead, it prescribes four higher-level principles governing name forms and delegates the determination of local-language spellings to the Episcopal Conference.

# Higher-level principle Supporting provision (§01)
1 Direct translation from the original languages + Nova Vulgata as a reference point — translate directly from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek originals, consulting the Nova Vulgata as the standard for Latin liturgical name forms LA nn.24, 37, 41a
2 Priority consideration for preserving original-language forms + local-language transliteration permitted — preservation of the original form of a proper name must at least be considered as an option, while phonetic rendering/adaptation in the local language is permitted (matters of major importance require deliberation by the bishops) LA nn.21, 23
3 Special rule for the Divine Name — no transliteration — YHWH (the Tetragrammaton) is neither transliterated nor pronounced in the liturgy, but rendered as “Lord” (or the equivalent of Adonai/Kyrios) LA n.41c + CDW 2008 Letter on the Name of God
4 Preservation of capitalization/orthography for sacred names — conventions of reverential or theological capitalization are retained insofar as the structure of the local language permits LA n.33

Authority structure (who determines name forms): Actual local-language spellings are prepared and approved by the Episcopal Conference under the principles above. Liturgical translations receive the confirmation (confirmatio) of the Apostolic See (Congregation for Divine Worship), while non-liturgical editions of Scripture require the approval of the Apostolic See or the Episcopal Conference (Code of Canon Law can. 825) (revised can. 838 / Magnum Principium 2017 / CDW 2021 implementing decree). Confirmatio applies to translations and recognitio to adaptations (§01 §2.5).

Implication for the glossary project: The body of magisterial documents contains no list of individual spellings such as “the standard Mongolian form of biblical name X.” The standard form of an individual name must therefore be verified in official Mongolian Catholic sources (§3) rather than in these norms; the norms serve only as a framework for deriving a candidate when those sources are silent. (Although “LA nn.33 and 41” are sometimes cited together, n.33 is in fact the provision on capitalization; the principal provisions governing name forms are nn.23 and 41c—confirmed in §01 §0.)

2. Model layer — the Korean Catholic Church's validated implementation + general transliteration theory (source: §02)

The Catholic Church in Korea implemented the normative framework above in Korean through a working three-part structure + dual track. It provides an implementation precedent that Mongolian can adopt (§02 supports it as a model/precedent; it does not claim comparative superiority as the “closest” model).

2.1 Three-part structure (item 4 of the introductory notes, 「성경」 일러두기, to the Korean Catholic Bible)

Component Content Corresponding §1 principle
① National standard as reference Apply the government's “Rules for the Transcription of Foreign Languages” (Ministry of Education Notice No. 85-11, 1986) (local-language transliteration — principle 2)
② Original-language pronunciation Transcribe personal and place names in the biblical text according to their Hebrew and Greek pronunciation principle 1
③ Respect for conventional and established terms Broadly respect terminology established by the Episcopal Conference and conventional forms from the Common Translation (including provisional parallel usage) principle 2 (preservation of original forms / established forms)
④ Visual distinction Set transliterated proper names in Gothic type principle 4 (orthographic layer)

Detailed rules were published separately by the Biblical Committee of the Episcopal Conference as “Principles for the Transcription of Biblical Proper Names and a List of Conventional Forms and Exceptions” (「성경 고유명사 음역 원칙과 관용·예외 목록」). In other words, the practical solution consists of “detailed rules + a list of conventional forms and exceptions” (§02 §A.2; verbatim quotation from the full text of the detailed rules remains unverified—see the gaps noted in §4 of the source study).

2.2 Dual track — biblical text vs liturgy and saints' names

  • Proper names in the biblical text = based on original-language (Hebrew/Greek) pronunciation
  • Liturgical books and saints' names = based on Latin (Nova Vulgata) — the CBCK-approved glossary contains 190 “foreign saints' names” together with their Latin source forms (Petrus→베드로, Ioannes→요한, Matthaeus→마태오 …). This is transcription (phonetic approximation), dropping or softening endings such as -us/-a, rather than pure grapheme-to-grapheme transliteration.
  • General direction of revision (Common Translation→2005): movement closer to original-language phonetic values (루가→루카, making /k/ explicit; 디모테오→티모테오; etc.), consistent with stronger application of §1 principle 1.

2.3 General transliteration theory (§02 Part B)

  • Distinguish transliteration (grapheme↔grapheme) from transcription (sound→writing). Biblical practice prioritizes transcription, producing forms that target-language readers can pronounce aloud.
  • Three reference axes: original-language pronunciation / Latin (Vulgate) / target-language orthography and convention. Actual practice is hybrid, with respect for an established form (exonym) serving as a buffer when the axes conflict.
  • Consistency + explicit exceptions: “Rules first; document established forms in an exception list” (§02 §B.3).

3. Practice layer — observed Mongolian Catholic usage + orthography (source: §03)

The Mongolian spellings are based on 85 headwords consisting purely of transliterations (56 personal names, 23 place names, and 6 liturgical terms), observed in local sources (compendium: 5,323 entries; known_terms: 118; Missale: 65,186 lines). Measured against the constitution in §1 and the model in §2, Mongolian usage already follows the broad outlines of the principles, but remains unstandardized because there is no rules document.

3.1 The constitutional principles are already followed (in part)

  • Consistent with principle 1 (original-language/Latin reference forms) — Latin-based forms are officially established, such as Jesus→Есүс (Iesus) and Mary→Мариа (Maria) (known_terms.json). ✔ Consistent with §1 principle 1. (Caution: this does not confirm compliance with principle 3, the non-transliteration of the Divine Name. §03 confirms only the Latin forms Есүс/Мариа; actual Mongolian treatment of YHWH/the Divine Name remains unverified because no evidence for treatment of the Tetragrammaton was found. Non-transliteration of the Divine Name is required by the §1 norm, but has not been verified in Mongolian usage → §5 P3 and §7.)
  • Conformity to orthography (the layer of §1 principle 4) — use of consonants reserved for loanwords (к, п, ф, and word-initial в: Каин, Паул, Иосеф, Вавилон) corresponds exactly to the loan-consonant rules of Mongolian Cyrillic orthography (ф and к as loan consonants; initial в in loanwords) (§03 §4, Wikipedia, “Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet”).
  • Confirmed in official liturgical books — compendium spellings match actual usage in the Mongolian Roman Missal (grep counts: Есүс 995; Мариа 345; Иохан 306; Петр 111; Паул 90). These are not arbitrary examples, but spellings in official liturgical use.

3.2 Nevertheless unstandardized — four major defects the guidelines must address (observed)

Defect Observed evidence (§03) Prescription from the §2 model
Mixed reference bases — no single original-language standard Latin stem forms (Паул, Марк, Лук) / Hebrew forms (Иэшаяа, Иэрмэяа) / Russian-like forms (Вавилон, Андрей, Иаков) coexist Codify the dual track (§2.2): biblical text = original-language pronunciation; liturgy and saints = Latin
Coexisting variants — incomplete normalization Esther=Естер/Эстээр, Zechariah=Захариа/Зэхариа, Jerusalem=Иерусалим/Йерусалим, Cana=Кана/Канаа Consistent rules + exception list (§2.3)
Mixed transliteration and semantic translation — selection criterion undocumented Pasch→Дээгүүр Өнгөрөх (semantic translation), Kyrie→ЭЗЭН минь, өршөөгөөрэй (semantic translation), versus predominantly transliterated forms Codify rules for choosing transliteration or semantic translation
No rules document Whether an official Mongolian Catholic transliteration standard exists is unverified—usage examples exist, but no explicit written norm was found Introduce detailed “transcription principles + exception list” (§2.1)

Reading caution (inherited from §03 §3): The attribution of forms in §3.1 as “Latin/Hebrew/Russian” is an analytical observation based on their phonological form; documentary evidence for the actual path by which each spelling was adopted is unverified. The written examples themselves (table in §2) are facts confirmed in local files.

4. Agreements and tensions among the three layers (cross-layer)

Issue Norms (§1) Korean model (§2) Mongolian practice (§3) Agreement?
Existence of an individual spelling list None (delegated) Created locally as detailed rules + exception list No rules document Mongolian has not adopted §2-style detailed rules = gap
Basis for name forms Original languages + Nova Vulgata Dual track (original languages for biblical text / Latin for liturgy) Mixed bases Tracks are not separated in Mongolian = tension
Divine Name No transliteration (YHWH) “Lord” in the biblical text Latin forms Есүс/Мариа established (principle 1); actual treatment of YHWH/the Divine Name unverified Consistent with principle 1; special norm for the Divine Name is required—Mongolian usage unverified
Respect for established forms Preservation of original-language forms considered Convention absorbed through an exception channel Official forms (known_terms/Missale) exist, but no documented exception list Assets exist, but the structure is incomplete
Orthography Preserve capitalization/language structure National foreign-language transcription rules as reference Conforms to Mongolian Cyrillic orthography (rules from a secondary source; MNS unverified) Consistent ✔
Authority Episcopal Conference + confirmatio of the Apostolic See Determined by CBCK Official materials demonstrate actual usage (status as a formally approved standard unverified) glossary uses official Mongolian materials as primary sources

The key point is that the orthographic axis is already consistent (the Divine Name axis is consistent as a requirement of the §1 norm, but Mongolian usage remains unverified), while the gaps are concentrated in “structure (detailed rules + exception list) and separation of tracks.” The task for Mongolian guidelines is therefore not to invent new spellings, but to structure and normalize existing official forms.

5. Derived principles — Mongolian Catholic guidelines for transliteration in Scripture

The following are operational principles derived from §§1–4 (not verbatim commands from the source texts, but judgments applying the norms, model, and practice to the Mongolian context). Each item identifies the layers on which it is based. Together they converge the “derived principles” of studies §01, §02, and §03.

P1. Official sources first (alignment with authority)

Because the final spelling of an individual name is subject to the approval of the Episcopal Conference and the confirmatio of the Apostolic See, the glossary project uses established official Mongolian Catholic materials (known_terms.json, Missale_Romanum_MN.md, and the approved Roman Missal) as its primary sources. Where an official form exists, adopt it unchanged (do not invent). Only when none exists may P2–P5 be used to derive a candidate, which must then be confirmed by the user/an authoritative source. (Basis: §1 authority + project CLAUDE.md §1.4, “No speculation”)

P2. Dual track (resolving mixed reference bases)

  • Personal and place names in the biblical text = based on original-language (Hebrew/Greek) pronunciation, with the Nova Vulgata consulted for the traditional Latin form.
  • Liturgical books and saints' names = based on Latin (Nova Vulgata) (e.g., Есүс=Iesus, Мариа=Maria, гэгээн Петр/Паул/Стефан—actual Missale usage).

Codify both tracks to bring the “mixed reference bases” observed in §3.2 under an explicit rule. (Basis: §1 principle 1 + the Korean dual track in §2.2 + observed Latin forms in §3.1)

P3. No transliteration of the Divine Name (special constitutional rule — norm-based, Mongolian usage unverified)

YHWH is not transliterated in forms such as “Yahweh,” but is rendered with the official Mongolian Catholic equivalent of “Lord” (giving priority to the established form). This requirement is derived from the §1 norm (LA 41c + CDW 2008 letter); actual Mongolian treatment of YHWH/the Divine Name was not confirmed in §03 (unverified—§7). When applying it, follow P1 (official sources first): verify the equivalent of “Lord” in known_terms/Missale before adopting it. (Basis: §1 principle 3; not observed Mongolian evidence)

P4. Target-language orthography + priority to transcription (orthographic alignment)

As Korean uses the established national “Rules for the Transcription of Foreign Languages,” Mongolian should approximate original-language pronunciation according to Mongolian Cyrillic orthography and standard phonology—but the Mongolian reference currently rests on a secondary source (Wikipedia, “Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet”), and the original MNS national standard remains unverified (§7). Prioritize transcription (phonetic approximation) rather than pure grapheme-to-grapheme transliteration. Retain already conforming conventions such as the rules for loan consonants ф, к, and word-initial в. (Basis: §1 principle 4 + priority to transcription in §2.3 + orthographic conformity in §3.1)

Caution: Catholic liturgical and biblical transliteration does not simply follow contemporary secular transliteration conventions (e.g., John→Жон, with preference for ж), but retains traditional Latin, Church Slavonic, and Hebrew forms (John→Иохан, Jacob→Иаков). Orthographic rules apply only at the level of representing consonants and vowels; the choice of name form is governed by the P2 track. (Basis: key distinction in §03 §4)

P5. “Transcription principles + exception list” structure and normalization (adopting the model)

Adopt the Korean model (detailed principles + list of conventional forms and exceptions) by establishing a Mongolian “transcription principles + exception list.” The working rule is: “Rules first; document established forms in an exception list; also codify criteria for choosing transliteration or semantic translation.” On this structure, normalize the observed variants in §3.2 (Естер/Эстээр, etc.) against official forms. (Basis: §§2.1 and 2.3 + variants and mixed transliteration/semantic translation observed in §3.2)

6. Implementation recommendations (next steps for the glossary project — from lowest intensity)

  1. Normalization scan: For the variants observed in §3.2 (Естер/Эстээр, Захариа/Зэхариа, Иерусалим/Йерусалим, Кана/Канаа), derive candidates for a unified form using official forms (known_terms/Missale grep frequency) → incorporate into the compendium after user confirmation.
  2. Document the exception list: Record non-transliterated semantic renderings (Pasch→Дээгүүр Өнгөрөх, Kyrie→ЭЗЭН минь…) in an “adopted semantic translation” exception list → prevent the mistaken application of “proper name = always transliterate.”
  3. Track tagging (optional): Annotate only the small number of compendium headwords that need a biblical-form/liturgical-form distinction. (Not a wholesale rework—the great majority already conform.)
  4. Obtain follow-up sources (carried forward from the gaps identified in §4 of the source study): the full text of the Korean detailed rules (§02 §A.2), the original Mongolian national standard for foreign words (MNS), and evidence as to whether an official Mongolian Catholic transliteration norm exists. These would strengthen the basis for P4 and P5.

Principle: conservative incorporation—normalize only what an official form establishes; when in doubt, defer it (consistent with the project's documented preference). No invention or speculation.

7. Unverified points and limitations (consolidated from the three studies)

  • No magisterial list of individual name transliterations exists (§1)—standard forms can be verified only in official Mongolian materials.
  • Verbatim text of the Korean detailed rules not obtained (§02 §A.2)—only their existence and scope were confirmed.
  • Whether an official Mongolian Catholic transliteration norm exists is unverified (§03 §5)—actual usage examples exist, but no explicit written norm was found.
  • The original Mongolian national standard for foreign words (MNS) is unverified (§03 §5)—the orthographic reference in §4 and P4 relies on the secondary Wikipedia source (the primary standards document remains unverified).
  • Observed Mongolian treatment of the Divine Name (YHWH) is unverified (§03)—§03 confirms only Есүс/Мариа (Latin forms; principle 1), with no evidence for treatment of the Tetragrammaton. Section §1 principle 3 (non-transliteration of the Divine Name) is a normative requirement; conformity in Mongolian usage could not be verified (consistent with §3.1, the Divine Name row in §4, and P3).
  • Status of official Mongolian materials: known_terms/Missale demonstrate official actual usage (§03 §3.5), but their status as a formally approved spelling standard requires separate confirmation (authority row in §4).
  • Attribution to source languages is an analytical inference (§03 §§3, 5)—documentary evidence for the adoption history behind the Latin/Hebrew/Russian attributions is unverified; no comparison against the Russian Synodal Bible was conducted.
  • CDW 2008 Letter on the Name of God: not published in the standard vatican.va tree; its text was confirmed through the USCCB publication (§01 §5).
  • Official Korean text of Scripturarum Thesaurus not obtained (§01 §5).
  • Sample scope: The 85 observed entries in §3 are curated matches, not an exhaustive extraction of the compendium (a full extraction is a follow-up task).

8. Sources (consolidated references)

The references from all three studies are inherited and consolidated here. For verbatim quotations, HTTP status, and other details, consult the original studies (01-church-norms.md §6 / 02-korean-and-principles.md References / 03-mongolian-practice.md §6). This synthesis does not duplicate them, but points to the three studies as the SSOT.

Primary magisterial sources (§01):

Korean Catholic Church + transliteration theory (§02):

Observed Mongolian usage + orthography (§03):