Names of Maritime Places in the city of Algiers

Any naming of places and their origins, specifically designed to meet the needs of administrations, public services, companies, and individuals, carries a national character. Such names cannot merely represent a juxtaposition of regional or administrative languages. Geographic names will only provide the expected services to a country if they are precise and accurate, if they refer to clearly defined entities, if they can be identified in the field, if they exist, and if there is an individual relationship between the place name and the assigned geographic objective. We must take this into account and strive to provide clear and accurate documentation for everyone. Therefore, names produced in a database that centralizes all information are the key to this endeavor.

We will process the data available from several institutions responsible for producing geographic data and maritime place names, such as the National Council for Geographic Information, the National Institute of Cartography and Remote Sensing, the Ministry of Environment and Territorial Planning, the Ministry of Water Resources, and the Ministry of Transport. We will compare these documents to determine whether there are unified standards for producing geographic data useful to tourists, fishermen, and seafarers.

We will then conduct fieldwork to gather information from stakeholders in these spaces, as well as the names and landmarks they assign to the coastal and maritime areas of Algiers. We will also explore the close relationship between language and place names, as this constitutes what is called toponymic language. This language plays a direct and significant role in communication within society, and place names give precise meaning to the material social space, as in “I live in Algiers.” One of the main functions of toponymy is to preserve linguistic and spatial memory.

Initially, we will rely on existing toponymic sources: general or local maps, census lists, administrative services such as postal services, road maps near the coast, scientific publications (books and journals), regional and local associations, tourist publications, and literature on Algiers and its geographic locations, especially maritime ones. Place names are useful for exchanging necessary information in both rural and urban communities. Some names disappear due to disuse, while others are created when needed. Periodic surveys and investigations are therefore essential.

Toponyms vary greatly in origin and age; many exist in dialect forms that do not match the standards of written or spoken language. It is recommended to respect their current common form, and any modification to improve the name must be done carefully and in consultation with local residents.

Additionally, field investigations will be conducted to collect maritime place names, whether new or emerging, aiming to create or update a geographic name database, at least for the researcher, which can later be proposed to the relevant institutions. The first step in the field will be to verify the names on maps and official documents against their actual use by residents and urban transport users. Field surveys provide insight into the authentic form of the place name as used by locals, including possible variations within the same language and culture.

Main objectives:

Identify public policies regarding the naming of maritime and coastal places.Contribute to the creation of a database for maritime tourism in Algeria.Contribute to the creation of a database for maritime transport of people and goods along the 1200 km coastline.Study the history of maritime names in Algiers during the Ottoman and colonial periods to assess post-independence changes and the preservation of toponymic and linguistic heritage, as well as its alignment with international, regional, and local databases.

Long-term objectives:

Transmit knowledge of maritime place names to future generations through education and the creation of a maritime map of Algeria, highlighting Algiers’ historical role as a naval power in the Mediterranean.Develop a field guide enabling institutions responsible for geographic names to operate under optimal conditions when producing maps and official documents.