transliterationShamra

TransliterationShamra refers to the practice of rendering the Arabic toponym رأس شمرا into Latin script, with particular attention to the coastal site commonly known in English as Ras Shamra. The Arabic name combines ra’s (meaning “head” or “cape”) and Shamra, the place name, describing the location near the coast where the modern Arabic designation is used. Transliteration in this context is shaped by conventions for converting Arabic script to the Latin alphabet and by the specific needs of geography, archaeology, and linguistics.

Common English renderings include Ras Shamra and Ra’s Shamra. In more formal scholarly work, diacritics may be used to reflect vowels and the hamza in Raʾs, yielding forms such as Raʾs Shamrā or Raš Šamrā under various transliteration schemes. Some writers also hyphenate or omit the apostrophe, writing Ras Shamra in everyday usage. The choice of rendering often depends on the target audience, bibliographic standards, and the transliteration system employed.

Standards and considerations: Arabic transliteration is governed by several schemes, including ALA-LC, ISO 233, and DIN 31635, each with its own conventions for hamza, long vowels, and consonants like sh (ش). For place names, publishers may adopt a prevailing national or institutional standard, or follow widely used forms in English-language scholarship. Because Arabic lacks short vowels in script, multiple acceptable renderings can exist, and cross-language references frequently include both the Arabic form ( رأس شمرا) and the Latin transliteration (Ras Shamra) to aid identification. Ras Shamra is the conventional anglicized toponym in many academic and popular works, while Ugarit remains the ancient name used in historical contexts.