The BGN/PCGN romanization system for Belarusian is a method for romanization of Cyrillic Belarusian texts, that is, their transliteration into the Latin alphabet.
There are a number of systems for romanization of Belarusian, but the BGN/PCGN system is relatively intuitive for anglophones to pronounce. It is part of the larger set of BGN/PCGN romanizations, which includes methods for 29 different languages. It was developed by the United States Board on Geographic Names and by the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British Official Use. The portion of the system pertaining to the Belarusian language was jointly adopted by BGN and PCGN in 1979.
This romanization of Belarusian can be rendered by using only the basic letters and punctuation found on English-language keyboards: no diacritics or unusual letters are required, but the interpunct character (·) is optionally used to avoid some ambiguity.
The following table describes the system and provides examples.
Belarusianletter Romanization Special provision Examples А (а) A (a) None Антон = Anton Вілейка = Vilyeyka Б (б) B (b) None Брэст = Brest Дубна = Dubna В (в) V (v) None Віцебск = Vitsyebsk Асіповічы = Asipovichy Г (г) H (h) None Гродна = Hrodna Брагін = Brahin Д (д) D (d) None Добруш = Dobrush Ліда = Lida Е (е) Ye (ye) None Гомель = Homyel’ Беліца = Byelitsa Ё (ё) Yo (yo) None Ёдкавічы = Yodkavichy Нёман = Nyoman Ж (ж) Zh (zh) None Жлобін = Zhlobin Ружаны = Ruzhany З (з) Z (z) None Зоя = Zoya князь = knyaz’ І (і) I (i) None Ігнат = Ihnat Мінск = Minsk Й (й) Y (y) Belarusian names do not normally begin with this letter. This may happen in Belarusian renderings of foreign names, though. Йосель = Yosyel’ Койданава = Koydanava К (к) K (k) None Крапіўна = Krapiwna Менск = Myensk Л (л) L (l) None Лаўна = Lawna Лёсік = Lyosik Купала = Kupala Вілейка = Vilyeyka Міхал = Mikhal Вільня = Vil’nya Лепель = Lyepyel’ М (м) M (m) None Магілёў = Mahilyow Няміга = Nyamiha Н (н) N (n) None Наваградак = Navahradak Баранавічы = Baranavichy О (о) O (o) None Орша = Orsha Востраў = Vostraw П (п) P (p) None Пінск = Pinsk Дняпро = Dnyapro Р (р) R (r) None Рагачоў = Rahachow Сураж = Surazh С (с) S (s) None Смаляны = Smalyany Арэса = Aresa Рось = Ros’ Т (т) T (t) None Талочын = Talochyn Масты = Masty У (у) U (u) None Уладзімір = Uladzimir Бабруйск = Babruysk Ў (ў) W (w) None Быхаў = Bykhaw Воўпа = Vowpa Іўе = Iwye Ф (ф) F (f) None Фолюш = Folyush фортка = fortka Х (х) Kh (kh) None Хатынь = Khatyn’ Быхаў = Bykhaw Ц (ц) Ts (ts) None Ганцавічы = Hantsavichy Стоўбцы = Stowbtsy цьмяны = ts’myany мясцовы = myastsovy Астравец = Astravyets Прыпяць = Prypyats’ Ч (ч) Ch (ch) None Чэрыкаў = Cherykaw Шчара = Shchara Нарач = Narach Ш (ш) Sh (sh) None Шклоў = Shklow Ашмяны = Ashmyany Ы (ы) Y (y) Belarusian names do not normally begin with this letter. It may happen in Belarusian renderings of foreign names. Ыттык-Кёль = Yttyk-Kyol’ Кобрын = Kobryn Солы = Soly Ь (ь) ’ This character does not occur in the beginning of a word. Копысь = Kopys’ рунь = run’ Э (э) E (e) None Эйсманты = Eysmanty Крэва = Kreva Ю (ю) Yu (yu) None Юры = Yury уюн = uyun Я (я) Ya (ya) None Язэп = Yazep Івянец = Ivyanyets ’ ’’ This symbol denotes the absence of palatalization and is not a part of the standard alphabet. з’езд = z’’yezd Зг (зг) Z∙h (z∙h) The use of this digraph is optional. Кг (кг) K∙h (k∙h) The use of this digraph is optional. Сг (сг) S∙h (s∙h) The use of this digraph is optional. Тс (тс) T∙s (t∙s) The use of this digraph is optional. Цг (цг) ts∙h (ts∙h) The use of this digraph is optional. Ґ (ґ) G (g) This character is obsolete.
References
See also Belarusian language Belarusian Latin alphabet Romanization of Belarusian List of cities in Belarus