We have checked the Al-Ahram Weekly, New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters, http://www.arabdecision.org/search_name.php (list of official names) and others for transliterating Arabic names but have not found any standard in transliterating Arabic names in Latin letters. Some publications spell names as they are pronounced and others mix between a simplified form of modern standard Arabic (Fusha) and colloquial. Since colloquial Arabic is different from country to another and even within the same country it is difficult to use the pronunciation of names as a basis for our spelling. We, therefore, suggest to use a simplified form of Fusha that will help us to transliterate names every time the same way. It means that names that are usually known in one particular spelling now may be spelled differently.

For further information about CAWU transliteration system please contact:
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