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November 4

Category:Domesticated pigeon breeds by country of origin

The following is an archived discussion concerning one or more categories. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on an appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.
The result of the discussion was: rename, except for Template:Domesticated-pigeon-breed-stub, which needs to be discussed at TfD. The Bushranger One ping only 23:37, 17 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
More countries
Nominator's rationale: Rename to match parent Category:Pigeon breeds, as all pigeon breeds are the domestic pigeon species. This nomination was requested by user:SMcCandlish at WT:CFD stating to match all the other breed categories, and because the current name is silly and redundant; "breed" only applies to domesticates, otherwise you're talking about subspecies or some other categorization. – Fayenatic London 21:02, 4 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The above is preserved as an archive of the discussion. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.

Early medieval works and books

The following is an archived discussion concerning one or more categories. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on an appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.
The result of the discussion was: merge and delete. xplicit 04:47, 27 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
more works
  • Propose deleting Category:458 works
  • Propose deleting Category:450s works
  • Propose deleting Category:499 works
  • Propose deleting Category:800s works
  • Propose deleting Category:850s works
  • Propose deleting Category:850 works
  • Propose deleting Category:860s works
  • Propose deleting Category:867 works
  • Propose deleting Category:868 works
  • Propose deleting Category:870s works
  • Propose deleting Category:870 works
  • Propose deleting Category:893 works
  • Propose deleting Category:910s works
  • Propose deleting Category:913 works
  • Propose deleting Category:920s works
  • Propose deleting Category:930s works
  • Propose deleting Category:950s works
  • Propose deleting Category:990s works
more books
  • Propose deleting Category:850 books
  • Propose deleting Category:850s books
  • Propose deleting Category:867 books
  • Propose deleting Category:860s books
  • Propose deleting Category:870s books
  • Propose deleting Category:870 books
  • Propose deleting Category:960s books
Nominator's rationale: merge/delete from year and decade to century level per WP:SMALLCAT, mostly just one article in a category. In many cases a merge to a general year or decade category is not needed because the article is already in a year/decade by continent category. In some cases a merge to a century books category is not needed because the article is already in a subcat (e.g. Latin, Arabic xth-century books). Marcocapelle (talk) 14:57, 4 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The above is preserved as an archive of the discussion. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.

Category:Songs written by D.O.E.

The following is an archived discussion concerning one or more categories. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on an appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.
The result of the discussion was:  Relisted at Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2017 November 27#Category:Songs written by D.O.E.. xplicit 04:47, 27 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Nominator's rationale: Seems weird to have a category about a subject whose article has been deleted. See Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/D.O.E. Onel5969 TT me 14:21, 4 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support renaming as per Starcheer below. --Richhoncho (talk) 21:15, 8 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The above is preserved as an archive of the discussion. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.

Category:Honey and Clover

The following is an archived discussion concerning one or more categories. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on an appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.
The result of the discussion was: delete. The Bushranger One ping only 23:41, 17 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Nominator's rationale: With only three articles, all of which are already interlinked, this is too few members for categorization (WP:SMALLCAT) —Farix (t | c) 14:15, 4 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The above is preserved as an archive of the discussion. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.

Alternate history categories

The following is an archived discussion concerning one or more categories. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on an appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.
The result of the discussion was: rename. xplicit 04:47, 27 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
  • propose renaming a bunch of categories relating to countries where the term is alternative fiction:
Category:British alternate history → Category:British alternative history
Category:British alternate history films → Category:British alternative history films
Category:British alternate history novels → Category:British alternative history novels
Category:British alternate history writers → Category:British alternative history writers
Category:Irish alternate history → Category:Irish alternative history
Category:Irish alternate history novels → Category:Irish alternative history novels
Category:Malaysian alternate history → Category:Malaysian alternative history
Category:Malaysian alternate history films → Category:Malaysian alternative history films
Category:New Zealand alternate history → Category:New Zealand alternative history
Category:New Zealand alternate history films → Category:New Zealand alternative history films
Category:South African alternate history → Category:South African alternative history
Category:South African alternate history films → Category:South African alternative history films
Category:South African alternate history novels → Category:South African alternative history novels
Category:Australian alternate history → Category:Australian alternative history
Category:Australian alternate history novels → Category:Australian alternative history novels
Category:Australian alternate history films → Category:Australian alternative history films
Category:Australian alternate history writers → Category:Australian alternative history writers
Category:Canadian alternate history → Category:Canadian alternative history
Category:Canadian alternate history novels → Category:Canadian alternative history novels
Category:Canadian alternate history films → Category:Canadian alternative history films
Category:Canadian alternate history writers → Category:Canadian alternative history writers
(note - I'm not 100% certain of the spelling used in Canada, so that may need to be checked first). Grutness...wha? 12:19, 4 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Other: *https://www.alternatehistory.com

I know. So I put them in "others", just had to run and there was no time to explain.--Yasnodark (talk) 16:40, 8 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
This is a run-of-the-mill WP:Specialized-style fallacy, of the kind we reject over and over again, in every venue. The most reliable sources for facts pertaining to a topic (e.g. sci-fi and fantasy) are not the most reliable sources for how to write about that subject in fairly formal English for a global encyclopedia audience. The "write like genre sources" idea is right out the window, or our articles on pop music would all be in the slang-laden and bombastic style of entertainment journalism, and our articles on physics would all read exactly like the near-impenetrable material submitted to peer review in a science journal. We just don't do that.  — SMcCandlish ¢ >ʌⱷ҅ʌ<  01:51, 9 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment. I've met both Nicholls and Langford and can vouch for their credentials - but I wonder whether either of them was deliberately aiming at anyone other than the world's biggest science fiction market - i.e., the United States? Langford does regularly use the term "alternative history" in his own publications, for example. I'd also point out that many major chroniclers of the history of science fiction use the latter term, notably Brian Aldiss, whose essay "Future & Alternative Histories" forms a major chapter in "The Visual History of Science Fiction" (ed. B. Ash). I'll also point you at this reference list (ironically titled "Alternate History Reference Material" - well, it is a US website) which lists many non-aAmerican references using the term "alternative history".
As for the online references, many of those online sources have US origins, so are bound to use the US spelling. One, interestingly, cites the BBC's use of the term (they don't - they use the term "counterfactual fiction"). Goodreads carries a handy list of tags on the page you point to: "Tags contributing to this page include: alternate-history, alternate_history, alternate-historical, alternate-historical-fiction, alternative_history, alternative-history, uchronia, and uchronie". The dictiponary sources quoted (such as thefreedictionary and oxfordreference) also have entries for "alternative history", indicating that some places use one term and others use another. Thefreedictionary is telling in this regard - it cites an American dictionary as its source for the term "alternate history" and a British dictionary as its source for "alternative history". Grutness...wha? 00:50, 8 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Aldiss's opinion is authoritative for me, but not predominant, if you personally know Nicholls and other authors of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, then I ask you to ask them what is the reason for spelling.

I do not use social networks for some reason and I give you links:

Additionally:

It is also important to know the opinions of other well-known critics: Damien Broderick, Don D'Ammassa, John Grant, Brian Stableford, Damon Knight, Sam J. Lundwall, David Pringle, Jack Williamson from his works. --Yasnodark (talk) 16:40, 8 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Please note the difference between "I have met" and "I personally know well enough to ask". In any case, the reasons should be obvious - "alternative fiction" is the predominant term in Commonwealth countries. After all, in Commonwealth English, the term "alternate" is a verb meaning to swap between two alternatives. I would avoid Twitter as a source - trying to fit a message into 140 characters means you use the shorter alternative where possible. I have myself used the appalling term "thru" to keep a message to 140 characters - that doesn't mean I use it in any other context. And, as I lined earlier, the web version of Ansible uses "alternative". I could also point out that the BSFA and Locus both use the term "alternative fiction". Not that it makes much difference - it's easy to pull individual examples which use either spelling, but the predominant usage, as already pointed out by others, is "alternative". Grutness...wha? 23:37, 8 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
PS - of the other authors you mention, D'Ammassa, Knight, and Williamson are American, so will very likely use "alternate". Lundwall is Swedish, so may have learnt his English from US or British sources, so his opinion is unbreliable. Of the others, Stebleford uses "alternative history", Pringle uses ""alternative world", and Broderick wrote an essay on the subject called "Alternatives to the Main Trajectory ". I haven't managed to find any source which confirms Grant's views one way or the other. Grutness...wha? 23:47, 8 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
You are pointing to another context of use. Ian Watson - english writer & editor

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/ian-watson/mammoth-book-of-alternate-histories.htm . *http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/separation.htm

--Yasnodark (talk) 15:16, 9 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The three British sources you list: one is for a book edited by Ian Watson but written for and published by an American publishing company (Running press, based in Philadelphia) - hardly conclusive proof. The other two (both from the same website) are from a publisher which, though based in Britain, largely sells to the US market - again, hardly conclusive. Oyher than those, all you keep doing is confirming my original point. I keep showing you British and other Commonwealth examples which use "alternative", and you keep throwing back American ones which use "alternate". There's no conflict in what we're saying - we're both simply providing more evidence that a rename is the right decision. Grutness...wha? 00:19, 10 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Let someone decide the third, independent participant in the discussion.--Yasnodark (talk) 12:46, 9 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The above is preserved as an archive of the discussion. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.

Film scores by composer

The following is an archived discussion concerning one or more categories. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on an appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.
The result of the discussion was: rename. xplicit 04:47, 27 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Full list of categories to be renamed
Nominator's rationale: This scheme of "film scores by" should be changed to "films scored by" since the articles added to these categories are about the films themselves not the film scores. StarcheerspeaksnewslostwarsTalk to me 03:43, 4 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The above is preserved as an archive of the discussion. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.

Category:Wii U emulators

The following is an archived discussion concerning one or more categories. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on an appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.
The result of the discussion was: merge to Category:Nintendo emulators and Category:Wii U. xplicit 04:47, 27 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Nominator's rationale: The GameCube was released in 2001, and that only has 1 emulator. So this category won't grow over 1 any time soon. Vaypertrail (talk) 01:53, 4 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The above is preserved as an archive of the discussion. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the category's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this section.