Forum:Strunk and White

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→ Strunk and White

• All articles should contain correct spelling, punctuation, capital letters and language structure.
  • Articles should use British English for their spelling. Differences between UK and US spelling can be seen here.
  • LEGO, DUPLO and QUATRO should all be spelled with capitals.
  • Generally, minifigure should not be abbreviated to "minifig" or "fig".

I want to change this to (major changes in bold):

• All articles should use correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc. according to Strunk and White's The Elements of Style.
  • All other points in this MOS override those in Strunk and White.
  • Articles should use British English for their spelling, unless American English is used by a canonical source. There are some spelling differences between American English and British English.
  • LEGO, DUPLO and QUATRO should all be spelled with capitals.
  • Generally, minifigure should not be abbreviated to "minifig" or "fig".

The reason for this change is that "correct" is not specific enough; different sources have different standards. Strunk and White is considered a universal standard for English grammar, so I feel that it's our best choice.

I added "unless American English is used by a canonical source" to avoid ambiguity, but that's only a minor change that I believe is uncontroversial.

So, what do you all think? FB100Z • talk • contribs 02:12, November 12, 2011 (UTC)

• hey, why does the spelling have to be british? why not american?

Darth henry The Dojo Turtles! 02:16, November 12, 2011 (UTC)

• That's not what we're discussing here... FB100Z • talk • contribs 02:21, November 12, 2011 (UTC)

• Per this five-month discussion. And congrats to me, I actually went and dug it out. :D Jag 02:25, November 12, 2011 (UTC)
  • ok thanks, and yes i do like the MoS proposals.

Darth henry The Dojo Turtles! 02:29, November 12, 2011 (UTC)

• I guess I agree, I see no reason not to. --Berrybrick ^(Talk) 02:29, November 12, 2011 (UTC)
• Strunk and White? It may be more accurate, but I've never heard of it, and I doubt that people who are just checking out the MoS are going to look it up (or maybe I'm just weird and I'm the only one who hasn't heard of it). I agree with the American thing, but maybe it should clarify that if both British and American spelling is used, the British takes precedence? NightblazeSaber 10:42, November 12, 2011 (UTC)

• Why don't we just say use good English, because I don't think anyone will bother to read that (like I won't). And also, while I wikipedia-ed it, there are critics of the book, such as a professor at Edinburgh University (and co-writer of Cambridge's guide to grammar) and some newspapers and others. Whatever happened to, you know, just writing it in what is considered English, I don't see why we need to over-complicate it by complying to an old book that very few of us have read and that no one is going to read before editing. - - Lest we forget - CJC 13:37, November 12, 2011 (UTC)