Guide to etymology

[Zhen Lin]

Zhen Lin's Guide to Etymology (http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Bulbapedia:Etymology_guide).

I hope that it will be an enlightening read.

[Evil Figment]

NO

For not the first time, THE PEDIA IS NOT AN EDUCATIVE TOOL.

That means "WE USE WORD THE COMMON USERS ARE LIKELY TO UNDERSTAND", not "WE PUT UP AN ARTICLE EXPLAINING ALL THE VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN WORDS WE WISH TO USE"

[Archaic]

I'm inclined to agree there. While I'm all for more detailed explanations of everything under normal circumstances, these are hardly those. We could still include them, but either as tacked on additions to the simpler explanations, or a seperate to them altogether. Like it or not, most Pokémon fans on the net are in their early to mid teens, and can't be expected to know what we're talking about if we use relatively obscure terms like this.

[ainohuyuah]

Most users should understand the words 'corruption' and 'combination' for use in describing the origins of pokemon names and those two words should suffice for explaining names. If the parts of the pokemon's names are identified the user should be able to understand how they have been manipulated within the pokemon's name rather then having to be explicitly told through jargon that isn't needed.

[Evil Figment]

Indeed.

"Complicated jargon that is not needed" is a very accurate description of what we have here. "Complicated" and "not needed" translates directly to "let's use something simpler" as far as I'm concerned.

[Zhen Lin]

I should have noted, before I got irritated at the browser which crashed 5 or 6 times as I was typing it up, that it is a reference for those who insist on using the terms. Not a recommendation for usage.

One other thing I'd like to note is that corruption involves pronunciation change, not just change in spelling. Buru is a corruption. blu, as far as I am concerned, is not.

[Ledian_X]

I agree with the others. While it's good to know big words like that, in writing you want to use words people can understand. We're writing the Bulbapedia not just for older fans but for younger fans as well. We aren't a business school so we don't need it or the guide.

So, yeah let's just use less complicated words that are basically synonyms for the verbose words used so far. We don't need that guide. All we should do is basically toss it aside and talk in the artixcles on a level that everyone can understand.

For example, no one uses corruption in the context shown on the page. Also, I spoke to several people about portmaneau and no one knew what it meant and they were a lot older than me.

So, you see it's futile to use verbose language as people will be confused, aggrivated and agitated. It just makes more sense using words people would normally understand because 1.) our target audience probably won't get it and 2.) some older people might not like it either.

Sorry if I repeated you D, just wanted to expand on "Complicated jargon that is not needed."

L_X

Edit: And portmanteau was coined by Lewis Carrol? You're picking a word from a guy who created a world that's like some kinda acid trip?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau

[Evil Figment]

Explain to me, in simple terms, how a page about ETYMOLOGY TERMS belong in a pedia that's supposed to be about POKEMON?

[evkl]

Explain to me further why we couldn't link to a Wikipedia page simplifying it.

This entire issue of technical jargon is something that needs addressed. I'm going to tackle it this weekend.

A preview: Jargon is not acceptable outside of technical discussions. Etymology is not a technical discussion on PKMN-pages. Therefore, jargon specific to etymology is not required (although some words serve double-duty as jargon and vernacular terms.)


Edit: I'm taking that page down temporarily. And it's not coming back without severe modifications. And any coming-back will be ruled on by an arbitration panel.

[Nekusagi]

Holy crap Zhen. Only my English teacher could love that.