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Darkfrog24 (talk | contribs) Use the most common name first, the less common name second. Don't use rare names at all. |
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|q={{anchors|Logical quotation|LQ}}Why does the Manual of Style recommend ''logical quotation'' |
|q={{anchors|Logical quotation|LQ}}Why does the Manual of Style recommend British-style punctuation, also called ''logical quotation''? |
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|a=The MoS [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Punctuation inside or outside|preference for this system]], to the exclusion of |
|a=The MoS [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Punctuation inside or outside|preference for this system]], to the exclusion of American style, is the subject of [[MOS:REGISTER#Punctuation inside or outside|frequent debate]]. Proponents of this rule maintain that it is more in keeping with the [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Original wording|principle of minimal change]], and less prone to misquotation, ambiguity, and the introduction of errors in subsequent editing. Many also say that Wikipedia, as an electronic encyclopedia, has specific needs that British/logical style addresses better than American style. Opponents of the MoS preference maintain that American quotation does not generally cause confusion, ambiguity, or misquotation under actual use. They also point out that this style is actively required by most American-English style guides, both print and electronic. {{cross reference|(See [[Quotation marks in English#Order of punctuation|Quotation marks in English]] for more background information.)}} Please exercise judgement if you are considering raising another discussion about quotation style. Consider reviewing [[MOS:REGISTER#Punctuation inside or outside|previous discussions]] first.}} |
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Revision as of 02:38, 8 June 2015
Wikipedia's Manual of Style sometimes has conventions that differ from other well-known style manuals and from what is often taught in schools. These differences are usually deliberate. Wikipedia's editors have discussed them in great detail and have reached consensus that these conventions serve our purposes better than those of other style manuals. New contributors are advised to check the FAQ and the archives to see if their concern has already been discussed.
To view an explanation to the answer, click the [show] link to the right of the question.
Why does the Manual of Style recommend straight (keyboard-style) instead of curly (typographic) quotation marks and apostrophes (i.e., the characters " and ', instead of “, ”, ‘, and ’)?
Readers may only know how to type in straight quotes (such as " and ') when searching for text within a page, and Web browsers do not currently find curly quotes when users type straight quotes in search strings.
Why does the Manual of Style recommend British-style punctuation, also called logical quotation?
The MoS preference for this system, to the exclusion of American style, is the subject of frequent debate. Proponents of this rule maintain that it is more in keeping with the principle of minimal change, and less prone to misquotation, ambiguity, and the introduction of errors in subsequent editing. Many also say that Wikipedia, as an electronic encyclopedia, has specific needs that British/logical style addresses better than American style. Opponents of the MoS preference maintain that American quotation does not generally cause confusion, ambiguity, or misquotation under actual use. They also point out that this style is actively required by most American-English style guides, both print and electronic. Please exercise judgement if you are considering raising another discussion about quotation style. Consider reviewing previous discussions first.
Why does the Manual of Style distinguish between hyphens (-), en dashes (–), em dashes (—), and minus signs (−)?
The use of the full range of these glyphs is normal in typeset English. The sole use of hyphens in articles would make certain constructions ambiguous (for example, an em dash meant to set off a short bit of text from the surrounding text could be confused with a compound adjective) or illegible (for example, a minus sign in a superscript is legible, but some fonts render hyphens so small that they become hard to read). The frequent use of hyphens to approximate other glyphs has been due to the mechanical limitations of the typewriter and later of computer keyboards, both of which lack keys specifically for the en and em dashes. The "Insert" editing tools directly below the Wikipedia editing window provide immediate access to these characters.