Category talk:Conjugation and declension templates

Inflection, conjugation, and declension template names

[[:Category:Inflection templates]] are used immediately after the POS header to show the headword and a brief summary of its key forms. Most are named with the language code, a dash, the part of speech, and the inflection class (e.g. {{en-noun-reg}})), but some also include "infl" (e.g. {{en-infl-reg-other-e}}).

Most Category:Conjugation and declension templates contain "-conj-" or "-decl-" in their names and are used in a separate section to show a table of the headword's various forms.

Unfortunately, some templates (e.g. {{nl-noun}}, {{sv-noun}}, and {{fr-infl-adj}}) blur the separation of the two template types by having inflection-template-like names but displaying as a declension table.

For consistency, I propose the following naming conventions for inflection, conjugation, and declension templates:

• Inflection templates are named with the language code, followed by a dash and the part of speech, followed optionally by a dash and the inflection class.

  Examples: {{en-noun-reg}}, {{fr-adj}}

• Conjugation templates are named with the language code, followed by "-conj-", followed by the conjugation class.

  Examples: {{la-conj-1st}} and {{es-conj-ar}}

• Declension templates are named with the language code, followed by "-decl-", followed by the declension class.

  Examples: {{de-decl-noun}} and {{la-decl-3rd}} after their language code.

For yet more consistency, I hope we can decide whether the inflection line should consistently display as a table (like {{en-noun2}}) or like a traditional dictionary inflection line (like {{en-noun-reg}}). I expect that issue has been discussed at length to no resolution. If we have agreed to disagree regarding the traditional/table style for inflection lines, I propose we use CSS magic to allow users to choose whether they want to see tables. How does that sound? Rod (A. Smith) 19:33, 27 May 2006 (UTC)

Fine, but {{nl-noun}} is an inflection template, for usage on the inflection line. —Vildricianus 19:51, 27 May 2006 (UTC)

Great. I was confused because it displays a declension table. I suggest moving the declension table from it into {{nl-decl-noun}}, which would display in its own "Declension" section to match the format of languages with large declension and conjugation tables. I'd be quite happy to do the work, but I think I need approval before I start splitting up templates like that. Does that sound OK to you? Rod (A. Smith) 20:51, 27 May 2006 (UTC)

I see you're meaning to introduce more uniformity across languages. I can only encourage that :-). I thought the table to the right of the inflection line was pretty nice, but it's probably equally nice in its own section. —Vildricianus 00:13, 28 May 2006 (UTC)

When to use them

Now that there is agreement on the splitting of {{nl-noun}}, when is one supposed to use the templates? I think it is nice when one uses only one template, and both the inflection line and a table result. If there is the possibility for both, which one should be used? There is a lot of inconsistency across languages here, as can be seen in e.g. kalender, where Dutch and Norwegian use an inflection line template, but Swedish has a table. Should a table be added for D and N too, or an inflection line for S, or both? henne 17:42, 6 November 2006 (UTC)