Wiktionary:Information desk

Wiktionary > Discussion rooms > Information desk

You can search in the archives of Information desk:

Click here to start a new Information desk discussion.

Wiktionary discussion rooms (edit) see also: requests

Information desk start a new discussion | this month | archives Newcomers’ questions, minor problems, specific requests for information or assistance.

Tea room start a new discussion | this month | archives Questions and discussions about specific words.

Etymology scriptorium start a new discussion | this month | archives Questions and discussions about etymology—the historical development of words.

Beer parlour start a new discussion | this month | archives General policy discussions and proposals, requests for permissions and major announcements.

Grease pit start a new discussion | this month | archives Technical questions, requests and discussions.

All Wiktionary: namespace discussions 1 2 3 4 5 – All discussion pages 1 2 3 4 5

Welcome to the Information desk of Wiktionary, a place where users can ask questions about words and about Wiktionary, ask for help, or post miscellaneous ideas that don’t fit in any of the other rooms.

To start a new topic, clicking on the “+” tab, or click here: Start a new topic.

Sign your comments with four tildes (~~~~), code which produces your signature, followed by a UTC timestamp.

For past questions, see /Archives.

Information desk archives edit
2024 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2023 January February March April May June July August September October November December
Earlier years 2022 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2021 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2020 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2019 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2018 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2017 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2016 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2015 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2014 early 2014 July August September October November December pre-2014 2006 early 2007 late 2007 early 2008 late 2008 early 2009 late 2009 early 2010 late 2010 early 2011 late 2011 early 2012 late 2012 early 2013 late 2013

November 2024

Quick question on inclusion criteria

Hi there! I'm a bit new to editing, and wanted to just have some quick confirmation before doing anything. Specifically, I've been wanting to add new senses of the following two symbols; ⎇ (subculture, alterhumanity) and & (subculture, multiplicity/plurality) but I wanted to check the attestation rules before adding such definitions, as I am not sure if "clearly widespread use" applies here, nor do I have the technical knowhow to look for attestable quotations on the web. This was mainly spurred by the existing definition for the similar subculture symbol ΘΔ.

I've already added the main widespread computing definition for ⎇ (was surprised it wasn't there before) but just want confirmation before jumping the gun adding these other two definitions, or in fact any definitions in the future. Would this be fine? Adrmcr (talk) 22:15, 3 November 2024 (UTC)

@Adrmcr It would be fine, but I don't think they'd meet the requirements for "widespread use." You are more than welcome to add them, even without cites, but if someone challenges them and no cites are found, they could be removed. Andrew Sheedy (talk) 05:45, 4 November 2024 (UTC)

Search box

There seems to be a change in the way wiktionary shows in Firefox. In particular, the search box, which had always been present in top right corner, has disappeared. It is possible to search by clicking the magnifying glass upper left, which will then bring up a box. But that is an unnecessary extra step. I use this function multple times during a session, and I'm hoping someone can put the box back where it was. THX 174.119.128.44 01:32, 29 November 2024 (UTC)

Suggested list of words is missing

Wiktionary has changed for the worst. Two things are gone that I use all the time. How do I get them back? 1. Above the entry was a place to do a new search. On the same page, with a magnifying glass symbol. I use this more than 50 times a day. 2. Suggested list of words that begin with what I have typed. This critical tool no longer exists!! Why not? I use this 100% of the time. Very powerful tool when I have only a slight idea of what it is I am looking up. Old European script provides only the first two letters of a word. I can guess the word but not how to spell it. 79.98.116.43 12:08, 29 November 2024 (UTC)

See Wiktionary:Beer_parlour/2024/November#New Wiktionary Layout for more information. Accounts can switch back to the old version I think unless you want to append ?useskin=vector at the end of each url on every webpage you visit. 115.188.72.131 06:51, 30 November 2024 (UTC)

December 2024

Assistance with an etymology update

Hi all,

New to Wiktionary - I've been learning some Woiwurring (language of my mob). I made an update to the Woiwurrung etymology, but I'm not confident I've referenced correctly/followed the correct formatting etc. I was hoping someone could take a look and let me know how to fix it up/make any required edits so I can learn from there before I make any further edits. TIA all. JakeEwings (talk) 10:08, 2 December 2024 (UTC)

How do I edit https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Template:auto_cat#top

The page https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:en:Chess has the 'English terms related to x' redirect to https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ches in the link which is supposed to redirect to chess, not ches, and I don't know how to change it 2804:14C:124:A20F:599:D76:1C3B:F89E 18:29, 4 December 2024 (UTC)

The term for a word used to refer to itself

Have been searching in vain for the grammatical term for "a word used as a name for itself", such as "cheese" in "Cheese is derived from the Old English ċēse". Should be simple to track down, but I'm flummoxed.

• So, to Google, of course. It immediately suggested autology, which is an interesting phenomenon but definitely not what I'm looking for (it refers to a word or phrase that describes itself, not one that names itself).
• A second search recommended autonymous, one of whose senses is "(of a symbol, word, term, etc) Exhibiting autonymy; used as a name for itself", which sounds exactly like the correct definition. Unfortunately, however, I could not easily find attestation of that particular sense elsewhere on Wiktionary or on another site, and the meanings that I could find on Wiktionary for that family of words are still not what I'm after.
• One of those entries links to a Wikipedia article on use–mention distinction, which definitely does address my question, and employs the term signifier (3rd paragraph of the article). Signifier, though, appears to be too broad: Lots of different entities can serve as signifiers, and they don't have to signify themselves.
• From the Wiki article on italics, we get an excellent description ("[m]entioning a word as an example of a word rather than for its semantic content"). Conspicuously absent, however, is an actual single term for this.
• Same with the article on quotation marks: An "instance of a word [that] refers to the word itself rather than its associated concept". Another good description, but still no official name for such a thing.

So it seems not even Wikipedia provides the answer. Normally, if some arcane word has ever been used for a particular concept, it can readily be found there, even if not on any other quickly accessible source. Thus I wonder whether the term I want exists at all. — HelpMyUnbelief (talk) 19:20, 4 December 2024 (UTC)

Isn't what you're referring to just a mention? As seen in use-mention distinction. 115.188.72.131 09:17, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

Of course such an occurrence is a mention as opposed to a use. But again, I'm looking for the generally recognized, unambiguous grammatical term for a mentioned word, on the same par of specificity with, say, "phrase", "noun", "postpositive", or "copula". Surely "mention" is not the name that linguists would use; it looks like a far worse candidate than "signifier". — HelpMyUnbelief (talk) 22:33, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

The other terms you mention are different because they are parts of speech thus fundamental in grammar. 2A00:23C5:FE1C:3701:C15C:F276:489D:957F 16:46, 23 December 2024 (UTC)

"Buzzword" label

IP tried to request a "buzzword" label but that discussion went silent with no action nor consensus. So, i'm going to re-request that label here, and here's what the code would look like:

labels["buzzword"] = {
	display = "[[buzzword]]",
	pos_categories = "buzzwords"
}

Examples of entries that would be labelled as buzzwords, as copied directly from IP: big data, AI, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, metaverse, internet of things, extended reality, XR (in the extended reality sense), and spatial computing.

Sincerely, 67.209.129.129 05:34, 11 December 2024 (UTC)

There was a "jargon" label many years ago, but we voted to remove it. Too vague: didn't say what field the jargon was in (computing, cookery, etc.). Your idea sounds similar to that. So probably no. 2A00:23C5:FE1C:3701:93E:A84E:6BB:94C 16:17, 14 December 2024 (UTC)

Kamikaze

I am curious to find out more about the word "Kamikaze". I came here from Wikidata where I saw this word used for leading authority of Judaism in Israel and not the Japanese WWII suicide pilot that I have always assumed it meant. How would I find more information here about the topic. For example how long have both the above been in use.

Thanks in advance, Ottawahitech (talk) 16:12, 14 December 2024 (UTC)

It doesn't mean that. Somebody has vandalised Wikidata: [1]. 2A00:23C5:FE1C:3701:93E:A84E:6BB:94C 16:15, 14 December 2024 (UTC)

How to cite a dictionary

I have just corrected the etymology of dinkus with information that I found when researching the word for en.wiki. I have used their template:cite dictionary, which is not recognised here. What should I have used? (or may I just be lazy and leave it for someone else to fix?) JMF (talk) 13:06, 15 December 2024 (UTC)

I've made some changes. You can supply further information such as the page number and year of publication. Vininn126 (talk) 14:13, 15 December 2024 (UTC)

TYVM. I'm afraid I can't improve on it because I "stole" the citation from [https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2022/07/typewriter-dinkuses.html . I have just assumed the blogger's good faith (why would they invent a citation?)

Do we have an Australian editor who has access to past editions of Macquarrie and might check? JMF (talk) 15:18, 15 December 2024 (UTC)

Imperial System Definition Feels Wrong?

The entry for imperial system defines it as "A system of measurement in use in the United States".

I'm sure the system is used in the United States, but the definition feels misleading. For example, the Wiktionary entries for pint and gallon make a point of distinguishing between Imperial pints/gallons and US liquid pints/gallons.

Not to be an imperialist but, shouldn't the definition of imperial system make some reference to Britain?

Indeed, the Wiktionary entry for imperial includes the definition "Relating to the British imperial system of measurement" which then links back to the imperial system page! Frank Boyne (talk) 05:22, 16 December 2024 (UTC)

German dialects interactive map

I'm looking for a website that provided an interactive map of German dialects through words/sentences by region with audio and IPA transcription I had seen browsing this wiki. Saumache (talk) 13:01, 22 December 2024 (UTC)

Want to add to Ukrainian entries

I'm learning Ukrainian and have seen places where I can help with definitions of certain words on Wiktionary and some words that are completely missing. I would like to help, but I guess I have two questions before I start making changes.

1. I have no background in etymology so I wouldn't be able to add those for words. I can cite dictionary definitions and inflections easily as I've seen others have done, but I don't really have any resources that I'm aware of for etymology. Does this mean I shouldn't add any new words?

2. There's one particular word that I was thinking of editing (друкувати/надрукувати) where the linked dictionary definition specifically calls out typing on a typewriter, but the definition does extend also to typing on a keyboard of a computer according to my Ukrainian friends. If the dictionary definition linked only specifies typing on a typewriter, should I just include that definition for the time being? БабаЯзя (talk) 15:16, 23 December 2024 (UTC)

If you don’t speak the language, then be exceedingly careful not to propagate mistakes. It is advisable NOT to make entries if you just started learning Ukrainian, of course this depends on your level. 46.161.82.67 15:29, 23 December 2024 (UTC)

Usually when I think of adding entries, it's only things I've run by my teacher so as not to propagate mistakes. I usually check with a Ukrainian dictionary too which I'm able to read. My level is not fluent but it's good enough to carry a conversation about a wide range of topics as I've been studying it for multiple years. БабаЯзя (talk) 15:34, 23 December 2024 (UTC)

You should also read pages such as WT:CFI and WT:About Ukrainian, but yes be careful about editing languages you don't have tons of knowledge on. You should also look to existing Ukrainian entries and editors. Vininn126 (talk) 16:43, 23 December 2024 (UTC)