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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by William Allen Simpson (talk | contribs) at 14:21, 18 April 2006 (new debate: revised reply to match alternative). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

April 15

The old name was ugly & awkward. The new name's a big improvement, but still not perfect. —Markles 20:34, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Subdivisions to appropriate divisions

In the United States, and probably in all of English language geography, a "subdivision" is a division of a piece of land or plat. The correct terminology is Administrative division or Political division.


Relisting of entire kit and kaboodle on the advice of the closer at Wikipedia:Categories for deletion/Log/2006 April 4 and Wikipedia:Deletion review. --William Allen Simpson 18:09, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]


These are the current subcategories to be included in Category:Administrative divisions by country:

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

Z


By definition, some countries cannot be classed directly in administrative divisions, where the political divisions are sovereign states. These are the proposed subcategories of existing Category:Political divisions by country:
However, since there are so few, many have expressed a preference for merging the categories. As an alternative, these could be included in Category:Administrative divisions by country with careful naming of their respective subcategories. Please indicate your preference respecting these alternatives:
Old Debate
new debate
Comment - To address the concerns over the reuse of the old debate/votes, I am closing off the above sections. These will be considered as historical reference only. Please begin the debate anew below. Notices will be sent out to all who participated in the original debate. Pro, Con, and Neutral. Please debate below the proposal as it is now on the table. The arguments above over whether the relisting is partial or full are now moot. This is a new debate, about the current proposal. - TexasAndroid 20:24, 17 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support -- as nominator -- asking that folks not alter the listing, but instead give clean, clear, and cogent descriptions here, instead. There are several remaining technical questions (the same as the previous listing on April 4) to be addressed by experts in the particular regions. --William Allen Simpson 23:07, 17 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose: The current Category:Subdivisions of Japan is better than Category:Administrative divisions of Japan as not all of the divisions listed there are administrative. Some are geographical, some are political, and some are administrative. Some of the geographical overlap multiple administrative and political divisions. Changing the current name would only confuse things unless a better name can be thought up. --日本穣 Nihonjoe 23:13, 17 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • These are terms of art. Did you read the administrative division definition? (Please ignore the recent Conradi changes to influence the debate, they are often inaccurate.)
      1. It is my understanding that Japan is a sovereign state.
      2. There are no separate nationalities within Japan, so there are no political divisions. (Conradi keeps changing the definition from nation to country, so ignore that page for now, you'll need a textbook instead.)
      3. According to the CIA World Factbook, the top level administrative division, 47 prefectures, are not sovereign states. So, these are not "political division" of Japan.
      4. Looking carefully at the pages in the category, each of these articles appear to be administrative divisions. Even regions overlapping cities and towns are actually administrative.
      5. Without a formal definition for geographic division or geographical division, it does not appear either of these apply to Japan.
      • Please remember to use terms of art, not arbitrary wikipedian phraseology.
        --William Allen Simpson 01:11, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
        • What do you mean by "These are terms of art"? That sentence makes absolutely no sense. We're talking about subnational divisions within countries, not painting or pottery.
        1. Yes, Japan is a sovereign state, but what does that have to do with this discussion?
        2. The Ainu consider themselves as separate from the whole of Japan, though the number of Ainu who aren't integrated into the rest of Japan is rapidly dwindling.
        3. As for the prefectures not being considered political divisions, did you read the definition? Prefectures clearly qualify as political divisions, as they are at the same level as states in the United States. Based on the definition on that page, an "administrative division" is simply a smaller "political division".
        4. Category:Regions of Japan covers many divisions in Japan that are geographic, not political or administrative. These geographic regions often include pieces of multiple political and/or administrative divisions, similar to the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, or Sub-Saharan Africa. These areas are absolutely not adminsitrative divisions, and in many cases aren't even subnational divisions as they encompass multiple nations.
        5. Perhaps we should all put our heads together and come up with a geographical division article. It seems like we need one based on the discussion here.
        • Again, I have no idea what you mean when you say to "use terms of art." What does that even mean in this context? --日本穣 Nihonjoe 02:22, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
          • Apparently, there is an English language problem here. Please read Term of art. These are legal and political science terms.
            1. It is the basis of administrative division.
            2. I see no articles or subcategories of Category:Subdivisions of Japan regarding Ainu. Do the Ainu people have their own sovereign state?
            3. Pardon my ignorance. Since Prefectures of Japan currently declares that the "Local Autonomy Law of 1947" governs administrative divisions ("established most of Japan's contemporary local government structures"), perhaps the articles are incorrect and must be re-written. Can each prefecture define its own laws? Independently change the names of cities, counties, and districts? Reorganize its internal borders without consulting the government of Japan? Enjoy sovereign immunity from suit by the residents of other prefectures? (Without these qualities, among many others, prefectures are not "the same level" as states in the United States.)
            4. It is entirely possible that Category:Regions of Japan is wrongly categorized, and belongs in Category:Geography of Japan.
            5. WP:NOR, it is not up to anybody here to "put our heads together". Please cite your academic sources for these previously unknown terms of art.
          • Please remember to use terms of art, not arbitrary wikipedian phraseology.
            --William Allen Simpson 01:11, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
        • Looking more carfully would have revealed to Willy that the region article states the regions are not official. How can they be administrative then?
        • Willy once again makes a claim without evidence, I cannot see where I changed the definition of nation, furthermore Willy wrote this term in brackets next to the term nationality - so I am not sure to which term he wanted to refer. Maybe Willy can provide more background .Tobias Conradi (Talk) 01:18, 18 April 2006 (UTC), changed words in italics Tobias Conradi (Talk) 02:02, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose
    1. don't split into Administrative divisions and Political divisions
    2. Some country subdivisions are neither administrative nor political, see Instantnood and Nihonjoe.
    3. the term "division (subnational entity)" is used specific country subdivisions in India, Myanmar, Bangladesh and historicly Pakistan. The rename would result in the Administrative divisions of India being a subcategory of Administrative divisions of India
    4. Administrative division can also apply to non-territorial divisioning (of government occupation areas, i.e. Defense, Interior)
    5. see talk:Country subdivision to find that Willy's claim that "subdivision" in geography refers allways to Housing subdivisions is not true. It seems this is an US / real estate centric point of view.
    6. The move is really is mass move. If renames are necessary, they should be taken with more care. It effects not only more than 100 categories, more than 100 articles pages, templates and in the end Wikiprojects that use the name. Minister of war started a discussion at: Category_talk:Subdivisions by country, furthermore there is a corresponding Wikipedia:WikiProject Country subdivisions which Willy knows. Tobias Conradi (Talk) 01:18, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment -- again, as I have elsewhere, I object to the abusive namecalling, and derogatory diminuative form of my name. Since Conradi has persisted, I will again initiate separate proceedings against him. Please ignore his ill-informed diatribe. It appears to be nearly identical to his last comment in the closed portion of the debate.
    --William Allen Simpson 01:34, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • If you would have choosen a shorter user name I would maybe write it in full. You don't write my full name neither. You object to abusive name calling? What do you refer to? Have fun with your separate "proceedings". What will they be? Sending missiles to Berlin? You seem to be a little bit unrelaxed. What do you mean by diatribe as mentioned in the edit summary? I remember you classified my english at least two times as of minor quality. It seems you really speak a different english to mine. And your distance to facts seems to be bigger. Because you claim and claim and claim, but if asked for backgound obstain, obstain, obstain.
    • Let's be productive on content. Let's dicuss at project page and the talk page that Minister of War started. Tobias Conradi (Talk) 01:54, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • comment. from what s come up thus far, the phrase "subnational divisions" works best, allowing for inclusion of non-administrative yet recognized areas that may exist within a sovereign country Mayumashu 03:31, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, although I would prefer Category:Political and administrative divisions of Foo to avoid wrangling over what is a political vs administrative. Subnational divisions of Foo would also be OK per Mayumashu. Subdivisions has got to go, unless we preface it with what kind of subdivision (i.e. political or administrative). Luigizanasi 06:01, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • I would be amenable to using the term "administrative division" for everything (the CIA World Factbook does), however:
      1. that is sometimes considered too US Centric (probably because of the CIA) and therefore politically incorrect.
      2. Several areas of the world seem to pursue (as in fighting wars over) their states' political autonomy (see the five listed above).
      3. The term "subnational" is already in use for another purpose, such as disputed areas of Armenia and Kurdistan.
      4. The term "subnational" is rarely used in the US, as we have independent nations that coexist with states by treaty (indigenous populations).
      5. My parents still talk about a skirmish over national identity (called WWII) overseas, and the horrors of nationalism. Therefore, the term nationality is frequently replaced by ethnicity.
      --William Allen Simpson 12:10, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose. Prefer a single term for all categories. Otherwise we risk discussing whether the Netherlands have political or Administrative divisions. Subnational divisions as noted above is a way to achieve uniformity. Also, two additional points: 1) Why are we not having this discussion on Category talk:Subdivisions by country as I proposed last time? If we're just going to vote over this there is probably no consensus. If we discuss it, we might reach one. Also, the clutter we're creating on this page is astounding. 2) I suggest you both, Tobias and William, have a cup of tea, this is really unbecoming. The Minister of War (Peace) 07:30, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • I would be amenable to using the term "administrative division" for everything (the CIA World Factbook does), however:
      1. There is simply no question whether the Netherlands are sovereign, or consist of federally independent sovereign states. This is a straw man.
      2. We had a strong consensus last time, until Conradi brought 3 more folks here at the last moment.
      3. A single person (Conradi) created most of these categories, without following the established process.
      4. According to the findings of his RfC, "Unfortunately he has poor English skills and has lost track of things since he was in a particularly ugly dispute. He sounds like a newbie, but that can't be assigned here since he has over 17,000 edits."
      5. If you are accusing me of something, please be specific. I spent a lot of time gathering the data, and now more time explaining basic definitions here. Wikipedia is not a democracy, it is an encyclopedia.
      --William Allen Simpson 12:10, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
      • My short answer: If we were to use one single term, I certainly will support. I'd prefer the term "subnational" (despite the fact that nation != country, the term subnational is the most often used, and unambiguous in itself). Administrative divisions also sounds good.
      • My long answer:
        1. You're missing my point. The Netherlands is not federal, but does have Political Divisions (with a somewhat federal history I might add). Distinguishing between "Political" and "Administrative" will only lead to long discussion on what the difference it is. The fact that you have clearly delineated ideas of how those lines run, does not mean they are apparent from the terms themselves. They would require clarification, which would lead to all kinds of horrible discussions; on Netherlands but also elsewhere.
        2. I disagreed with your use of different terms then, as I do now. Furthermore, Tobias is free to bring in interested people, as are you, as am I.
        3. Could be. But I seemed to remember him being part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Subnational entities, so I assumed good faith in that it had been discussed there.
        4. & 5. I dislike placing any derogatory remarks on any user, even if (especially if) he admits to his faults. Especially your encouragements for people to "Please ignore his ill-informed diatribe" are particularly unbecoming. I can assess arguments quite well on my own. The Minister of War (Peace) 12:48, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
        • Short reply: since one (1) prominent source (the "CIA World Factbook") uses "Administrative divisions" for US States, as well as China and Venezuela, I will support using only "Administrative divisions", and will list that alternative in the proposal.
        • Long reply:
          1. All divisions of government are political. Terms of art are often confusing to folks not familiar with them. Try "strange quark".
          2. No, folks have been suspended by ArbComm for vote trolling.
          3. That may not have been a good assumption. The only source for "subnational entity" is Wikipedia itself. Heavy sigh. Referencing Wikipedia will actually lose you points on your papers for State and Local Government here at the "Harvard of the Midwest" (hint: I've discussed it with the professor across the dinner table, and she's notable enough for her own Wikipedia entry). I'm just trying to improve the state of affairs....
          4. & 5. It is best to bring the issues to light, as otherwise folks are unable to come to their own conclusion, being uninformed of the prior pattern of behaviour. For example, they might unwittingly assume good faith.
          --William Allen Simpson 14:04, 18 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Rename. "faculty" is preferable to "professors" - most category:Faculties by university in the United States use it. initialism should be spelled-out as well, as per convention Mayumashu 16:37, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

  • Rename "Professor" should not be used om category names as it is not in itself a cause of notability and it is not used in the same way in all countries. Bhoeble 22:11, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Rename, but please consider using "academic staff" instead of "faculty" (Category:Harvard University academic staff etc), despite this being British rather than American English. "Faculty" generally has the meaning of a subdivision within a university. Only American English uses it as a collective noun for the teachers/researchers of a university. That would make it fine to use for referring to U.S. institutions, if it weren't for the fact that American universities also use "Faculty" with the traditional meaning (e.g. Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences). It gets particularly confusing when the supercategory uses the plural "faculties". Tupsharru 23:17, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
a valid concern, i d also say - will nominate a name change to Category:Academics by university - "academic staff" doesn t has any advantage over "academics", does it?
No, that's fine. I was just thinking in terms of another collective noun, but "academics by university" is certainly better. Tupsharru 00:38, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

remaining Professors category pages

Rename all. In November Category:Professors was deleted (see the discussion here[4] - it has since been resurrected but as a redirect category page) the nomination here is to complete the renaming and merging of professor category pages to sub-categories of Category:Academics. a professor is a job title and having one is not encyclopedic whereas being a prominent academic (within one's field) is. Mayumashu 15:28, 15 April 2006 (UTC) here is the list for rename/merge:[reply]

  • Rename all per nominator (I assume "Professors by subject" and "Professors by nationality" will go to "Academics by subject" and "Academics by nationality"; might want to amend the nomination for completeness). --Trovatore 16:15, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
they won t need to since the entire content of both pages is included in this nominationMayumashu 16:25, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
I don't follow. Are you saying those cats will be simply deleted? Surely the same arguments against the word "Professor" apply to them too. --Trovatore 17:27, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
the two cat pages do not hold any article pages because, due to how they are named, they list (only sub-)category pages of professors by subject and profs by country. Category:Professors page however listed article pages, the bios of profs, whose links have not been sorted (yet) by subject and or nationality. i don t think i can explain it clearly really (and i m an english linguist, sadly) but by visting the three cat pages you ll see how there s no problem involved. Mayumashu 02:38, 17 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Rename all but move critical theory professors to critical theorists (the nominator suggests moving the sole critical theorist to literary crtic, which I disagree with). Critical theory is an interdisciplinary subject, so everyone who ought to be in this category will also be in another academic category (compare Category:Game theorists). This is nonetheless a very big field which diserves a category on wikipedia. --best, kevin [kzollman][talk] 16:54, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
will oblige Mayumashu 16:56, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Rename all per nom. Bhoeble 22:08, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Rename all per nomination. Tupsharru 23:23, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Rename all per nomination. I note in passing that the Category:Chemists is rather confusing with its sub-categories. I'll raise a discussion on the Chemistry WikiProject. --Bduke 00:50, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Rename all per nom. David Kernow 09:45, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Rename as suggested. --Ed (Edgar181) 11:09, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose. "Academics" primarily refers to subjects in American English, not people, such that the abstract phrase "legal academics," for example, would most likely be read as the study of the law rather than those who study it. I'd support renaming to "academicians" instead because that word only refers to people, while "academic" is comparatively inobvious and ambiguous (as much if not more so than "professor" is in British English). Postdlf 15:52, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • Comment I'm an American, and I don't hear it that way. An academic is only a person. It is a little unfortunate that there's this other meaning in the plural, but I think that's liveable-with. An "academician" on the other hand is a member of a formal academy, such as the National Academy of Science. BTW the problem with "professor" is not really ambiguity; it's the fact that it's a job title as opposed to a job description. --Trovatore 18:11, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • Comment I'm also a native Am-English speaker, raised in an academic family, and my first interpretation of "legal academics" would be academic people who study law. I do see the ambiguity, however. Although I prefer the ambiguity over the term "academician". --best, kevin [kzollman][talk] 18:57, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • Rename all per nom. Scranchuse 01:48, 17 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Currently empty with little scope of growthDrdan 15:27, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Small with little scope for growthDrdan 15:27, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Small with little scope for growthDrdan 15:27, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I know it's unusual to propose deletion just after the previous CfD ended, however, there's one important thing that wasn't considered in the previous debate: the category consisted of a set of about a dozen related articles which I found while browsing around, but later all were redirected to Flight controller, which is the only article left on the category. With that, the category became pointless. Delete. cesarb 13:45, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Moved from speedy after objection. --Syrthiss 13:18, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"Visitor attractions" is a much more common category name. There is no category:Famous locations for this to slot into. Honbicot 09:19, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The band's name is The Stone Roses, so a "The" needs to be added to the category (per e.g. Category:The Beatles albums). kingboyk 07:13, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Duplicates. "N.W.A" is a mistake as it's an acronym so should be "N.W.A." kingboyk 05:57, 15 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]