Wikimedia Bugzilla is closed!

Submitted by Jeff Kinz

This is an idea to settle US vs UK spelling issue on WP.

Overview: Support both, have browser show the one desired by the viewer.


 How it would work: For authoring pages:

    AS = alternate spelling(s)

    A notation like {UK:colour|US:color} for page input and editing. 
    
    It can support as many alternate spellings,(AS), per word, as needed. 

    AS words that are not in AS notation could be detected when changes
    are submitted, and converted to AS notation automatically.

    Its possible no AS notation is needed at all.  If servers can detect
    all AS words upon submission, and set a flag on the page or set AS
    notation on the AS words, then the server can present the preferred
    spelling of the word on the page at output time**. (see below)


 How it might work: For Displaying: 

    Two possibilities.

    First method:  The WP server determines which AS the viewer wants
    and generates the page with that version of the spelling.

    Second mothod: Javascript in the page looks up the viewer's
    preference and alters the document to have the matching spelling.


    Summary:  Using both may be the most cost effective.

    1. Javascript in page looks for a preference cookie. Displays the page
       using the selected spelling style. 

    2. If there is no cookie yet, the Javascript displays the AS words 
       as clickable.  If viewer clicks on the word, a select spelling 
       style dialog is shown 


    2.  Determine preference
    3.  Set a cookie to last until end of viewers current session(s).
    4.  Page content is based on cookie preference. 


RISK DUE to IGNORANCE- 
    Are there any English words which have two meanings, but only one
    of those meanings has UK/US alternate spelling?

    By this I mean the following: Assume a word 'A' which has two
    different meanings: A-1 and A-2. 

    For meaning A-1, A is spelled 'A' in both US and UK spelling.  
    For meaning A-2 the UK spelling is still 'A'
    For meaning A-2 the US spelling is "A#". 
    

    If word A is in a page, meaning A-1, and that page is processed for
    display with US alternate spelling, the A is changed to A# thereby
    changing the meaning from A-1 to A-2.

    I don't know if any such words exist, but they may.  If any such words 
    exist then this idea cannot be used.  The problem of determining semantic
    word meanings from context is only partially solved by Bayesian analysis 
    or hidden Markov chains. And both are expensive to calcuate while neither
    produces human level quality answers.


    If no such words exist, then this solution is a viable one. 

    A word with one spelling but multiple meanings: "read" . It can mean
    "I will read the manual." or it can mean "I have read the manual."
    The first is pronounced like "reed".  The second is pronounced like
    "red".

    One word, one spelling, two different meanings, two different
    pronunciations.

    Worse, the phrase "I read the book" can use either meaning of the
    word. So programatically deciding which meaning of a word the
    sentence is using is not workable.  In this case it doesn't matter
    which meaning is used because both are spelled the same.  But that
    may not be true for all AS words.


    Here is a contrived example of a word with 2 meanings, whose spelling
    changes in one UK/US spelling style:

    Assume the word "blew" has two meanings, both are past tense.

    #1 - To strike, hit.  "I blew him down."       (I struck him down)
    #2 - blowing air.     "I blew across the cup." (I breathed across the cup)

    Assume that in US spelling meaning #2 is spelled bloo while meaning
    #1 is spelled the same way, "blew", in both UK and US.

    In converting #1 above from UK to US spelling the meaning would change:

    "I blew him down"     ( I struck him down )
    "I bloo him down."    ( I breathed him down )   {have a mint, fella!}
 
    Because the server cannot determine which meaning the UK version has,
    it cannot accurately determine which word to display for a US page.
     

    Conclusion: 

    If it can be determined that there are no English words that 
    fit the scenario above, this idea can be used. Otherwise, it cannot. 

** Or a bot can scan the WP database and set the flag on any
    pages with any AS words on them.

-- 
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Jeff Kinz, Emergent Design.    "Carpe Diem!"

"Piscis Carpe" ->"Fish the Seize"