Wiktionary:Criteria for inclusion: difference between revisions
major expansion |
Some updates/minor cleanups |
||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
As an international dictionary, Wiktionary is intended to include all |
As an international dictionary, Wiktionary is intended to include "all words in all languages". |
||
As a general guideline, a term should be included if: |
|||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
# Common usage is attested in a reputable academic work. |
|||
⚫ | |||
# It has been used in at least three independently recorded instances over a period of at least one year ("recorded" can mean in publicly available written texts or in audio/visual productions). |
|||
* It appears in a refereed academic journal. |
|||
* It has been used in running text in at least three independently recorded instances, whether in print, audio, video or on the internet. |
|||
In the above, ''in running text'' is meant to exclude references to a word, such as "The word ''baeiouc'' has no known meaning, but does contain all five vowels in order.'' The criterion of independence is meant to exclude made-up or exteremely specialized words that appear only in works by a given author or otherwise within a closed context. |
|||
There is a separate designation, [[protologism]], for terms defined in the hopes that they will be used, but which are not actually in wide use. These are listed on [[Wiktionary:List of protologisms]], but should not be given their own entries. |
|||
Uncommon languages are acceptable as long as they are (or were) used for everyday communication by some identifiable, natural population of humans. If the language lacks an [[w:ISO 639|ISO 639 language code]], it's almost surely not acceptable. |
Uncommon languages are acceptable as long as they are (or were) used for everyday communication by some identifiable, natural population of humans. If the language lacks an [[w:ISO 639|ISO 639 language code]], it's almost surely not acceptable. |
||
Line 25: | Line 31: | ||
For more information about formatting entries, see [[Wiktionary:Entry layout explained]]. |
For more information about formatting entries, see [[Wiktionary:Entry layout explained]]. |
||
So long as it meets the criteria above, a term need not be a single word. Any of these is also acceptable: |
|||
The following types of non-word entries are allowed, provided they satisfy similar criteria for relevance as given above for words: |
|||
* Multiple-word terms such as ''[[post office]]''. |
* Multiple-word terms such as ''[[post office]]''. |
||
* [[Idiom]]s such as ''[[Give up the ghost]]''. |
* [[Idiom]]s such as ''[[Give up the ghost]]''. |
||
* [[Abbreviation]]s, [[acronym]]s, and [[initialism]]s such as ''[[ |
* [[Abbreviation]]s, [[acronym]]s, and [[initialism]]s such as ''[[NBA]]''. |
||
* [[Prefix]]es and [[suffix]]es such as ''[[-ist]]''. |
* [[Prefix]]es and [[suffix]]es such as ''[[-ist]]''. |
||
* Characters used in [[ideograph]]ic or [[phonetic]] writing such as [[字]] or [[æ]]. |
* Characters used in [[ideograph]]ic or [[phonetic]] writing such as [[字]] or [[æ]]. |
||
A [[ |
A [[proper noun]] may be included if any of the following apply: |
||
# It is used as a noun (especially if it is commonly written without capitalization). |
# It is used as a common noun (especially if it is commonly written without capitalization). |
||
# It is used in an attributive sense. |
# It is used in an attributive sense with the expectation that the meaning will be widely understood (''a David Beckham hairstyle''). |
||
# Words or terms derived from the name are already in Wiktionary. |
# Words or terms derived from the name are already in Wiktionary. |
||
Care should be taken so that entries do not become [[encyclopedic]] in nature; if this happens, such content should be moved to [[Wikipedia]]. |
Care should be taken so that entries do not become [[encyclopedic]] in nature; if this happens, such content should be moved to [[Wikipedia]], but the entry itself should be kept. |
Revision as of 18:49, 12 April 2005
As an international dictionary, Wiktionary is intended to include "all words in all languages".
As a general guideline, a term should be included if:
- It is clearly in widespread use.
- It is used in a well known work.
- It appears in a refereed academic journal.
- It has been used in running text in at least three independently recorded instances, whether in print, audio, video or on the internet.
In the above, in running text is meant to exclude references to a word, such as "The word baeiouc has no known meaning, but does contain all five vowels in order. The criterion of independence is meant to exclude made-up or exteremely specialized words that appear only in works by a given author or otherwise within a closed context.
There is a separate designation, protologism, for terms defined in the hopes that they will be used, but which are not actually in wide use. These are listed on Wiktionary:List of protologisms, but should not be given their own entries.
Uncommon languages are acceptable as long as they are (or were) used for everyday communication by some identifiable, natural population of humans. If the language lacks an ISO 639 language code, it's almost surely not acceptable.
Since this is the English Wiktionary, all definitions should be given in English. If a non-English word has the same spelling as an English one, place all of the definitions on the same page but arrange them under their respective language headings with the English entries first. For example:
==English== ===Noun=== '''boot''' # A shoe that covers part of the leg. ===Verb=== '''to boot''' # To kick. ==German== ===Noun=== '''boot''' # Boat.
For more information about formatting entries, see Wiktionary:Entry layout explained.
So long as it meets the criteria above, a term need not be a single word. Any of these is also acceptable:
- Multiple-word terms such as post office.
- Idioms such as Give up the ghost.
- Abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms such as NBA.
- Prefixes and suffixes such as -ist.
- Characters used in ideographic or phonetic writing such as 字 or æ.
A proper noun may be included if any of the following apply:
- It is used as a common noun (especially if it is commonly written without capitalization).
- It is used in an attributive sense with the expectation that the meaning will be widely understood (a David Beckham hairstyle).
- Words or terms derived from the name are already in Wiktionary.
Care should be taken so that entries do not become encyclopedic in nature; if this happens, such content should be moved to Wikipedia, but the entry itself should be kept.