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bwburke94 Since: May, 2014
30th Mar, 2021 03:47:53 AM

Don't pothole trope names to their alternate spellings; it's fine to use the redirects in these cases, as it's what redirects are for.

(But on that note, the specific redirect Dishonoured Dead doesn't exist yet...)

I had a dog-themed avatar before it was cool.
Adept (Holding A Herring)
30th Mar, 2021 07:36:40 AM

From American and Commonwealth Spellings:

If there are strong national ties to the page in question, it's okay to standardi(s/z)e to one spelling. For instance, it's okay to change "colour" to "color" on Eagleland, and it's okay to change "program" to "programme" on British Brevity. The same goes for work pages; however, do not pothole trope names in the trope list — those should be left unaltered.

Since Harry Potter originates from the UK, and the series is even set in Britain, I think it's okay to make the change.

It shouldn't be potholed though. The British spellings of the trope names should exist as a redirect, and using potholes just makes the pages unnecessarily long.

Edited by Adept
GnomeTitan Since: Aug, 2013
30th Mar, 2021 08:54:12 AM

Actually, changing American to British spelling is not kosher. Policy says that if an example is written in American English, it should stay that way, and vice versa.

I'd make the exception that if an example switches between the two spellings, it should be made consistent (per the rule that an example should read like it had been written by a single person).

As for the actual question, I suppose that if you are using British spelling and want to link to a trope whose name uses the American spelling and doesn't have a British redirect, you shouldn't pothole it, you should create a British redirect rather than pothole it.

Edited by GnomeTitan
Tabs MOD Since: Jan, 2001
30th Mar, 2021 10:30:05 AM

  1. Changing American spelling to British is OK on Harry Potter pages since the series is from the UK and is set in the UK - item 3 in American and Commonwealth Spellings
  2. Potholing to alternate spellings is not OK. Use redirects or request a redirect be made - "Do Not Alter or Pothole the Trope Name" in How to Write an Example

GnomeTitan Since: Aug, 2013
30th Mar, 2021 11:54:40 AM

I'm not sure I agree that rule 3 (item 1 above) applies here - Harry Potter is very British, that is true, but is it really so British that some American spellings ruin the page? But nevermind - there is clearly some support for doing the change so I withdraw my comment that it's not kosher.

MichaelKatsuro Since: Apr, 2011
30th Mar, 2021 01:12:46 PM

To answer Gnome's question: Yes, I'd say it really is so British. The Harry Potter series is one of the most British things there are.

GnomeTitan Since: Aug, 2013
30th Mar, 2021 01:23:44 PM

The question is not that, but if you can write about quintessentially English phenomena using American spelling or vice versa, and I'd say you can. It would be different if you used typically American vocabulary, like calling Dumbledore the "principal" of Hogwarts - that would be jarring. But I'm not disturbed by reading that Dumbledore "criticized" something or about the "color" of his gown.

But that's possibly just me and I'm not opposed to their changing the spelling anymore. I just don't see the need for it.

Edited by GnomeTitan
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