On 28 Nov 2008, at 12:45, Andrew Gray wrote:

> 2008/11/28 Michael Everson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
>
>> I don't believe it would be preferable. to changee [[Republic of  
>> Ireland]] to [[Ireland (republic)]] or to [[Ireland (Republic)]] --  
>> I think you'd get push-back on that. I could ask, but just at the  
>> moment that might be poking the hornet's nest.
>
> Leaving aside the political overtones..

They're not mine. I'm describing what you'd probably get if you asked  
for this.

> If you're going to do bracketed disambiguation then either (country)  
> or (state) is preferable, since you're disambiguating versus the  
> island - we always use the most general term possible,

"Country" can be broader than "State" in this context; some people  
have already pointed this out during the discussion. "Ireland's my  
country" can apply to people in N. Ireland (as they see it) though  
"Ireland's the State I live in" would not.

> and (republic) is a bit precise. Using (republic) would suggest that  
> the other cases were defined by being something other than a  
> republic, which is a bit of a category error...

State is more accurate and precise. The constitution defines it as  
State. The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 specifies the use of the term  
"Republic of Ireland" as a "description" of the State.

"Ireland (state)" can only mean one thing.

I'm just saying that "(state)" is more likely to be accepted than  
"(country)".

Michael Everson * http://www.evertype.com


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