Forums:Citations/Pronunciation

Tolkien Gateway > Council > Citations/Pronunciation

I was wondering if there was a 'template' for adding citations. Often times I read a page and wonder what work(s) the 'fact' comes from. When authoring/editing, it would be nice to be able to specify that a particular piece of info came from, say, 'The Hobbit pg 123' or 'The Silmarillion, page 37' or 'Letters, page 22'. I think that this model, which seems to also be used in Wikipedia would increase integrity of info, allow an easier discern (non)canon. Also, if something seems 'fishy' and doesn't contain a citation, one could mark the section as "citation needed" (e.g. Wikipedia Syntax).

I'm not suggesting that it should be a concrete policy, but if a template existed I would definitely use it when contributing. I'm often checking the 'Recent changes' and 'Random pages' where I stumble across info and I think 'I wonder where the contributor found out that "fact"' (particularly some of the more obscure references to dates or 'character bios'). Also, since some of Tolkien's works have discripancies (e.g. details in the volumes "The History of Middle-earth" differ wildly from those in "The Silmarillion" for obvious reasons) it would allow contributors to cite which work they're drawing from and hence broaden the scope of an article. Personally, in these instances I like to think of the descrepancies as a pseudo-telephone-game where the 'teller of the tale' might have interpreted the 'facts' differently than a 'narrator' from another story; as real-life history often presents itself this way. Maybe I'm crazy but, for me, thinking of it this way adds to the mysticism of Tolkien's worlds.

Also, is there a way to specify pronunciation using a dictionary style format? For example: Beleriand (bě-lâr-ē-ānd).

It's not really the best idea to specify that some piece of info came from e.g. 'The Hobbit pg 123', since most people looking up that page in the edition they have on their shelf will find something entirely different there. In other words, there are so many different editions with different paginations of Tolkien's major works (and even some of the minor ones), that using page numbers is pretty useless, even when you do specify the edition used.

What you need is Structural Reference Format. There is also a useful discussion of the topic, with some additional links this place (if I may make so bold).

Of course, I'm all for referencing the sources of information, and agree with the reasons given by 'anonymous' (too lazy to look up the history) above me.

As for pronounciation, I'd use IPA. But then you need the proper font. (By the way, in 'Beleriand', both 'e's are pronounced the same.)

--Mithrennaith 23:49, 4 May 2008 (EDT)