[WikiEN-l] City names argument resurrected

Tue Mar 25 16:40:45 UTC 2003

Tim Starling wrote:

> Fellow Australian Tannin (Tony Wilson) and I were confused as to the 
> naming of Canberra -- why is it [[Canberra, Australia]] rather than 
> just [[Canberra]], since there is only one in the world? It turned out 
> that Karen Johnson had moved the article to [[Canberra, Australia]] 
> before either of us came here. Tannin, Karen and I discussed the 
> matter on Karen's user page. I'm keen to move every non-ambiguous name 
> (e.g. Canberra) and every predominantly Australian name (e.g. 
> Brisbane) to the simple [[Canberra]] or [[Brisbane]]. Karen said it 
> was fine with her, as long as I can "persuade people to agree". So 
> here I am.
>
> Are there any objections to my setting a new standard for Australian 
> city and town names, favouring simple names such as [[Canberra]]?

I object because it takes these Australian city names as though they 
were the only uses of those names.  There was certainly a well-lnown 
military aircraft called the Canberra.  Perth is also a significant city 
in Scotland.  Sydney, Nova Scotia was at least big enough for an English 
travel agent to mistakenly send a young honeymooning couple there a year 
or two ago.  

Eclecticology