Category talk:Brussels

First of all, disclaimer: I don't want to start a war about category names, nor a dispute between French/Dutch/English names ;-)

Maybe the category:Brussels and related categories could use some maintenance.

TWO topics:

1. organization of municipalities in the capital region
2. official bilingual names of the municipalities

1/ First topic, the organization of the categories: Actually, Brussels itself is only one municipality of the Brussels capital region (Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest / Région de Bruxelles-Capitale). So theoretically, this means that category:Brussels is indeed correctly in category:Brussels Capital Region. However, the other 18 municipalities are not the same as the municipality of Brussels, they are not a part of it, they are separate municipalities in the capital region. That is: theoretically. So if we want to organize it more or less (doesn't need to be that strict) according to the territorial / political situation, the 18 municipality cats should NOT be under the category:Brussels, but under the category:Brussels Capital Region; the same way as other municipalities in the country are under their province category. On the other hand, practically, the whole area has become one urban area, and municipality borders are not always "known"/"visible"/"relevant"/or how you want to call it. The current category will indeed contain "Brussels" related images that are not located in Brussels in theory. So the Buildings in Brussels will category will probably contain well-known Brussels buildings, that - theoretically - are not really on Brussels territory -- on the territory of the municipality that is, they are on the territory of the Brussels Capital Region.

So maybe we shouldn't blindly recategorize according to the theoretical/political/... situation, but think how people will find the things they need on commons, and how to organize things in a logical way, and not spread images around just because we would like to do things strictly according to some territory based structure. Being BOTH theoretically correct, and have categories that are practically and logically easy to navigate would be an ideal solution however :-)

2/ Second topic. Language of the municipality categories. All have an official Dutch and an official French name, both being equal (most names have dutch/flemish origins, but that's not an issue now). Some have their names spelled the same in French and in Dutch. For one of the 19 can use yet another name: Brussels simply has its internationally known English name "Brussels"... not the Dutch "Brussel" or the French "Bruxelles".

But what about the others:

• Dutch - French:
• Anderlecht - Anderlecht
• Elsene - Ixelles
• Etterbeek - Etterbeek
• Evere - Evere
• Ganshoren - Ganshoren
• Jette - Jette
• Koekelberg - Koekelberg
• Oudergem - Auderghem
• Schaarbeek - Schaerbeek
• Sint-Agatha-Berchem - Berchem-Saint-Agathe
• Sint-Gillis - Saint-Gilles
• Sint-Jans-Molenbeek - Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
• Sint-Joost-ten-Node - Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
• Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe - Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
• Sint-Pieters-Woluwe - Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
• Ukkel - Uccle
• Vorst - Forest
• Watermaal-Bosvoorde - Watermael-Boitsfort

(and in the municipality of Brussels, there are also Neder-Over-Heembeek, Haren and Laken/Laeken)

Is a bilingual category name an option (like the category for Vorst/Forest currently?). How is this done in some other countries/regions where two languages have the same status? --LimoWreck 00:49, 30 October 2007 (UTC)

Personally I don't care that much and I think that bilingual names create more problems than solving them. Recently, I did some clean up but don't want to get involved in a name war. I take rather a position that if the names are the way they are, then it must be logical and natural. I'd suggest to:

• create a cat "Brussels, city" to indicate the municipality
• to connect its (former) towns to it (Haren, Laeken/Laken, ...)
• create all necessary galleries that just redirect to the right categories
• change "Vorst-Forest" to "Forest, Brussels" for consistency --Foroa 07:25, 30 October 2007 (UTC)

Hmm, one example I quickly found.. contains some bilingual categories, but it is not consistent either. Category:Municipalities in South Tyrol. Anyway, I don't want to push anything or take hasty actions. Just something to think about once in a while... We have months or years before someone might eventually change this. ;-) --LimoWreck 18:30, 30 October 2007 (UTC)

And actually, for some buildings, it's already done : e.g. De Munt/La Monnaie and La Bourse/De Beurs ;-) --LimoWreck 20:19, 30 October 2007 (UTC)