Category talk:Inscriptions by language

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Double category?[edit]

What is the difference between category:Inscriptions by country by language and category:Inscriptions by language by country?--Juan de Vojníkov (talk) 08:05, 3 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Duplicita to není - jak je vidět z obsahu. Ale ty kategorie jsou pojmenované přesně opačně, než by měly být. --ŠJů (talk) 02:13, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Opraveno, resolved. --ŠJů (talk) 02:33, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Inscriptions?[edit]

A discussion copied from User talk:ŠJů#Inscriptions?. --ŠJů (talk) 02:10, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Are you sure of this edit? An "inscription" normally means something that was carved (typically into stone, possibly into wood, but this appears to be nothing of the sort). - Jmabel ! talk 16:10, 11 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe, some better name can be chosen and the categorization can be more detailed if we had tens or hundreds photographs of every language. There exist many technologies and many themes of inscriptions, letterings, text signs, text plaques etc. but we have only two category trees related to photos of such objects by language: Signs by language and Inscriptions by language, and nothing other similar. I think, these two themes have something in common with one another, in contrast to other subcategories "by language". We need some specific category which can contain all images of texts which are really placed somewhere, distinguished from images of books, paper documents and writings which are only electronic. I think, the first step can be to group such images and photos into "Signs by language" or "Inscriptions by language" and next steps can be to find out some better name and to categorize such images more precisely. Now, the next step can be to create the category Category:Romanian language signs and move some files from Category:Romanian inscriptions there. However, some similar "real letterings" can be neither "inscription" nor "sign" in the strict sense but something of that kind. Have you some idea what is the best common name for all such images? --ŠJů (talk) 17:21, 11 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Maybe "Romanian language text"? But that would include books & documents. I'm not entirely sure. And of course the issue is the same for all languages. Maybe bring this up on the Village Pump, see if someone has better ideas. - Jmabel ! talk 00:35, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
For the present, "signs" and "inscriptions" can be sufficient (these two categories can be crosslinked for every language, or "inscriptions" can be a subcategory of "... language signs"). I haven't ambition to reorganize this theme now – I only categorize some individual images by language occasionally, especially if a foreign or minority language is used somewhere. --ŠJů (talk) 02:07, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
An inscription is physically inscribed. A legend or caption isn't necessarily inscribed (but the word "legend" is ambiguous). But how best to described non-inscribed displayed text? Man vyi (talk) 08:49, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
What means "physically inscribed"? Only an engraved, carved or relief writing? A painted, drawn or printed writing is not "physical"? Shouldn't be something like Category:Stone lettering a better category name? I'm not good in English but a dictionary implies that the carved form isn't the main specificity of the meaning of the word "inscription". Isn't more relevant the purpose and theme of the text than the physical form? --ŠJů (talk) 09:46, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

According to the OED Online, an inscription is "[t]hat which is inscribed; a piece of writing or lettering upon something; a set of characters or words written, engraved, or otherwise traced upon a surface; esp. a legend, description, or record traced upon some hard substance for the sake of durability, as on a monument, building, stone, tablet, medal, coin, vase, etc." A sign is "[a] characteristic device attached to, or placed in front of, an inn ... or shop, as a means of distinguishing it from others or directing attention to it; in later use commonly a board bearing a name or other inscription, with or without some ornament or picture. Also, a board giving information, directions, etc." Obviously there is some overlap, because signs can be inscribed rather than merely printed. I would suggest that "Category:Inscriptions by language" be reserved for texts permanently marked on surfaces by some process such as carving, engraving or etching, and not merely by mechanical printing (e.g., many traffic signs). — Cheers, JackLee talk 15:09, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Raised lettering would also not be "inscribed". - Jmabel ! talk 18:50, 12 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not sure categories of writing "by language" need to be divided as "inscribed" and "not-inscribed". Shouldn't they be rather renamed to some broader-meaning name? Something like "Signs with lettering by language"? The Czech language has an universal word "nápis" but I don't know which English word would be the best equivalent for all "fixture letterings": writing, lettering, sign, legend...? See examples:

--ŠJů (talk) 22:51, 13 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]