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Category talk:Populated places on the Navajo Nation

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... in the Navajo nation?

[edit]

I have two suggested corrections to the Category title. I am sure that the first should be made. I am less confident of the second, and wouldn't contemplate it except when changing the title anyway, for some unrelated reason.

1. Currently (1 September 2013) the category title is:

Populated places on the Navajo Nation

Shouldn't this title be:

Populated places in the Navajo Nation

with on replaced by in. I suspect this may be a [pre-Wikipedia] relic from use of Navajo Reservation, an official name in the past.

2. I have a further suggestion that Nation should not be capitalized in the title. I am less sure of the need for this second change, as my knowledge is limited to little more than general grammar rules and usage. While I certainly accept that Navajo Nation (capitalized) is a valid proper noun, there is one word (always) in the relevant Wikipedia guideline on Naming conventions (capitalization) that might be interpreted to require a change to use nation in lowercase. The following sentence appears in that guideline (WP:NCCAPS):

For multiword page titles, one should leave the second and subsequent words in lowercase unless the title phrase is a proper noun that would always occur capitalized, even in the middle of a sentence.

The guideline applie here, because it refers to page titles (not just article titles). I am emphasizing its phrase "always occur capitalized" - also italicized in the original guideline. The phrase "... Navajo nation ..." is grammatically correct and appropriate in some circumstances. Although not quite an accurate parsing, this can be considered as the regular non-specific noun nation, modified by the more specific proper adjective Navajo, comparable to English or French rather than to England or France. Is the single counter-example of "Navajo nation" usage sufficient to change the title to use "... Navajo nation" because it does not always occur capitalized? With thanks for looking at this rare thing known as a Category Talk page! ChrisJBenson (talk) 02:02, 2 September 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Some feedback

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With regard to "on" vs "in" I agree with ChrisJBHenson. The proper word to use is "in." With regard to his remarks on "Navajo Nation" vs "Navajo nation", I must, however, disagree. The word "Nation" is part of the title, just as the word "States" is part of the title, "United States." If you ever have the chance to observe any of their police vehicles, they call themselves the "Navajo Nation," "Nation" being a consummate part of the whole. Change "on" to "in," but leave "Navajo Nation" as is. It is the name they have chosen for themselves. Let us respect their choice. WordFanatic (talk) 02:55, 30 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

WP:ENGVAR applies. "On" is correct. 174.17.193.210 (talk) 23:25, 31 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]