Wikidata labels are simple. This is due to the necessities of the project. We need one single label to display. Having Wikidata labels with ranks, qualifieres, sources, etc. simply would not work in the UI.
Labels and names in reality are indeed extremely complex. But as already pointed out, this kind of information can be expressed with Statements, and we already have properties to do so and will probably get more such properties when the multi- and monolingual text properties get developed.
So, yes, Gerard, Daniel would be wrong if he would say that labels are simple in the world. But that is not what he said. He was simply referring to labels as they are already implemented in Wikidata, and that serve a very specific purpose - and for these, he is absolutely right to say that ranks do not apply for them.
The only purpose of labels and descriptions is to provide identifying information and to provide something to display for an item. The only purpose for aliases is to increase recall for search. I would consider having an alias containing a frequent typo absolutely OK, if it helps people find that item. They don't have to be right. They don't have to be sourced. They have to be useful.
Statements on the other hand contain the actual content of Wikidata. And those have ranks, qualifiers, sources, etc. Statemnt can contain historical names of cities, and say from when to when they were used. Queries can then some day use this information and display it within the context of a specific query. But that is not what Wikidata labels are there for.
I hope that makes sense.
Hoi,
The name was Batavia at that time in any language.
The issue is that when you fudge information in this way, you can not have proper queries. This is why Daniel is wrong and the notion that labels are simple needs to be revisited. It is not rare at all and it exists in many domains. This is why it is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Thanks,
GerardM
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