I think that's a great system, but somewhat complicated. Is there a simpler solution with similar results or another way to explain it?
--- Tony Wilson list@redhill.net.au wrote:
The place where we *will* have problems is demarkation. At what point do we draw the line between the "specialist" entries and the "general" entries? This is a potential breeding ground for edit wars.
If we can discuss this in advance and work out a policy *before* we run into disputes, then the disputes need not happen.
My suggestion is that we should start from the idea that if the intention of the article is to single out that *particular* *species* as opposed some *other* species, then capitalisation is correct.
On its own, that's not quite enough to make a workabe guideline, so let's work some examples.
First, consider the case of the bald eagle as the symbol of the United States. If that is coming from an entry about the President of the USA, it should normally be down style. (I can think of some unlikely hypothetical exceptions, but they are just that: unlikely and hypothetical.)
Now, what about a more difficult example: Mav's case of an article on the US parks system that mentions the bald eagle. Seems to me that if we are talking in generalities, then "bald eagle" is correct. If, on the other hand, we are talking about specific species in a context where exact identifiication of that species matters
- say, the parks
service having to decide if they should prioritise scarce financial resources to the preservation of either the Bald Eagle or the Golden Eagle - then correct capitalisation to distinguish between the species is appropriate. Here is a rule of thumb to help decide: if you could sensibly replace "bald eagle" in the sentence with "Haliaeetus leucocephalus" and not have it seem horribly out of place, then you should capitalise. If "Haliaeetus leucocephalus" is clearly inappropriate, then you should *not* capitalise.
My thanks again to Mav for a handsome compromise offer. I think this one will fly.
Tony Wilson (Tannin)
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