User talk:Jonathan N Chapple

Welcome!

Welcome to the Citizendium! We hope you will contribute boldly and well. Here are pointers for a quick start. You'll probably want to know how to get started as an author. Just look at CZ:Getting Started for other helpful "startup" links, and CZ:Home for the top menu of community pages. Be sure to stay abreast of events via the Citizendium-L (broadcast) mailing list (do join!) and the blog. Please also join the workgroup mailing list(s) that concern your particular interests. You can test out editing in the sandbox if you'd like. If you need help to get going, the forums is one option. That's also where we discuss policy and proposals. You can ask any constable for help, too. Me, for instance! Just put a note on their "talk" page. Again, welcome and have fun! D. Matt Innis 01:22, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Greetings & welcome. Ro Thorpe 15:47, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Thanks both for the warm welcome. Nice to be here. Jonathan N Chapple 22:36, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Settlement names

Firstly, hullo and welcome to Citizendium. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

I noticed the changes you made recently to the Belfast and Northern Ireland articles. I wanted to get your thoughts on the subject. Although I created the article here for Belfast and included the Gaelic name in the introduction, I wanted to avoid mimicking The Other Place.

I also though that giving the alternative names in the intro was a bit unwieldy. However, I am very interested in the etymology of place names - I think it's interesting and important and deserves a separate section specifically for such a matter, or the etymology be placed in the intro to a history section. --Mal McKee 19:11, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Hi Mal, and thanks for the welcome. A happy new year to you too!

Looks like you've rumbled me – I've spent too much time over There and not enough time Here, and now I'm unintentionally mimicking T'Other Place. :) I agree that perhaps including both local names makes the intros look a bit unwieldy, and also agree that maybe they'd be better in a separate etymology section (or infobox? Do we have those here?). I presume you included the Gaelic in the intro because "Belfast" is derived from "Beal Feirste" ("mouth of the sand" or something similar, isn't it?); if that's the case, then I think we could be clearer about why that particular language has been deemed suitable for inclusion by stating "derived from Gaelic Beal Feirste..." or something like that. Or we could move both to a separate section. What do you think?

My apologies for just wading in and editing your (very good!) article with reckless abandon – I'm new to all this! Jonathan N Chapple 22:45, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

PS: It appears as aspiring hacks and guitarists with an interest in British and Irish history, rock and roll and Formula 1, we have a great deal in common! (Altho' I studied Music Journalism... I think I'd be hopeless at computing.) Jonathan N Chapple 22:52, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Hey Jonathan. I just want to point out that, although I created the article, I don't feel I own it. Sure, I own the text that I submitted, but I submitted it with the view that it could, would and probably should be altered!

I will go ahead at some point in the new year and edit the article and see if the changes illicit any kind of response or discussion. Personally, I think it would be great to see sections in articles such as this about the etymology of names. I wish I knew so much more than I do right now! And not just about Irish place names.

I like the idea of an infobox, although it might be restrictive - there are often stories associated with names. For example, I read an interesting story about the origin of the name of the town Bangor in County Down, many years ago. It may have been apocryphal or partially mythological, but things like that should be included nevertheless. The town's name came from "valley where the angels sing", around 555 AD I think as, when a Christian missionary approached the place, this is what he apparently witnessed. I think the literal translation of the name is "valley choir" or something.

I would love to have studied music (not music journalism though) - I was good at music theory in school. Alas though, I'm basically self-taught, and rely on tabulature for the guitar rather than sheet music! But yeah - good to find a soul-mate of sorts on the 'pedia! --Mal McKee 16:58, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

Welcome

Hi Jonathan, and welcome to the project! Just noticed that you've shortend your biography (user page) to a single sentence. You do need to maintain a biography, though, of 50 words minimum - you can either restore the earlier version or write something new. Regards, Anton Sweeney 14:56, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

Righty-ho, will sort. Thanks for letting me know. Jonathan N Chapple 15:20, 31 December 2011 (UTC)