Template:R from colloquial name

When used inside the {{Redirect category shell}} template:

When used by itself:

• From a colloquial name: This is a redirect from a colloquial name – either an unofficial name that is more commonly used than the official name, or a title that is unsuitable as a Wikipedia article title or other project page name – that serves readers because it is a good search term. The official name is given by the target of the redirect. Note that if the target page is named using WP:COMMONNAME, then this template should not be here.
  • Pages that use this link should be updated to link directly to the target without the use of a piped link that hides the official name.

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Purpose

This template marks a redirect as one that should not be used as a link, and this template provides the official name. Any link to a redirect page transcluding this template should be changed to the official name without piping that would hide the official title.

This template automatically sorts the redirect into the following categories:

• Category:Redirects from colloquial names – should never be used in articles – only the official name should be used
• Category:Unprintworthy redirects – when a mainspace redirect is tagged

In 2003, efforts were begun to support the Wikimedia Foundation's goal of increasing access and availability of Wikipedia articles in printed versions. Redirects from colloquial names are not usually suitable for a printed version, so they are sorted to the Unprintworthy category by default. See below for what to do for those few colloquial names that are printworthy.

With a official name specified for all uses of this template, repair of links to the redirect page becomes simple: the link to the redirect page should be changed to link to the official name. Given the official name is specified for each case below, it should always be easy to fix links to these redirects.

Usage

Use this rcat template in any namespace.

• Use this redirect category (rcat) template for any redirect from an unofficial article name to the official name. Add this template to the redirect in the following manner:

#REDIRECT [[(target page name)]]

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name}}
{{R unprintworthy}}
}}

Template {{Rcat shell}} is an alias for the Redirect category shell template, which may be used to add as many appropriate rcats as needed, usually from one to seven, along with their parameters, to a redirect. For more information see the documentation on its template page. This rcat may also tag a redirect individually:

#REDIRECT [[(target page name)]]

{{R from colloquial name}}

This is in accord with instructions found at Wikipedia:REDCAT

• This template is not for simple punctuation differences – use {{R from alternative punctuation}} instead.
• There is one unnamed parameter that may be used to specify the official name when the target is different from the official name or title:

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name|(official name)}}
}}

or:

{{R from colloquial name|(official name)}}

Example:

iPhone SE 2020 iPhone SE (2nd generation) (the target, "iPhone SE (2nd generation)", is the name of a product)

#REDIRECT [[iPhone SE (2nd generation)]]

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name}}
{{R unprintworthy}}
}}

or:

#REDIRECT [[iPhone SE (2nd generation)]]

{{R from colloquial name}}

It is acceptable (however unnecessary and redundant) to specify the redirect target as the official name:

#REDIRECT [[iPhone SE (2nd generation)]]

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name|iPhone SE (2nd generation)}}
{{R unprintworthy}}
}}

or:

#REDIRECT [[iPhone SE (2nd generation)]]

{{R from colloquial name|iPhone SE (2nd generation)}}

Both of the above will change the wording from "The official name is given by the target of the redirect," to "The official name is iPhone SE (2nd generation)."

Redirect target only mentions subject:

If the target article just mentions the official name and is not actually titled with it, then this rcat is used as follows:

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name|(official name)}}
{{R unprintworthy}}
}}

or:

{{R from colloquial name|(official name)}}

The official name should also be a redirect that targets the same article or other page name. That is, if this redirect is an colloquial name, and the target article is not the official name, there should be a matching redirect page that is titled with the official name.

Example:

Virginia Western Coal and Iron RailroadVirginia–Carolina Railway; the official name is Virginia Western Coal and Iron Railway, which also redirects to the Virginia–Carolina Railway article:

#REDIRECT [[Virginia–Carolina Railway]]

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name|Virginia Western Coal and Iron Railway}}
{{R unprintworthy}}
}}

This will change the wording to "The official name is Virginia Western Coal and Iron Railway."

Redirect targets a #section or #anchor:

When the redirect is to a section or anchor within an article, then the official usage is:

#REDIRECT [[(target page)#(section or anchor title)]]

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name|(official name)}}
{{R to section}} (or {{R to anchor}} if not a section title)
{{R unprintworthy}}
}}

The official name is expected to be either the anchor/section title, or a redirect page that also redirects to that same anchor/section of the target page. That is, if the redirect is an colloquial name, and the target page title, anchor title, or section header is not the official name (the official name is down in the page content), then there should be a matching redirect titled with the official name.

Printability:

By default, this template sorts redirects into the Unprintworthy redirects category. There might be the occasional case where an colloquial name is still a good search term. Also, an colloquial title might be the official name of another subject that has possibilities, that is, a subject that may have its own article someday. To tag and categorize such an "colloquial-name" redirect as printworthy, use the unnamed 2nd parameter in the following manner:

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name||printworthy}}
{{R with possibilities}}
{{R printworthy}}
}}

  (note the two pipes together for an "empty" first parameter) or:

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from colloquial name|(official name)|printworthy}}
{{R with possibilities}}
{{R printworthy}}
}}

That will subdue the default unprintworthy category and populate Category:Printworthy redirects instead. This must be done if {{R with possibilities}} is also used on the redirect. Otherwise, the redirect will be sorted to both Printworthy redirects and Unprintworthy redirects categories, an undesirable situation.

Aliases

• Also known as... – list of templates that redirect here and may also be used

See also

• {{R from less specific name}}
• {{R from more specific name}}
• {{R from alternative name}}
• {{R from non-neutral name}}
• WikiProject Redirect/Style guide

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:R from colloquial name/doc. (edit | history)
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox (create | mirror) and testcases (create) pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.