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Category:Redirects From Plurals

Category: Redirects from plurals

One might optimistically assume that the fundamental principles of language, particularly those concerning singular and plural forms, are universally understood. Yet, here we are, with a dedicated maintenance category for redirects specifically designed to address instances where users, or perhaps even editors, insist on navigating the encyclopedia through the lens of plurality. This category, aptly named "Redirects from plurals," serves as a rather stark reminder that the path to knowledge is often paved with linguistic inconsistencies and the occasional grammatical shortcut.

Its primary function is to house pages that act as redirects from words or phrases expressed in their plural form, guiding the unwitting or the linguistically adventurous to their correct, singular counterparts. It’s a necessary bureaucratic measure, ensuring that if one were to search for "dogs," they would, without unnecessary friction, be led to the definitive article on "dog." This isn't just a matter of convenience; it’s an attempt to impose a semblance of order on the often-messy landscape of user input and common search patterns.

Implementing and Managing Plural Redirects

For those who find themselves tasked with contributing to this magnificent edifice of information, adding a redirect to this category is a process that demands a certain, almost ritualistic, adherence to protocol. One must meticulously place the {{[Rcat shell](/Template:Rcat_shell)|{{[R from plural](/Template:R_from_plural)}}}} template. This seemingly arcane incantation is to be inserted on the second new line—yes, the second new line, implying a skipped line for aesthetic or programmatic reasons—immediately following the #REDIRECT [[Target page name]] directive. This ensures the redirect is correctly classified and can be tracked by the system, rather than simply floating in the digital ether.

It’s crucial to understand that this is not an invitation to creative interpretation. For comprehensive guidance on the intricacies of redirect management, one would do well to consult the supplementary documentation. Specifically, the complete list of redirect templates offers a dizzying array of options, while the redirect style guide attempts to rein in the more chaotic impulses of editors. A word of caution, delivered with the gravity it deserves: one must never substitute redirect template(s). This is not a suggestion; it is a directive. The system relies on these templates remaining in their original, un-substituted form for proper functioning and tracking. Furthermore, these templates are strictly for standard redirects and should never be deployed on soft redirects, which operate under a different set of rules and are typically used for inter-wiki or external links, not internal disambiguation.

The Nature of This Category: Behind the Curtains of Wikipedia

This category is not, as some might mistakenly believe, a part of the grand tapestry that forms the encyclopedia itself. It exists solely as a maintenance category, a utilitarian construct dedicated to the ongoing maintenance of the Wikipedia project. Its contents are decidedly non-article pages, or, at best, they group articles not by their subject matter, but by their status within the intricate backend of Wikipedia. Think of it as the dusty filing cabinet in the basement, essential for operations but hardly the main attraction.

Consequently, this category should never be haphazardly included in standard content categories. Its purpose is distinct, separate from the organizational schema that categorizes actual encyclopedic content. The only exception, a concession to logical consistency, is for eponymous maintenance categories, which are, by their very nature, self-referential.

More precisely, this is a tracking category. Its existence is primarily to build and maintain an exhaustive list of pages. The list itself is the objective, not the categorization of subjects for readers. These tracking categories operate outside the elegant structure of the encyclopedia's categorization scheme designed for user navigation. They are the internal logs, the diagnostic reports, the things you don't show to company.

In a thoughtful, if somewhat hidden, design choice, this category is hidden by default on its member pages. This means that unless a user has specifically adjusted their user preference (under Appearance → Show hidden categories), they will remain blissfully unaware of its presence. This serves to keep the technical underpinnings of Wikipedia out of sight for casual readers, preserving the illusion of a seamlessly organized knowledge base.

These diligent categories serve a multifaceted purpose for the project's administrators and dedicated editors. They are instrumental in tracking, building, and organizing extensive lists of pages that require "attention en masse." This could encompass anything from pages utilizing deprecated syntax—the digital equivalent of crumbling infrastructure—to those needing updates or corrections at an editor's earliest convenience. Furthermore, these categories are adept at aggregating members from various smaller lists or sub-categories, consolidating them into a larger, more efficient list. This aggregation is often "discriminated by classifications," meaning it intelligently groups related items, allowing for more streamlined management and problem-solving within the vast Wikipedia ecosystem. It's the digital equivalent of herding cats, but with slightly more predictable outcomes.

The Pragmatic Utility of Plural Redirects

At its core, this category houses redirects that bridge the gap between a plural term and its singular, primary topic. These redirects are not merely arbitrary; they are meticulously crafted to align with Wikipedia:Naming conventions (plurals). The overarching goal, one might begrudgingly admit, is to "aid readers" in their quest for information, particularly those who might initiate a search with a plural term, expecting direct results. It’s a necessary accommodation for human search behavior, even if it feels like pandering to the grammatically ambivalent.

When actively engaged in the act of editing Wikipedia, employing wiki markup, there's a generally preferred method for linking to plural concepts: simply appending the pluralization directly after the link (e.g., [[link]]s). This is the most direct and efficient way to handle plurals within the text itself. However, the existence of these redirects implies a pragmatic understanding that not all links will, or can, be formed in this ideal manner. Therefore, while the direct [[link]]s approach is encouraged for new content and active editing, there is a standing directive: do not replace existing redirected links with this simpler form unless the page is undergoing a broader update for another, more substantial reason. Unnecessary churn, after all, is the enemy of efficiency, even if the existing solution is slightly less elegant.

Navigating the Labyrinth: Category Contents

The sheer volume of these redirects necessitates a robust organizational structure. The category offers a standard navigation interface, allowing users to traverse its contents:

Beyond the initial alphabetical index, the category employs an even finer granularity through sub-categorization, breaking down the overwhelming number of redirects by their initial two letters. This is an attempt, perhaps a valiant one, to impose an even deeper layer of order onto what could otherwise be an unmanageable list. It's a testament to the human need to categorize everything, even the minor imperfections in our digital lexicon.

This exhaustive listing, while appearing redundant to the uninitiated, is a critical tool for maintaining the integrity and discoverability of information within Wikipedia. It ensures that even when a user's initial query is grammatically "incorrect" by Wikipedia's internal naming conventions, they are still efficiently directed to the authoritative source. It's a quiet, unsung hero of user experience, allowing for a multitude of paths to lead to the same, singular truth. And so, the thankless work continues.