Awe:Editors' Portal
From Awe
This is the main page for editors of the project: how to get started, help on MediaWiki features, and latest news.
Contents |
Help
(Please suggest topics here, or ask questions!)
- Project:Linking -- how to make links & the various subtleties
- Project:Structure
- Project:Redirects
- Project:Categories
- Project:Style Guide
- Project:Templates -- Templates allow us to place standard fragments of text on pages.
- Project:MediaWiki text -- customizing the MediaWiki interface text
Stuff to do
Write new articles
You can find suggestions for new articles on the following pages:
- Project:Articles to be written,
- Project:Words for new articles,
- Special:Wantedpages -- but note that many of the items on this page will be incorrectly-written links to pages that exist -- eg "pronouns" instead of pronoun. Fix all the links and the page disappears from the Wanted Pages list.
Clean up existing articles
Some lists of articles to work on:
- Special:Deadendpages -- articles that have no links. Add some where suitable.
- Special:Lonelypages -- orphaned articles, ie those that are not linked to from anywhere else. See if you can find suitable places to link from (try searching for the title word or words for example)
- Project:Articles to be merged -- two or more articles that should be merged into one
- Project:Articles to clean up
- Category:Editors has lists of articles needing work for various reasons
Feedback
This is where, pro tem, I shall store stuff from readers of Awe that needs to be dealt with. In due course, I'll find how to store it in 'AWE - talk', but have failed today. PeterWilson 14:45, 9 August 2008 (BST)
- Volker Malze on 09-08-08
I just skimmed the site and found some typos such as "The target audience in students working in Higher Education in the UK,..." (http://slb-ltsu.hull.ac.uk/awe/index.php?title=Help:About_AWE), which should be "... is students working...". Usually mistakes like this one are irrelevant, but since it's about learning and improving a language, it might be of more importance.
Something I really liked was "Orwell's Rules of style". However, I am missing some explanations to the points mentioned. So, "Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which...", leaves me with the simple question: Why? As far as I see it, and especially concerning my personal style, figures of speech, at least if you are not overdoing it, make texts and speeches more vivid and entertaining, making them finally easier for the audience to remember. If you stick too close to these recommendations, you will lose your human touch. And that's what writing is always about: Communication between humans.
I think it is with Orwell's rules of style as it is with all rules: Try to understand them and if you disagree: Break them. But don't forget them.
As for me, I like to write a bit more entertaining, maybe even literary. Nevertheless, after a paragraph of explanation, I try always to resort to a plain sentence in order to summarize a more in-depth analysis. Well, and that is the part where those rules have to be obeyed. Period.
In http://slb-ltsu.hull.ac.uk/awe/index.php?title=Metaphor I like the column on the right side to navigate through similar topics. This service should be provided on all sites of AWE.
Regarding the sites about/on? similes and metaphors I would like to see more examples. The reason is that I know the difference between the two figures since it's the same as in German. So, the problem is not the distinction between similes and metaphors. Actually, the problem is the correct usage of those figures of speech. Some are similar, but there are many false friends. So it's important to learn a stock of English expressions. Maybe there should be a list of similes and metaphors on AWE or a link to a list on the Internet.
The category I like most is "Pronunciation". I have found many things you told us years ago in your English class. However, the site is still missing some of the examples you taught us, e.g. the different pronunciation of "ship", "cheap" and "sheep" as well as of "sheet" and... well you know... Furthermore, I would suggest another entry about the Hull and Yorkshire accent. At least to me that seems more interesting than the information, for example, on "nuclear" and "Glasgow".
And please write more about/on? the difference between American and British English. US-"English" is taking over more and more and it sounds so awful.
A topic I would like to see more information about is "comma". I am not really sure if it is really that complicated to make proper use of the comma in English, however, it is really hard in German. Most people don't know how to use it. And since they are aware of this fact, they are also insecure in using the comma in foreign languages.
Regarding http://slb-ltsu.hull.ac.uk/awe/index.php?title=As: I prefer examples that differ only in the single word that is in focus of the article. For me that was very helpful. So, what about "He is high as/like a kite" or "He acts as/like a madman"? I learned the difference between as and like with these sentences.
And please write an article on/about the difference of "on" and "about". My grammar book says (do they speak?) "on" is used for topics and "about" is used for books, articles, presentations etc. But what if an article is on a certain topic?? I hope it's correct to use both words.
General leaflets
Work has begun on converting other relevant SAS leaflets to wiki articles. They are at Leaflets - other.
Courses
Courses:
- grammar course
- course on figures of speech -- needs work
- Linguistics
- Etymology
The technical side of things
MediaWiki links
Consult the User's Guide for information on using the wiki software.
