Talk:Reported sightings of Madeleine McCann/Archive 1

Archive 1

Creation of this article

This article was created following discussion on the talk page of the main article in order to reduce the size of the main article. Through substantial coverage by reliable sources compliance with WP:N has been separately established but the article should be read in the context of the main page. TerriersFan (talk) 22:21, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

This page seems like the main points could be added to the main Madeline McCann page. — Preceding unsigned comment added by CSR2000 (talk • contribs) 16:08, 25 September 2009

Title

Shouldn't the title of this article be Alleged sightings of Madeleine McCann? None of them have been proved to be her, so they are de facto alleged sightings. – ukexpat (talk) 21:05, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

Ermm ... no ... none of the possible titles are entirely accurate. We could have Possible sightings of Madeleine McCann, Alleged sightings of Madeleine McCann, Suspected sightings of Madeleine McCann etc. Alleged sightings of Madeleine McCann is quite the worst of the options because it suggests that the sightings are somehow fraudulent. The key points are that some of the sightings have not been disproved and others have been reported in good faith. Rather than trying to over-complicate matters, leave the present title alone, as a pragmatic solution, even if not 100% accurate. TerriersFan (talk) 21:41, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

I disagree that "alleged" carries any implication of fraud, but maybe that's my legal background. Allegations are merely statements that have yet to be proved. – ukexpat (talk) 21:59, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

The original title was Sightings following the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. I've been away but I now notice that it was you who moved it to Sightings of Madeleine McCann. The original title quite specifically, and deliberately, did not say that they were "sightings of Madeleine McCann" so, with respect, the issue is of your own making. The original title though a "mouthful" was more accurate and avoided the pitfalls of the present heading. Moving the page back looks a good way forward. TerriersFan (talk) 22:39, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

So I can't now suggest a better title? – ukexpat (talk) 00:17, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

Suggest away. What I'm suggesting is going back to the original title to avoid the unexpected issue that the move has produced and expressing the view that your suggestion above produces other, and unnecessary, problems of value TerriersFan (talk) 00:44, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

No, leave it at "sightings of Madeleine McCann"; let me repeat what I wrote on the AFD: In the context of missing persons, the word "sightings" is understood per common sense to mean alleged sightings. Adding a descriptor word (such as "supposed" or "alleged"), which should already be implied, to the article title is unnecessary. —Lowellian (reply) 22:53, 31 March 2011 (UTC)

Page renamed

I've just renamed this page from 'Sightings of Madeleine McCann' to 'Reported sightings of Madeleine McCann'. The previous title implied that the people making these reports had actually seen her, rather than being mistaken or hoaxers, which are equally possible. 'Reported sightings' seems the most neutral title; I followed the example of List of reported UFO sightings and John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan#Ultimate fate and reported sightings (although I note we do have Elvis sightings, which should probably also be renamed). Robofish (talk) 17:16, 27 December 2015 (UTC)