Talk:Syrtis

Syrtis Minor

Two definitions are given for Syrtis Minor (Minor Syrtis) One "the Latin name used in Ancient Rome for the gulf of the Mediterranean Sea along the coast of North Africa, roughly from modern day Tripoli to Sfax, Tunisia" seems to be incorrect. Strabo indicates the headlands. Geographica Book XVII, Chapter III, Sections 16-18 pages 288-289 here. --Bejnar (talk) 21:36, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

I don't follow. Promontories are mentioned as "entrances," but the text you link seems to agree with us in referring to the Gulf of Gabes (explicitly in a footnote). I'm also not clear why you find one definition better than the other: the two seem to agree (i.e., the Gulf of Gabes is eastern Tunisia down to the Libyan border near Tripoli). Now, the ancient word syrtis is used metonymically to refer to the coastal region, but that doesn't seem to figure here. I'd like you to be more specific about what in Strabo you find to disagree with our articles. Wareh (talk) 21:49, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

I have no problem with the Gulf of Gades (Gulf of Cabes). My problem is with two different lines of disambiguation for a single term. The disambiguation page should simply refer to the Gulf of Gabès. "Syrtis Minor" is the term. "Minor Syrtis" is much less likely usage and should be subsumed within "Syrtis Minor". I also think that the Syrtis Minor article should be merged into the Gulf of Gabès article, but that is a different issue. --Bejnar (talk) 22:32, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

You're quite right, in my view, until you say that the need for a merge "is a different issue." It is precisely the issue! As soon as someone is un-lazy enough to accomplish that merge, then Syrtis Minor can be changed from a duplicate article into a redirect to Gulf of Gabès (assuming the direction of the merge is into Gulf of Gabès as you suggest). Then there will be a single entry here instead of two, and the odd link Minor Syrtis will disappear. Meanwhile, though, we need to acknowledge here that there are two rival articles on the same subject.

As a separate issue, which perhaps is what is concerning you, if the merge is done this way, the dab entry should still say Syrtis Minor (which will redirect to Gulf of Gabès). Bear in mind that this page is for users who have encountered references to "Syrtis." They want a crisp and clear pointer to the article on the Syrtis they want to know about; if they'd wanted an article on the Gulf of Gabes under that name they'd never have shown up here. At least, it's my impression from fairly long observation of disambiguation pages that we have here what WP:PIPING calls "Where redirecting may be appropriate."

I am the one who put the merge tags on the two articles; I think it'd be great if someone merged them well without losing any content, and I was also a bit disgusted at having to give duplicate listings here while waiting for that to happen. Wareh (talk) 15:16, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

Merge completed and citations entered. Gulf of Gabès still needs a citation for the larger interpretation. --Bejnar (talk) 21:50, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for taking care of the merge! Wareh (talk) 21:52, 9 March 2011 (UTC)