How do you pick tags?

April 18, 2005 8:27 PM

Now that tags for front-page posts have been around a while, how do you decide between, say, film and movies (89 posts to 87, respectively), tv and television (57-49) or math and mathematics (20-18)? Do you use both, go with the most-used, or what?
posted by mediareport to Etiquette/Policy at 8:27 PM (13 comments total)

Not looking for a rule or anything, just curious how others handle it. I used both "humor" and "humour" recently, out of respect for the Brits, then decided to just go with the one that had been used most. But I couldn't bring myself to choose "tv" over "television" tonight. How do y'all handle it?
posted by mediareport at 8:30 PM on April 18, 2005

Using both makes it easier to find, and has no downside that I can see.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:39 PM on April 18, 2005

You actually look up statistics to decide how to tag? No wonder my websurfing has dropped to less than an hour a day. ;-P
posted by mischief at 8:48 PM on April 18, 2005

You don't. Someone else gardens occasionally.
posted by scarabic at 9:05 PM on April 18, 2005

You actually look up statistics to decide how to tag?

Nah, I eyeball font size on the tags page to decide how to tag. I "look up statistics" when I decide to post about it to MeTa. Not creating tags that other people won't think to look for just made sense.

*shrugs*
posted by mediareport at 9:23 PM on April 18, 2005

Plurals are a problem too.
posted by dhruva at 9:51 PM on April 18, 2005

Plural is a problem too.
posted by Kwantsar at 5:52 AM on April 19, 2005

Isn't some of this a regional thing? I'm Irish, so it's a "film" whereas here in the states it's a "movie". Similarly "math" is an Americanism, it'd be "maths" or "mathematics" at home.
posted by dublinemma at 9:17 AM on April 19, 2005

Plurals is some problem too.
posted by goatdog at 10:32 AM on April 19, 2005

I'm Irish, so it's a "film"
Don't you mean "fillum"?
posted by seanyboy at 10:52 AM on April 19, 2005

I'd put in both if it occurred to me.
posted by languagehat at 3:20 PM on April 19, 2005

Plurals are a problem too.
Plural is a problem too.
Plurals is some problem too.
I think you mean that plurals are problems too?
posted by dg at 3:45 PM on April 19, 2005

A plurality of problems too.
posted by alteredcarbon at 10:53 PM on April 19, 2005