General » Punctuation in English titles
Punctuation in English titles
Published 29/05/2006 @ 17:01:40, By G-MANN
Why is that so many English movie titles on this site are not written the correct way, with capital letters? In English the titles of things like films and books are spelled out with capital letters at the beginning of each word, except for connecting words like "the", "and" and "on". For example, a certain film should be spelled "The Door in the Floor" not "the door in the floor". I understand that many people on this site are from European countries and English might not be your first language (although most of you speak good English) and this rule might not apply in languages like French, but I am a stickler for good grammar and punctation and I really don't have the time (though I do have quite a bit of time on my hands these days) to go through the entire database and correct everything. The best thing to do is check the correct spelling on Imdb.
I'm sorry I'm acting like an English teacher but it's a little thing that bothers me, especially on films I like.
I'm sorry I'm acting like an English teacher but it's a little thing that bothers me, especially on films I like.
Punctuation in English titles
Published 29/05/2006 @ 18:00:05, By antp
This has already been mentionned on other places I think, but maybe not on this forum.
The reason is simple :
At first, the site was in French only, with French titles only.
Then we added an "English Title" field.
But at that point, the way the site was made, all was written in lower case with the first letter in uppercase, or something like that. I do not remember exactly why, but it was for a technical reason I think.
Well, when we remade the site structure some day ago, all previously listed movies were imported, but not updated. Later most of them were update to put the english/french/original titles in good field, but case was not always changed. And titles that did not had to be modified for their title were not modified for the case either.
So do not hesitate to modify English titles when they are wrongly written. I do that sometimes, as do some other members.
All the new titles that I add are copy/pasted from IMDB for the correct case. I guess that most of the members to the same when adding new movies (but often a "added" movie is just an "old" movie with new cars added on it).
The only "problem" with these rules is that it depends on the language, see http://www.imcdb.org/movie.php?id=51604 (the part in English repeats what was said in French)
The reason is simple :
At first, the site was in French only, with French titles only.
Then we added an "English Title" field.
But at that point, the way the site was made, all was written in lower case with the first letter in uppercase, or something like that. I do not remember exactly why, but it was for a technical reason I think.
Well, when we remade the site structure some day ago, all previously listed movies were imported, but not updated. Later most of them were update to put the english/french/original titles in good field, but case was not always changed. And titles that did not had to be modified for their title were not modified for the case either.
So do not hesitate to modify English titles when they are wrongly written. I do that sometimes, as do some other members.
All the new titles that I add are copy/pasted from IMDB for the correct case. I guess that most of the members to the same when adding new movies (but often a "added" movie is just an "old" movie with new cars added on it).
The only "problem" with these rules is that it depends on the language, see http://www.imcdb.org/movie.php?id=51604 (the part in English repeats what was said in French)
Punctuation in English titles
Published 29/05/2006 @ 19:28:01, By G-MANN
I don't mind when the films are in a language other than English, but I like to see the correct spelling with British and American movies. So basically all the misspelt movies were added earlier on?
Thanks for explaining I do correct some films but there are just so many entries that need correcting.
Thanks for explaining I do correct some films but there are just so many entries that need correcting.
Punctuation in English titles
Published 29/05/2006 @ 22:04:17, By antp
http://imcdb.opencommunity.be/forum_topic-105-Statistics.html
Already more than 2000 movies when we did that change (it was about at the same time that the first backup that I have, which was on 17 Feb 2005).
And some people may have added movies by typing the title without correct case
Already more than 2000 movies when we did that change (it was about at the same time that the first backup that I have, which was on 17 Feb 2005).
And some people may have added movies by typing the title without correct case
Published 01/06/2006 @ 17:19:40, By Alexander
I have started with the corrections.
Finished are:
Beginning to B
Q (out of a fancy -- was short)
T to End
Antoine, perhaps you could add the memo we talked about recently.
And someone should have a look at the French and the original titles (apart from English and German).
Latest Edition: 04/06/2006 @ 22:31:40
Finished are:
Beginning to B
Q (out of a fancy -- was short)
T to End
Antoine, perhaps you could add the memo we talked about recently.
And someone should have a look at the French and the original titles (apart from English and German).
Latest Edition: 04/06/2006 @ 22:31:40
Punctuation in English titles
Published 01/06/2006 @ 19:27:10, By antp
Most of french title are usually correctly written as it uses an uppercase only in the beginning (well, some people put uppercases everywhere like in English...)
I will add a memo as you suggest.
Edit: done, any comment is welcome
I can add languages to that sample list on request.
Alexander >> do you have a sample movie title for the German example?
Latest Edition: 01/06/2006 @ 19:43:32
I will add a memo as you suggest.
Edit: done, any comment is welcome
I can add languages to that sample list on request.
Alexander >> do you have a sample movie title for the German example?
Latest Edition: 01/06/2006 @ 19:43:32
Punctuation in English titles
Published 04/06/2006 @ 22:38:57, By Alexander
Most of french title are usually correctly written ...
I found a few English titles for French films.
Alexander >> do you have a sample movie title for the German example?
How about:
"Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse"
Pictures will follow soon
So far I finished correcting about 40%.
Punctuation in English titles
Published 05/06/2006 @ 10:22:11, By antp
In the previous version of the site, we had two titles: French & English. When we added Original title field, we copied all English title and modified entries of French movies manually. But some error may still be in the database.
I was thinking to something with also an adjective, or another word that would get a capital in English
Punctuation in English titles
Published 06/06/2006 @ 03:03:43, By Alexander
Finished are:
Beginning to B
J to L
Q
T to End
Beginning to B
J to L
Q
T to End
Punctuation in English titles
Published 12/06/2006 @ 21:23:50, By Alexander
... I was thinking to something with also an adjective, or another word that would get a capital in English
How about:
Auf der Reeperbahn nachts um halb eins
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0437836/
or a slightly longer one:
Angesichts ihrer fatalen Veranlagung scheidet Lilo Wanders freiwillig aus dem Leben
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0403844/
or:
Also schlafwandle ich am hellichten Tage
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0109088/
or:
Aber mein lieber Herr Neumann
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0445167/
or:
Aus den Akten einer anständigen Frau
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0203324/
If you click on 'Germany' or 'German' you will find thousands of titles.
Punctuation in English titles
Published 12/06/2006 @ 22:23:20, By antp
I wanted a title that was at least a little popular outside Germany, but it is maybe not easy to find actually (as the German movies that become popular either have a short title, or get another title when they are exported).
I'll put the last one, it seems good as example.
I'll put the last one, it seems good as example.
Punctuation in English titles
Published 12/06/2006 @ 22:42:54, By Alexander
The first one is a also a famous song and film by Hans Albers ( http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0046732/ ) ... and you certainly know the 'Reeperbahn', don't you?
Punctuation in English titles
Published 13/06/2006 @ 00:33:20, By Alexander
Now I am amazed!
I wasn't really refering to the film...
http://www.international.hamburg.de/artikel.do?ok=18338&uk=21353&cid=6370288
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reeperbahn
Never heard of it?
I wasn't really refering to the film...
http://www.international.hamburg.de/artikel.do?ok=18338&uk=21353&cid=6370288
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reeperbahn
Never heard of it?
Punctuation in English titles
Published 13/06/2006 @ 09:38:25, By antp
No Or I do not remember it
Punctuation in English titles
Published 18/06/2006 @ 14:23:16, By Alexander
Finished are:
Beginning to L
Q to End
There is a small problem with the James Bond movies. They were never called 'James Bond: ...'. The older ones could get the extra title 'Ian Fleming's ...', but else we should use the main title. I know there was a discussion about that (which I didn't follow), therefore I want to discuss it first.
Beginning to L
Q to End
There is a small problem with the James Bond movies. They were never called 'James Bond: ...'. The older ones could get the extra title 'Ian Fleming's ...', but else we should use the main title. I know there was a discussion about that (which I didn't follow), therefore I want to discuss it first.
Punctuation in English titles
Published 18/06/2006 @ 15:04:46, By antp
I am not sure to remember what has been said about that, but I also remember a discussion.
I would say the following then:
- as original title, it is better to keep the one that is used as main title on IMDB
- as English title, we can put the alternative title from IMDB, which is probably the one with "Ian Femming's" in some cases.
- it is nice to be able to do a search on "James Bond", but for that reason we could maybe add "- James Bond" at the end of the English title?
Latest Edition: 18/06/2006 @ 15:05:06
I would say the following then:
- as original title, it is better to keep the one that is used as main title on IMDB
- as English title, we can put the alternative title from IMDB, which is probably the one with "Ian Femming's" in some cases.
- it is nice to be able to do a search on "James Bond", but for that reason we could maybe add "- James Bond" at the end of the English title?
Latest Edition: 18/06/2006 @ 15:05:06
Punctuation in English titles
Published 18/06/2006 @ 15:18:47, By Alexander
I'll do it that way!
Punctuation in English titles
Published 18/06/2006 @ 15:48:39, By Alexander
Done. You can still search for 'James Bond'.
Punctuation in English titles
Published 29/06/2006 @ 00:36:49, By Alexander
I finished the English titles, plus a few others.
A native speaker should have a look at the French and other language films and, if possible, add translated titles.
I noticed quite a few TV movies and TV series that were labelled as movie. I corrected those were I changed the spelling. Again something to be checked for all the films.
If for the translation two titles are available, e.g. different titles for US and UK, I used ' / ' (blank dash blank). The komma, that was frequently used, can be misinterpreted, as kommas are part of some titles.
A native speaker should have a look at the French and other language films and, if possible, add translated titles.
I noticed quite a few TV movies and TV series that were labelled as movie. I corrected those were I changed the spelling. Again something to be checked for all the films.
If for the translation two titles are available, e.g. different titles for US and UK, I used ' / ' (blank dash blank). The komma, that was frequently used, can be misinterpreted, as kommas are part of some titles.