Talk:Acequia

Bisse
This may be of interest (translated from the French Wikipedia by Google): "A Bief or Bisse is an irrigation canal, dug in the ground or rock made of planks wood supported by beams fixed on the mountainside, for conducting water from melting glaciers in the valleys for irrigation (meadows, fields, vineyards, orchards, gardens, etc.). ." Rwood128 (talk) 15:43, 8 July 2016 (UTC)

In Switzerland Suone and (the french) Bisse in use
The Switzerland word is Suone (german article), and also Bisse in use. But Suone does not exist as english Wikipedia article (Status: Mo., 20th of June 2022). Translation (link) to english (with http://itools.com/tool/google-translate-web-page-translator): https://de-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Suone?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en --Visionhelp (talk) 22:29, 19 June 2022 (UTC)


 * Suone and Bisse are different than the acequia's in New Mexico and Colorado which is what the article is focused on. Acequias are simple primitive dirt ditches, not canals or wooden channels or troughs or pipes. Netherzone (talk) 01:46, 23 June 2022 (UTC)

Please, the first and second passage (already) of the article speaks against this assertion. I do not have to count now all from there, which does NOT focus "New Mexico and Colorado". Visionhelp (talk) 05:12, 23 June 2022 (UTC)

Arabic origin word
Hello. The article currently states that the same “comes from Classical Arabic as-sāqiya.” However, the wictionary entry linked for saqā lists the verbal noun for this verb as “as-siqāyya”. My inclination is to change this word in the article, although other editors may have access to better dictionaries. 94.199.126.52 (talk) 08:15, 18 November 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Introduction to Information Studies
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More specific page name
An acequia is nothing but a small irrigation canal (apparently the closer English equivalent is aqueduct), however this page is not about irrigation in general but rather about traditional irrigation techniques in Spanish-speaking countries, narrowing down the subject just because it deals with a Spanish-language word, even though of course there are acequias (with names in other languages) in many parts of the world. This by the way is a pretty common problem in WP-en, assuming that something with a Spanish name is intrinsically different from the same subject with its English name, for example there was a page about Nochebuena even though nochebuena is just the Spanish name for Christmas Eve, and nothing else. In fact the problem here is compounded by focusing on the Southwestern US. So my proposal is to rename the page to "Acequia (SW US)" or something to that effect, so as not to confuse readers. Jotamar (talk) 23:40, 22 November 2023 (UTC)


 * Acequia is actually part of Southwestern American English (look it up): the word is also used in the US and possibly other English speaking countries. It has cultural associations, and acequias are communally managed and maintained. It is simply not the same as an "irrigation ditch", which has none of the cultural associations and community management associations. It is indeed a distinct topic, and you are merely showing your cultural biases. I oppose your rename proposal. Skyerise (talk) 22:27, 13 December 2023 (UTC)


 * Oppose - The word acequia, while being a Spanish-language word, is in common usage throughout the American West, covering a vast area. It is in common usage by both English and Spanish speaking people, as well as some Indigenous peoples. I agree with Skyerise's rationale above, that acequias have cultural associations that involve social dynamics such as community management, a mayordomo de la acequia, and often involve a board of commissioners and ditch associations. Also community-led maintenance efforts in which locals collectively participate in annual clean up efforts called limpieza y saca de acequia. Acequias and acequia systems are distinctly different from irrigation ditches or aqueducts. Netherzone (talk) 14:15, 14 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Notice that many readers (including English native speakers) might be familiar with the Spanish word and at the same time not familiar with that West US culture. It's also interesting that the operation that you mention is named in Spanish. --Jotamar (talk) 17:15, 16 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Spanish North America.png Many people in the Western U.S. and the U.S. as a country speak Spanish. It's the second most spoken language here....over 42 million people speak Spanish in the U.S.! Also, during colonial times, New Spain was about half of the US, and included most of the West. Here's a map showing large the Spanish North America territory was. This helps explain why the term Acequia is in common usage. Netherzone (talk) 20:15, 16 December 2023 (UTC)

I've changed the discussion title, I felt that the previous one didn't quite express what I'm trying to modify. That is, I think that the page name should be a little more specific, that's all I'm asking for. --Jotamar (talk) 23:03, 27 December 2023 (UTC)


 * Oppose - the title does not need to be changed, and you have not even proposed a new title. Nor have you given any valid reasons why the title should be changed. The word is part of Southwestern English, it has a very specific meaning in English which is different from the meaning of the Spanish word, which isn't relevant here. The sources refer to the English meaning and usage using the same word. The article is sourced, and there is nothing wrong with the title, which is accurate. See WP:IDONTLIKEIT. The WP:CONSENSUS of regular editors of the article is against you. Give it up! Skyerise (talk) 23:31, 27 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Oppose name change. @Jotamar, the reason why I posted the map of Spanish North America is to show how wide Spain's influence was on the Americas. There are also acequias in Mexico and into the Andes in South America, not just in the US. Southwest. I'm not sure how far north these cultural/environmental resources spread, but I would not be surprised if they went beyond Colorado. I think the article name is just fine as it is. Netherzone (talk) 23:48, 27 December 2023 (UTC)