Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2017 March 8

= March 8 =

leading to... or leading to the...
I have a query regarding correct usage of a preposition. Is it " circumstances leading to the flooding of " or "circumstances leading to flooding of"? Which one of the two is right? Sumalsn (talk) 12:56, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
 * Either or both. Google ngrams gives a slight advantage to "leading to flooding of" but both are prevalent enough to indicate they are both valid forms.  -- Jayron 32 14:31, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
 * If you are speaking of a particular flooding incident, you should include the article. If speaking more generally of a flood risk rather than a specific incident, the article is not necessary. So "the circumstances leading to the flooding of Tewkesbury in July 2007" but "circumstances leading to flooding of city centres include ......" Wymspen (talk) 16:06, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
 * True, that is good advice on the use of the definite article in English: using "the" almost always is necessary when referring to a specific incident, leaving it out when referring to a general concept. -- Jayron 32 16:14, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
 * I'd change incident to a broader instance. —Tamfang (talk) 08:43, 9 March 2017 (UTC)
 * OK. -- Jayron 32 11:25, 9 March 2017 (UTC)

Esperanto for "cannabis activist"?
I got overly-ambitious last night and tried to create a new category at eo.wikipedia, but I'm pretty sure what I ended up with isn't grammatically correct. I wanted a parallel to Category:Cannabis activists so I went with eo:Kategorio:Kanaboaktivuloj, but on second inspection I think the "kanabo" ending is wrong since it needs to be adjectival. Would the proper term be "kanabaj aktivuloj" or something else? I can make the move and fix in just a few seconds once I have the right term. I just wanted a way to flesh out and interlink the Cannabis category tree across more languages. Goonsquad LCpl Mulvaney (talk) 20:44, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
 * Kanabaktivuloj would be better. -- Orange Mike &#124;  Talk  01:58, 9 March 2017 (UTC)


 * I'd probably make it Aktivuloj pri kanabo; the compound makes me think of alternate meanings it might have (in campy scifi). —Tamfang (talk) 08:35, 9 March 2017 (UTC)
 * Looking at eo:Kategorio:Aktivuloj laŭ fakoj, some precedent forms include: Politikaj aktivuloj‎, Religiaj aktivuloj‎, and Homoj kontraŭ mortpuno‎. The last resembles Tamang's suggestion, but the other two involve making an adjective from a noun and pluralizing it. Goonsquad LCpl Mulvaney (talk) 00:02, 10 March 2017 (UTC)
 * An editor at eo.wikipedia changed it to eo:Kategorio:Kanabaj aktivuloj, so appears solid for now. Goonsquad LCpl Mulvaney (talk) 03:13, 11 March 2017 (UTC)

"true gun"
From 130_mm_towed_field_gun_M1954_(M-46): "The M-46 was developed from the M-36 130 mm naval gun used on ships and for coast defence. It is a true gun, being unable to fire much above 45° and having a long barrel and a single propelling charge."

What does "a true gun" mean in this context? True as opposed to what? ECS LIVA Z (talk) 20:50, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
 * See the fifth paragraph of Gun. Deor (talk) 21:07, 8 March 2017 (UTC)
 * As opposed to a howitzer which lobs shells at a high angle. Since the before the Second World War, most field guns have been capable of operating in both roles, a gun-howitzer. Alansplodge (talk) 02:32, 9 March 2017 (UTC)
 * I have added an explanation to the article and added User:Deor's "terminology" wikilink. Trust this solves the problem. Alansplodge (talk) 11:47, 9 March 2017 (UTC)