Question

Why are English birth locations in Quebec,Canada being changed to French names?

Answer 1

This is probably due to last week's DataDoctors challenge to correct suggestion reports for place names. WikiTree styles and standards require that place names should be what they would have been at the time of the event, not what they are now. If you are using current place names for places that had other names at the time of the event, they should be corrected to remove them from suggestion reports.

I see at least one instance of a change that you have now reverted. You may want to reconsider the reversion and note the explanation of the edit that was provided by the member who made the change.

Comments

I can assure you that 100% of my ancestors used "Bas-Canada" and I will be changing them all back to my original address.

My relatives from the USA who visit the Sherbrooke area have no clue where "Bas-Canada/Lower Canada"

I am really upset that you chose too change my files and I am hesitant to add another 5,000 names when you continue to change

and I feel like removing all that I have done.

 Alan

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The issue you raise Allan is a big one which is inherently hard to reconcile.

For example, item 13 of Pre-1700 Self-Certification questionnaire makes it clear that the Style Guide "ultimately decides the proper style and format for a WikiTree profile's data fields, biography, and sources".

And the Style Guide says 'Our guiding principle is the same as the one for Name Fields: "use their conventions instead of ours. Applied to locations, this means using place names in native languages and using the names that people at the time used, even if they now no longer exist.

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Alan, there are several things you need to keep in mind about WikiTree.

1. The profiles you create and manage do not belong to you. While profiles of your living or recently deceased family members may only be accessible for editing to you or those you allow to access them, this is a collaborative tree and our shared ancestors belong to all of us whether you're the profile manager or not.

2. You signed the Honor Code. Sometimes, especially if I am particularly frustrated with something, I reread it and I usually find a way to deal with whatever is becoming an issue. The major parts of the Honor Code for me are, collaboration, accuracy, and courtesy.

3. WikiTree has styles and standards and guidelines for every data field. Please see Claude's answer to review the guidelines for place name fields so that you will understand why the place names were changed and why you should follow the guidelines to avoid future issues.

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I agree. Why use place names that do not yield good search results? "Cleaners" changed "Maine" on the profiles I am working on. Maine has always been called Maine! Type in any town in Maine, but add Massachusetts instead of Maine and you get very little results. Sorry, the policy is wrong and needs to be fixed. Otherwise, the town of Buxton in Maine now Massachusetts needs to be changed to Narragansett No. 1, Massachusetts.... ridiculous. Policy is not consistent and inhibits research.

Answer 2

Can you provide examples ?

Comments

I can assure you that 100% of my ancestors never used "Bas-Canada" and I will be changing them all back to my original address.

My relatives from the USA who visit the Sherbrooke area have no clue where "Bas-Canada/Lower Canada"

I am really upset that you chose too change my files and I am hesitant to add another 5,000 names when you continue to change

and I feel like removing all that I have done.

Believe me I will never thank-you for your intrusion.

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That is because the terms were only in common use prior to 1841. I do not think that the language is relevant here, but the the time frame in history is as the terms were in common use prior to 1841.

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If I am not mistaken "BAS-Canada/Lower Canada" applies to all of Eastern Canada - Quebec,New Brunswick, Nova Scotia & PEI.  Without the town/village/county/province, how can anyone looking for an exact location when researching the location of early births/deaths?

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Bas-Canada (Lower Canada) was present day Québec and what is now Labrador. The Maritimes were separate British colonies.

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That's right, Nova Scotia was Nova Scotia right up to Confederation in 1867.

At one point New Brunswick was included in Nova Scotia. Library and Archives Canada has the proper period naming conventions for all provinces in specific time frames.

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The Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 was when the name of Nova Scotia legally changed from Acadia.  However, I'm sure that there were some residents that used the previous name for some time. Some Scottish barrons used the name Nova Scotia back to 1624, and the coat or Arms goes back that far.  So usage and legal names can very.  I'm glad I don't have to be the arbiter of such things.

Answer 3

See Quebecois Project Guidelines for Place Names.