User:Cryorett/What is and isn't superfluous
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You might have heard the term superfluous information, but have you ever wondered what superfluous exactly means? Well, this essay will explain some examples, and what superfluous really means.
The dictionary definition of superfluous
[edit]The Cambridge Dictionary says that superfluous means "more than is needed or wanted".[1] For our purposes, superfluous information is defined only as "more than is needed". This can be:
- Unneeded pronunciation guides (i.e. "Poland (English pronunciation: /poʊlənd/)" or "France (/fɹ̠æ:ns/)")[a]
- Multiple citation problems
- Over-citation (i.e. "All living people have a life[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]..." - just imagine the citations going on forever
- Citing when not needed (i.e. "All languages have sounds[1]")
- Tagging with citation needed or the many other templates that are similar to it (i.e. {{Citation needed span}}) when not needed (i.e. "Paris is the capital of France[citation needed]"
Notes
[edit]- ^ There is no concrete definition of "unneeded". For example, one could argue that someone learning English could have a hard time, but in that case go to the Simple English wiki.