User:Referos/proposal

This is a draft of a proposal to change the current naming conventions for abilities (see here), after issues like Jeremy and Tracy. This might seem like a paradigm shift, but, actually, this proposed conventions maintains the current importance in preferring names from canon sources, only adding accuracy as an additional criterion (which is an alteration of the current "must cover all aspects rule"). Plus, it also adds explicitness and source reliability as factors, but this is nothing new, as we already use these when deciding names for abilities (see "vortex generation" versus "gravitational manipulation" and "adoptive muscle memory" versus "muscle mimicry", respectively).

Please notice that is only a draft, not necessarily what should be the actual change in the naming conventions; the idea is simply to have something concrete to make the discussion easier. Also, I haven't touch the "Flint issue", the hypothetical situation described by some users (namely, what would happen if Flint, which possesses pyrokinesis, displayed the ability to manipulate water?).

Naming conventions for abilities

When choosing a name for an ability, the following hierarchy should be followed:

Names from canon, near-canon and secondary sources:

• If only one possible name for the ability is given in a canon source (episodes), near-canon sources (webisodes, graphic novels, Heroes Evolutions or iStory) or in secondary sources (interviews with writers or Heroes: Survival), that name should necessarily be used, regardless of whether it is the best name or not.

• If two or more possible names for the ability were given in canon, near-canon or secondary sources, the following criteria, necessarily in this order, should be used to establish which name from canon, near-canon or secondary sources should be used:

1. Accuracy

As a rule of thumb, a name that covers all aspects of an ability is more suitable than one that does not. This is important, as a name that relates to all aspects of an ability better documents all that is known about said ability in the Heroes universe, while names that ignore certain ability aspects also ignore that which has been chronicled in the Heroes universe. So, for instance, "water and ice manipulation" (from a secondary source) is more desirable for Tracy's ability than simply "freezing" (from a canon source), which does not document all aspects of Tracy's ability.

2. Explicitness

If it is not possible to adequately determine which name is the most accurate, then the most explicit should be preferred. Explicit names generally appear when an ability is clearly named (for instance, in Assignment Trackers), while non-explicit names are derived and constructed from descriptions (for instance, "healing" from Hiro's comment that his mother is a healer).

Generally, if a name or term can be used exactly as it is given, then it can be considered an explicit name. On the other hand, if they need to be altered or modified to be suitable as an article name (for instance, transforming a verb into a noun by using its gerund form), then the name is not explicit. That is why explicit names a preferable, as they come directly from the writers without any alteration.

3. Reliability of source

If both names have the same accuracy and explicitness, then the reliability of their sources must be considered. Generally, the name from an expert prevails over a layman; for instance, "clairsentience", named by Chandra, an expert on evolved humans, is preferred over "psychometry", which came from Peter, a layman.

4. Canon level

If all the above criteria are not sufficient to decide which name to choose, then the name with the higher canon level should prevail. In this criterion, canon sources are above near-canon sources., which in turn are above secondary sources.

Common names from other works

If no canon, near-canon or secondary sources names are given. Identical to current policy.

Descriptive names

If no canon, near-canon or secondary sources names are given and no name from another name is suitable. Identical to current policy.

Names based on possessor

If all above fails. Identical to current policy.