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Frequently asked questions for Wikipedia:proper nouns.
"Centurian" vs. "Centurion": Which one is the proper spelling?[edit]
The proper spelling for the Cylon soldier depicted in the original series is "Centurion".
While this screencap references a document from the Miniseries, this is incorrect -- actually, there are some items on this document that are not truly canon and have already been contradicted by other events in the 2004 series. (For instance, the Colonials in the current BSG do not use the term "yahren" for "year".)
We have an example of the proper spelling, taken from a screen capture (with subtitles enabled) of the episode "The Hand of God (TOS)". (See: Spelling.jpg)
Basestar vs. basestar / Battlestar vs. battlestar / Raider vs. raider: Do I capitalize the first letter or not?[edit]
Battlestar Wiki's convention is to capitalize the model names of fighters and other smaller ships, but we do not capitalize the warship names. So, capitalize:
But avoid the capitalization of
A caveat[edit]
While these names may technically fall under proper nouns, they are used in both series as a form of mass noun.
For example, a viper is just a form of aerospace fighter plane. The word plane could be capitalized, but in common usage it isn't. Same with "submarine" or "aircraft carrier". On Battlestar Wiki, we tend to capitalize the smaller items but stick with common style on the capital ships.
That's why, on Battlestar Wiki, we call this a convention and not a law. For those of you with MLA style skills, you may find the wiki's convention confusing. If you choose not to use the convention, you are still correct. However, please be consist in your article with your capitalization.
How do I abbreviate Battlestar Galactica?[edit]
Battlestar Galactica has been abbreviated as "BG" or "BSG" by most fans.
In this Wiki, the preferred acronym is "BSG", as "BG" has a wider meaning in terms of what it abbreviates. (i.e. "BG" is shorthand for "background; see: Wikipedia:BG for the acronym's disambiguation page)
To abbreviate this wiki's name itself, we recommend "BSG Wiki" or "BSWiki."
How should I refer to the show? (Battlestar vs. Galactica)[edit]
Media outlets have been known to refer to the series as Galactica as well, which aid in the confusion.
The best answer to this, to avoid confusion with the articles on [[Battlestar]] and [[Galactica]], is to use neither term.
Within Battlestar Wiki, a popular convention for defining the specific series is to use [[Re-imagined Series]] for the 2004 series, and [[Original Series]] for the 1978 series. Battlestar Wiki treats these terms as proper nouns for clarity.
Both lead to their respective entry articles describing the particular series: [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)]] and [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)]].
If you're writing an article in which the earlier text has made it clear to the reader what particular series is being discussed, you can use Battlestar or "BSG" as a non-linked shorthand.