![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
technical analysis
Here are the results from my earlier poll on criteria for name comparisons. I've included information about the rules as they currently stand, and put a group in bold if its response agreed with the current rules.
Ursula Georges and Ursula George should conflict.
Rules: Yes (too similar in sound & appearance)
Poll: 36.1% Yes
Heralds: 60% Yes
SCA: 39.1% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 23.1% Yes
Ronald McDonald and Donald McDonald should conflict.
Rules: Yes (too similar in sound & appearance)
Poll: 8% Yes
Heralds: 30% Yes
SCA: 13% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 0% Yes
Alessandra dei Medici and Alessandro de' Medici should conflict.
Rules: Yes (too similar in sound & appearance)
Poll: 22.2% Yes
Heralds: 30% Yes
SCA: 17.4% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 7.7% Yes
Seumas mac a'Phearsain and Seamus MacPherson should conflict.
Rules: Yes (too similar in sound & appearance)
Poll: 58.3% Yes
Heralds: 60% Yes
SCA: 43.5% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 30.8% Yes
Order of the Star and Order of the Star of Madrone should conflict.
Rules: Yes (SCA branch names invisible for conflict in order names)
SCA: 5.6% Yes
Heralds: 0% Yes
SCA: 8.7% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 15.4% Yes
Order of the Star and Order of the Star of Germany should conflict.
Rules: No (adding Germany clears conflict)
Poll: 8.3% Yes
Heralds: 10% Yes
SCA: 13% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 15.4% Yes
Hob Gage and Robert Gage should conflict.
Rules: Yes (Hob is a nickname for Robert)
SCA: 41.7% Yes
Heralds: 60% Yes
SCA: 47.8% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 38.5% Yes
Pedro Fernandez and Pedro Fernandez Perez should conflict.
Rules: No (adding a third element clears conflict)
Poll: 11.1% Yes
Heralds: 10% Yes
SCA: 8.7% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 7.7% Yes
William Brun le Mercer and William le Mercer Brun should conflict.
Rules: Yes (either order has same meaning)
Poll: 36.1% Yes
Heralds: 50% Yes
SCA: 34.8% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 23.1% Yes
Ursula Georges and Ursula filia Georgii should conflict.
Rules: No (bynames look and sound different)
Poll: 27.8% Yes
Heralds: 50% Yes
SCA: 26.1% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 7.7% Yes
Order of the Star and Star Herald should conflict.
Rules: Yes (designators invisible for conflict, heraldic titles taken from order names)
Poll: 5.6% Yes
Heralds: 10% Yes
SCA: 4.3% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 0% Yes
Unsurprisingly, heralds are more likely to agree with the rules as they currently stand. For cases like Hob vs. Robert, this makes sense: onomastics geeks are more likely to know and care that Hob is a nickname for Robert. But why do Ronald and Donald seem too similar to some heralds, and easily distinguishable to everyone else? My hypothesis is that most people consider similarity in sound and similarity of meaning together: if two names sound similar and could be construed as two different descriptions of the same person, a conflict seems reasonable. The Rules for Submissions say there's a conflict if two names sound too similar or come too close in meaning.
Ursula Georges and Ursula George should conflict.
Rules: Yes (too similar in sound & appearance)
Poll: 36.1% Yes
Heralds: 60% Yes
SCA: 39.1% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 23.1% Yes
Ronald McDonald and Donald McDonald should conflict.
Rules: Yes (too similar in sound & appearance)
Poll: 8% Yes
Heralds: 30% Yes
SCA: 13% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 0% Yes
Alessandra dei Medici and Alessandro de' Medici should conflict.
Rules: Yes (too similar in sound & appearance)
Poll: 22.2% Yes
Heralds: 30% Yes
SCA: 17.4% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 7.7% Yes
Seumas mac a'Phearsain and Seamus MacPherson should conflict.
Rules: Yes (too similar in sound & appearance)
Poll: 58.3% Yes
Heralds: 60% Yes
SCA: 43.5% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 30.8% Yes
Order of the Star and Order of the Star of Madrone should conflict.
Rules: Yes (SCA branch names invisible for conflict in order names)
SCA: 5.6% Yes
Heralds: 0% Yes
SCA: 8.7% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 15.4% Yes
Order of the Star and Order of the Star of Germany should conflict.
Rules: No (adding Germany clears conflict)
Poll: 8.3% Yes
Heralds: 10% Yes
SCA: 13% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 15.4% Yes
Hob Gage and Robert Gage should conflict.
Rules: Yes (Hob is a nickname for Robert)
SCA: 41.7% Yes
Heralds: 60% Yes
SCA: 47.8% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 38.5% Yes
Pedro Fernandez and Pedro Fernandez Perez should conflict.
Rules: No (adding a third element clears conflict)
Poll: 11.1% Yes
Heralds: 10% Yes
SCA: 8.7% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 7.7% Yes
William Brun le Mercer and William le Mercer Brun should conflict.
Rules: Yes (either order has same meaning)
Poll: 36.1% Yes
Heralds: 50% Yes
SCA: 34.8% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 23.1% Yes
Ursula Georges and Ursula filia Georgii should conflict.
Rules: No (bynames look and sound different)
Poll: 27.8% Yes
Heralds: 50% Yes
SCA: 26.1% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 7.7% Yes
Order of the Star and Star Herald should conflict.
Rules: Yes (designators invisible for conflict, heraldic titles taken from order names)
Poll: 5.6% Yes
Heralds: 10% Yes
SCA: 4.3% Yes
SCA Non-Herald: 0% Yes
Unsurprisingly, heralds are more likely to agree with the rules as they currently stand. For cases like Hob vs. Robert, this makes sense: onomastics geeks are more likely to know and care that Hob is a nickname for Robert. But why do Ronald and Donald seem too similar to some heralds, and easily distinguishable to everyone else? My hypothesis is that most people consider similarity in sound and similarity of meaning together: if two names sound similar and could be construed as two different descriptions of the same person, a conflict seems reasonable. The Rules for Submissions say there's a conflict if two names sound too similar or come too close in meaning.