Cite? Site? or CITATION?

Factual Questions
1

I am quite sure this is nitpicking, but I often see requests for a cite to confirm or uphold someones post. The most common usages are of the forms: “Can you provide a cite for this?” or “I don’t have a cite for that.”

Is this really a request for a citation. Or is it a request for a website??

The word CITE is a VERB, to wit (from Merriam-Webster):

One entry found for cite.
Main Entry: cite
Pronunciation: 'sIt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): cit·ed; cit·ing
Etymology: Middle French citer to cite, summon, from Latin citare to put in motion, rouse, summon, from frequentative of ciEre to stir, move – more at -KINESIS
Date: 15th century
1 : to call upon officially or authoritatively to appear (as before a court)
2 : to quote by way of example, authority, or proof
3 a : to refer to; especially : to mention formally in commendation or praise b : to name in a citation
4 : to bring forward or call to another’s attention especially as an example, proof, or precedent
synonym see SUMMON

  • cit·able /'sI-t&-b&l/ adjective

OK, It’s over, WHEW! [/soapbox mode off] Unless someone says something about a “web sight”.

2

Breathe deeply, hermn8r, and your frustration will pass.

Change is part of any living language. The nouning of verbs is not nearly so prevalent as the verbing of nouns, but it does happen. Haven’t you ever asked anyone for a “quote”? :slight_smile: It’s shorthand, mental abbreviation, or just laziness and there’s nothing inherently wrong with it as long as everyone understands what’s being said, IMHO. Like “IMHO,” for example, it can even be considered jargon.

Anyway, welcome to the boards. Breathe. :slight_smile:

3

I’m mildly surprised that “cite” as a noun isn’t in the dictionary yet. The usage is certainly well established, and exists independent of the internet. Please don’t encourage people to say “site” when they mean “cite”, even though the “cite” will usually take the form of a link to a website because of the nature of this forum. They could also quote and reference a paper copy of something and it would still be a “cite”.

You sight a site, then cite the site as a cite. OK?