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feynman1
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Why did ancient publications so often start with 'on'? E.g. on the theory of... Why didn't they regard 'on' as redundant if all publications started with the same word, like emails starting with 'about' or 'on'?
Without "on" it would mean the entire theory. With "on" it's only a part of it. This makes a huge difference.feynman1 said:Why did ancient publications so often start with 'on'? E.g. on the theory of... Why didn't they regard 'on' as redundant if all publications started with the same word, like emails starting with 'about' or 'on'?
That's interesting. What was the editor's reason?f95toli said:It is still used but perhaps not in the titles of science papers.
Have you never used the phrase "While we are on the subject of..."? Or perhaps "while we are on the topic"?
It is (presumably?) using the same structure.
I did actually try to write a paper that had a title that started with "on the" a few years ago (not to be funny, but because I thought it would be appropriate considering the content), but the editor changed the title..
Me too, twice.jasonRF said:I actually published a paper (in a peer reviewed journal) with a title that began “on the …”.
It's not yet accepted in a peer-reviewed journal. Its title will change then.f95toli said:Coincidentally,. this paper appeared in my feed this morning
On the static effective Hamiltonian of a rapidly driven nonlinear system
https://arxiv.org/abs/2108.02861
Which I guess shows that it is indeed still used
Modern style. In ancient times, people had time to read papers. Now they only have time to read titles So the result must be in the title.feynman1 said:That's interesting. What was the editor's reason?
Are titles allowed to be longer in the digital age?atyy said:Modern style. In ancient times, people had time to read papers. Now they only have time to read titles So the result must be in the title.
+1 pleaseGeorge Jones said:Could we change the title of this thread to "On Ancient publications starting with 'On'"?
George Jones said:Could we change the title of this thread to "On Ancient publications starting with 'On'"?
Done.DaveC426913 said:+1 please
In earlier times, the most common types of publications were books, pamphlets, and newspapers. These were typically printed on paper and distributed by hand or through mail.
The titles of publications in earlier times were often chosen by the author or publisher. They were meant to be short and catchy, while also accurately describing the content of the publication.
In some cases, there were regulations or guidelines for titles of publications in earlier times. For example, in England during the 16th and 17th centuries, publications had to be approved by the Stationers' Company before they could be printed and distributed.
Titles of publications in earlier times were often longer and more descriptive than titles today. They also tended to be more formal and less creative. Additionally, titles were often written in Latin or other languages rather than in the local vernacular.
Some common elements included in titles of publications in earlier times were the author's name, the subject or topic of the publication, and sometimes the location or date of publication. Religious or political references were also common, as well as grandiose or sensational language.