c.
 | This template is used on approximately 82,000 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them. |
 | This template should not be used in citation templates such as Citation Style 1 and Citation Style 2, because it includes markup that will pollute the COinS metadata they produce; see Wikipedia:COinS. The CS1 and CS2 templates have limited support for c. as an abbreviation in the date fields. |
Usage
This template generates an abbreviation for circa: c. By default the abbreviation is marked with an HTML <abbr> tag, which in most browsers renders as a tooltip when hovered.
Examples
| Syntax | What it looks like | Notes |
|---|---|---|
((circa|1325))
|
c. 1325 | Default style: no line break allowed; thin space |
((circa|1325|lk=yes))
|
c. 1325 | Replace abbreviation tooltip with a link to Wiktionary instead |
((circa|1325|lk=no))
|
c. 1325 | No abbreviation tooltip at all |
((circa|1000|1050))
|
c. 1000 – c. 1050 | For a range with both dates uncertain. No tooltip on the second instance of "c." |
((circa|1000–1050))
|
c. 1000–1050 | Another option for a range; but, per MOS:CIRCA, prefer ((circa|1000|1050))
|
Parameters
Using the date itself as parameter (for example, "((circa|1956))", giving "c. 1956"), web browsers do not insert a line break anywhere in the string. By contrast, "((circa)) 1956" allows a line break between the "c." and the number. Also, with the date as a parameter a thinner space is used with many browsers:
- "c. 1956" is generated by "
((circa|1956))". - "c. 1956" is generated by "
((circa)) 1956".
If the parameter |lk= (for "link") is set as "|lk=no" or "|lk=off", the abbreviation is rendered as "c.", without a wikilink or abbreviation element. If it is absent, or set to "|lk=abbr", the abbreviation is rendered with the HTML <abbr> element. If it is set to "|lk=yes" or "|lk=on", it is rendered as "c.", with a wikilink to the wikt:circa article in Wiktionary and not an abbreviation element. lk=no can be used to avoid overlinking when this template is used repeatedly in the body of an article. For example:
[[Dionysius Exiguus]] was born ((circa|470)), lived in Rome from ((circa|lk=no|500)), and died ((circa|lk=no|544)).- → Dionysius Exiguus was born c. 470, lived in Rome from c. 500, and died c. 544.
If the parameter "sortable=yes" is specified, the template generates invisible text that will cause the column to sort correctly in sortable tables. However, it is at the cost of having that invisible text read out audibly by many screen readers. "Col 1" without the template does not sort correctly. "Col 2" with the template and sortable=yes sorts correctly.
| Title | Col 1 | Col 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Foo | 1066 | 1066 |
| Bar | c. 1510 | c. 1510 |
| Baz | 1956 | 1956 |
| Jaz | c. 410 | c. 410 |
{| class="sortable wikitable" style=text-align:right;
|-
! Title!!Col 1!!Col 2
|-
| style=text-align:left; | Foo|| 1066|| 1066
|-
| style=text-align:left; | Bar|| c. 1510|| ((circa|1510|sortable=yes))
|-
| style=text-align:left; | Baz|| 1956|| 1956
|-
| style=text-align:left; | Jaz|| c. 410|| ((circa|410|sortable=yes))
|}
Tracking categories
See also
TemplateData
TemplateData for Circa
This template generates an abbreviation for circa.
| Parameter | Description | Type | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year | 1 | An approximate date
| String | suggested |
| end year | 2 | Use when the start and end dates of a range are both approximate.
| String | optional |
| link | lk | If ‘on’, a link is added to the wiktionary article for circa. If ‘off’, the c. does not link or tooltip “circa”. Should be set to ‘off’ for the second and subsequent uses of this template. (Values ‘yes’ or ‘no’ may also be used.)
| String | optional |
| sortable | sortable | Set to “yes” for values in sortable tables
| Unknown | optional |