""Yes, it's an allision," user The BushRanger wrote on a "talk" page about the incident, where volunteer editors hash out how they'll handle contentious notes and questions. "But everyone will call it a collision.""
""That's not a reason to use the terminology incorrectly, which degrades the public's use of language.""
"They suggested "hit the bridge" would be less precise but get the job done - and took offense to anyone calling a technically correct term "jargon.""
A Mexican Navy training ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge in May, prompting debate over whether the event qualified as a "collision" or an "allision." Maritime terminology distinguishes a collision as two moving objects striking each other and an allision as a moving object striking a stationary structure. More than two dozen Wikipedia editors debated precise wording for months, balancing technical accuracy against common usage. The controversy concluded in late July with the incident labeled the "Cuauhtémoc-Brooklyn Bridge collision." The episode highlights strong local Wikipedia editor engagement, attention to detail, and community-driven collaboration around city topics.
Read at Gothamist
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