Bigfoot (final version) received a peer review by Wikipedia editors, which on 2 April 2024 was archived. It may contain ideas you can use to improve this article.
This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Bigfoot article. This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject.
Bigfoot is a former featured article candidate. Please view the links under Article milestones below to see why the nomination failed. For older candidates, please check the archive.
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Stephen Harrison (February 13, 2023). "Why Wikipedia Is So Tough on Bigfoot". Slate (magazine). Retrieved February 15, 2023. ...the Bigfoot article, which is sprinkled with descriptors like pseudoscience, hoax, folklore, and wishful thinking. But these words infuriate serious Bigfoot believers, who claim that Wikipedia should be softer and more neutral in its language.
It is: The name "Sasquatch" is the anglicized version of sasq'ets (sas-kets), roughly translating to "hairy man" in the Halq'emeylem language. --Belbury (talk) 09:34, 9 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Do you have source for that? If so we can slap that in the article and satisfy the IP users request. GeogSage (⚔Chat?⚔) 18:36, 9 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I mean it is addressed in the article. I'm quoting from the History section there. Belbury (talk) 18:46, 9 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
My mistake, so it is! I did not read the words "It is" in your reply and just saw green text. I've been skimming far to much text recently, and it shows. Thanks for your patience and time letting me know! GeogSage (⚔Chat?⚔) 18:52, 9 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
While cryptozoologists are a fringe group in academia, they have been given a large platform with TV shows like Finding Bigfoot. "Finding Bigfoot ranked among Animal Planet's top rated programs throughout its run," and as this show is in the category "Cryptozoological television series," it seems that while the subculture may be "moribund" in terms of mainstream academia, the general public has a lot of interest in the topic. Bigfoot is a pop culture phenomena and of interest as a piece of folklore as far as scientific consensus is concerned. The enthusiasts for bigfoot are the ones driving the conversation, as academics really aren't that interested. I would wager that many of the views on this page are from people who are interested in Bigfoot because they heard about it on one of these shows. I think that it is therefore appropriate to address this group and their claims directly and clearly, and that it is not inappropriate emphasis to do so. GeogSage (⚔Chat?⚔) 23:21, 16 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Are you proposing to add more content to the "In popular culture" section? Where else would you want to add such information, if otherwise? If you have something substantial in mind, you could write up a draft in your sandbox and link to it, so that other editors can read it and offer feedback. I can hear the incels stirring already.;-) Carlstak (talk) 01:48, 17 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I should have been more clear. Not preposing more content, I'm justifying my revert to the format of the lead. Status quo is fine. I thought I put a note for "see talk section" on its edit summary, but forgot. GeogSage (⚔Chat?⚔) 02:27, 17 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Oh, okay. Your revert was justified. Thanks. Carlstak (talk) 03:02, 17 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
We've recently had editors play the reception of this article's subject before discussion of it from academics. This reads as if all notions of the folklore surrounding Bigfoot stems from cryptozoologists, who are a tiny subculture. Most individuals who believe Bigfoot may be out there somewhere are not aware that the subculture exists. Belief in Bigfoot does not make one a cryptozoologist. :bloodofox: (talk) 07:04, 18 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
As I stated in the above talk section, and in my edit summary, moving the sentence to the end is not a logical flow. The sentence does not indicate belief in bigfoot, but is discussing presenting evidence for its existence. As my previous edit summary had gone into, the first sentence is on those presenting the evidence. It is then followed by expert claims. Moving the line on cryptozoologists to the end of the paragraph does nothing but sandwich the expert consensus between mention of Enthusiasts, and cryptozoologists.
As a significant amount of media on Bigfoot that the public is exposed to is from the Cable network programs, the term "cryptozoologist" is likely to be much more well known then you may think, especially among people who believe in the folklore. However, statements either way would need substantial research, we don't know the percentage of people who are aware of the subculture.
The change I made should satisfy your criticism that not all who believe in the folklore are cryptozoologists, while maintaining the logical ordering of ideas within the paragraph. GeogSage (⚔Chat?⚔) 07:32, 18 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Nominating this for Featured/good Article status?[edit]
I see this article was nominated for featured article status a few years ago. It looks to me like it has made tremendous progress since then. Does anyone think this could be a candidate for either good article or featured article? Of course, it might needs some work before then, but we could look at that. GeogSage (⚔Chat?⚔) 16:40, 14 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I've never initiated either process for any article, but I think I would support nominating this page. It has indeed made a lot of progress compared to where it was at previously. TNstingray (talk) 21:47, 14 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I haven't ever initiated the process either, but am learning for a few other pages. We could start by putting the page on Wikipedia:Peer review/Guidelines to get some fresh eyes and suggestions on it. I currently have a page being reviewed, so I can't add another right now. If someone else wanted to add this there, mentioning that we want to get it to good or FA, we could get some momentum. GeogSage (⚔Chat?⚔) 23:21, 14 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Wondering whether "bigfoot", "sasquatch", "yeti", etc., should be uncapitalized in the article, as they aren't ethnicities, nationalities, or religious groups. Largoplazo (talk) 04:54, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
They are typically presented as proper nouns. TNstingray (talk) 11:59, 17 April 2024 (UTC) Actually I take that back, sourcing uses either the upper or lowercase. This should definitely be discussed, and the decision should be carried over to other pages like Yeti. TNstingray (talk) 12:07, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Anyone making a survey of sources should distinguish contexts in which one of these terms serves as a name for what's being supposed to be a single anomaly, a unique creature like the Loch Ness monster, from contexts in which it's supposed that there are many of them, like leprechauns and elves. In other words, "A camper claims to have seen the Sasquatch last week" versus "A camper claims to have seen a sasquatch last week". Largoplazo (talk) 12:16, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Agreed. It appears that there are contexts where Bigfoot singular is used as an individual cultural icon or advertising mascot. In the context of the wild, "Bigfoot" was the original proper name given to the singular culprit in the '50s, and this spelling seems to have carried over to interest in the alleged species. But we should go with the sources. Also, not that this is how we determine Wikipedia content, but the source editor underlines "bigfoot" and "sasquatch" in red indicating they are incorrect, haha. TNstingray (talk) 12:40, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]