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First line of lede

The current version is:

  • The Chetniks or the Chetnik movement or Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland (Serbian: Четници, Četnici, Turkish çete pronounced [tʃɛ̂tniːtsi]) were a Serbian nationalist and royalist paramilitary organization operating in the Balkans before and during World Wars, mostly known for their participation in the Yugoslav Front of World War II.

I suggest we consider changing it to:

  • Chetnik is a name chosen by a number of Serbian nationalist or royalist militia or paramilitary organizations operating in the Balkans during the 20th century. Although the term has been used to designate a variety of groups, military and civilian, throughout the century, it is most closely associated with groups formed during World War II, which primarily engaged in military activities against the Partisans.

The notion is that this wording opens up more modern usages of the term, as well the earliest usages which predate WWI. --Nuujinn (talk) 23:51, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

The idea sounds very good. Some minor issues could be Chetnik which is a singular of Chetniks, thus never used for a group (something like Marines, you´ll never start the article by saying Marine..., so perhaps we could leave it in plural? Then, what you think if we change in the last sentence in the part talking about Partisans the idea of "primarly engaged" by "rivalry" perhaps? (weren´t they primarly engaged in fighting Axis? And then they switched their attention towards Partisans...). FkpCascais (talk) 00:16, 22 November 2011 (UTC)


It is a mistake imho to try an rework the first line on its own. Rather, lets have a go in this section at the entire first paragraph. Mind you, the only problem with the old first line is that someone butchered it by adding "or Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland", no doubt for POV reasons (the version restored by FkpCascais was the one mangled and maimed by various Serbian IPs and and new users a while ago). WP:LEDE tells us, in no uncertain terms, that the lede should be a summary of the article. Nota bene: the Chetniks did not cease to exist between the three wars they participated in, but continued as two civilian organizations.

  • Chetniks, or the Chetnik movement ([Четници, Četnici] Error: {{Langx}}: text has italic markup (help), Turkish çete pronounced [tʃɛ̂tniːtsi]), were Serbian nationalist and royalist paramilitary organizations from the first half of the 20th century. The Chetniks were formed as a Serbian resistance against the Ottoman Empire in 1904, and participated in the First Balkan War, World War I, and World War II. Between the wars, in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, they functioned in the form of two civilian organizations. The name is today most closely associated with the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, the World War II movement of Draža Mihailović, which was later renamed into the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland (Jugoslovenska vojska u otadžbini, Југословенска војска у отаџбини; JVUO, ЈВУО).

Then the second paragraph, one we've worked it out, can handle the Mihailovic Chetniks with all the "who did they fight" issues. Somewhere below, in the last paragraph perhaps (corresponding with the article's layout), we can add that "Several modern Serbian paramilitary organizations, formed in the 1990s after the collapse of Yugoslavia, chose the name 'Chetniks', and consider themselves as the continuation of the Chetnik legacy". --DIREKTOR (TALK) 06:50, 22 November 2011 (UTC)

"Various Serbian IP´s? Which ones? The version I restored is the one from Nuujinn´s draft (and Nuujinn is vary far from being a Serbian IP)... Please direktor stop this pharse of an "army" (or, something) of Serbian users as I am the only (and quite lonely) Serbian here... FkpCascais (talk) 08:41, 22 November 2011 (UTC)
This is Nuujin's draft, FkpCascais. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 10:07, 22 November 2011 (UTC)
DIREKTOR, you altered my proposal, I've restored it, please do not alter my posts again. I want to work on the lede one line at a time, since we have been at loggerheads thus far. You are certainly free to participate or not, but I would like to hear from other editors. I have added a bit about civilian groups per your concern. --Nuujinn (talk) 18:56, 22 November 2011 (UTC)
Thank you for allowing me to participate, Nuujinn. Now if you'll allow me to point out, it makes no sense whatsoever to discuss one sentence at a time, since the paragraph represents a particular topic. We may be "at loggerheads" - but not about the first sentence, or indeed, the first paragraph. It would be good of you to remember that the only difficult issues are 1) your removal of all mention of Chetnik ethnic cleansing and Greater-Serbianism (which Tomasevich describes in great detail as their primary objective), and 2) collaboration. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 02:56, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
I'm not allowing anything DIREKTOR, please don't twist my words. I'm trying to initiate a discussion amoung editors regarding the first line--from your response I take it that you are completely opposed to that attempt, and that's fine, but please do not attempt the derail the discussion before it it can begin. The first line could be a simple definition of the word. You brought up one particular objection and I tried to address it, if you have others I'd be glad to hear about them, but opposing the idea of drafting a line seems excessive. --Nuujinn (talk) 10:52, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
I reverted DIRKETOR's last edit as it is not based in any of the dicussions taken place here. I do not believe we have consensus for that version. --Nuujinn (talk) 10:52, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
These are your edits entering non-consensus changes into the article in spite of talkpage opposition and by edit-warring. It seems pretty obvious we're past folowing WP:BRD on this article - thanks almost exclusively to you. That said, we can begin to do so once more if you'd consent to keeping the status quo version up. The problem is of course, you do not like the status quo version of years past , and you want your changes to remain on top.
The first paragraph is perfectly good and accurate, I see no reason for you delete it.
I am opposed to discussing the first sentence alone, since that simply makes no sense and is impractical. Furthermore, I am appalled at your evasive behavior regarding the remainder of the disputed points. Do I need to post them again? Your position lacks sources so instead of adjusting your position and compromising - you proclaim us to be "at loggerheads" and start trying to impose another, absurdly restricted topic of discussion? FkpCascais at least tried something with his OR, you just fell silent and let the discussion die down. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 11:59, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Please, be as appalled as you care to, and post whatever you like. But if some of us would like to work on a draft of the lede by working on one sentence at a time, I would ask you to not interfere with those efforts even if you care not to participate. I think that's a good way to try to move forward, and others might as well.

Yes, we are at loggerheads, as you've rejected out of hand a number of compromises I have put forward. And I've provided sources for what I've suggested, even though you refuse to acknowledge that. Your argument regarding status quo doesn't hold much weight, since consensus can change, and the lede has been in flux the last few months. And I ask again that you cease your constant accusations implying that anyone who disagrees with you is acting in bad faith. --Nuujinn (talk) 12:35, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

  • Yes, the article is often vandalized, sources are often removed or the text they support changed without consensus or adherence to their position - and you are a goodly part of that "flux". You can call it whatever you like, but the sourced status quo remains that which it was for years now.
  • You had not put forward any "compromises" whatsoever, and had not adjusted your position to the sources in the slightest. When confronted with references you had simply fallen silent, and started this new thread(!). This is no way to discuss: kindly state your positions on the five disputed points, and be sure to enclose sources that directly and unambiguously support them as I'm sure we've all heard quite enough WP:OR for this month. Should you not do so at last, what other alternative is there than to consider them resolved? --DIREKTOR (TALK) 13:12, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
Meh. Please note I directly addressed one of your concerns in the draft first line above. Please note that I've put up more than one version of the lede. If you wish to ask me a question, do so politely and I'll answer, but I'm not going to engage in the usual endless walls of text that discussions in which you are involved tend to spiral. Implying that other editors are engaging in OR or vandalism is not civil, please cease. --Nuujinn (talk) 13:42, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

"Meh"? :D Alright Nuujinn, I know how to use the copy-paste function: Once again, there are serious inaccuracies in the text, and serious issues with the omission of assessments of Chetnik collaboration and resistance by some of the (quote) "best" sources available to us.

  • Chetnik collaboration was "progressive" (Milazzo p.182) and "gradual" (Tomasevich), i.e. increasing through time. Unless someone can provide a contradicting assessment in the sources, there is no reason to exclude it. This fact should to be mentioned in the lede (as it had been for several years).
  • Chetnik resistance activities were described as "marginal" (also Milazzo p.182). Equally, unless someone can provide a contradicting assessment in the sources, there is no reason to exclude it.
  • Various adjectives used by authors to directly describe Chetnik collaboration are "systematic" (Tomasevich and Ramet), "extensive" (Ramet), "enduring" (Tomasevich), "tactical" (Milazzo), and "selective" (Milazzo) (and, if you will, "hopelessly compromising"). I would suggest using "systematic and selective", with Ramet's assessment also included in some way, so as to cover all the sources.

The perceived problems with Nuujinn's proposal are as follows:

  • Chetniks and Partisans did not cooperate anywhere or at any time after they became enemies on 1 November 1941. This is a grave error, and the text should not suggest anything of the sort.
  • Nuujinn's draft states that the most Chetnik detachments "collaborated independently". "Independently" is, from what sources we have seen, Nuujinn's own assessment on the nature of Chetnik collaboration, and is seriously contradicted by sources such as Tomasevich, which bring forth, for the best example, Draza Mihailovic's own personal admission that he commanded such "independently" collaborating Chetniks in joint operations with Italian and German forces during Fall Weiss.

And this is the proposed modification of your text:

Although the Chetniks were the first of the two resistance organizations to be formed in Yugoslavia, they were never an entirely homogeneous movement. Some groups engaged in marginal(Milazzo) resistance activities, however, most Chetnik groups collaborated with the Axis to one degree or another in order to fight the Partisans, whom they viewed as their primary enemy, by establishing modus vivendi or operating as "legalised" auxiliary forces under Axis control. Thus, over a period of time, and in different parts of the country, the Chetniks were progressively drawn into collaboration agreements(Milazzo, Tomasevich I) first with the Nedic forces in Serbia, then with the Italians in Montenegro and occupied Dalmatia, with some of the Ustase forces in northern Bosnia, and after the Italian capitulation also with the Germans directly.(Tomasevich I p.196) While Chetnik collaboration reached "extensive and systematic"(Tomasevich I p.246; Ramet p.145) proportions, the Chetniks' themselves referred to this "policy of collaboration"(Ramet p.145) as "using the enemy".(Tomasevich I p.196)

I shall now politely curtsey, and ask you to be so kind as to respond to the points, lest we consider them resolved... meho. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 14:05, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

G'day all, I just wanted to air my perspective on this.

Firstly, as far as the Balkan Wars are concerned in this article, Chetnik detachments (I am fairly reliably informed by a mate who has a Serbian background but is in the Australian Army, that the most appropriate English translation is 'companies' ie about 100-120 soldiers), also fought in the 2nd Balkan War against the Bulgarians. An overall source for this sentence in the first para of the lede is Tomasevich Vol 1 p116-117, in case anyone wants one. I'll add it myself once I get access to a real computer.
Secondly, I would not agree to 'rivalry' instead of 'primarily engaged' as proposed by FkpCascais. It just isn't supported by the sources.
Thirdly, I don't support the 'status quo' version of the lede linked by Direktor. In my view, it just does not reflect the complexity involved, and I am happy to provide sources once I have full computer access again. Please call me out on this as necessary.
Fourthly, @Nuujinn. I have significant issues with your proposed redraft of the 1st sentence of the lede which I will detail shortly. I believe it should stand as it is at present. I agree with Direktor that it should be dealt with by paragraph rather than by sentence. Each paragraph has a theme, and I consider we should try to come to a consensus on each paragraph/theme rather than end up with a disjointed approach as a result of going sentence by sentence. Peacemaker67 (talk) 12:59, 25 November 2011 (UTC)
Sounds fine to me. You needn't worry about sourcing the sentences in the lede--everything needs to be sourced, but anything in the lede should be dealt with in the main body as well, and having the reference there is fine. Also, we're not in a hurry--this article was part of a nearly two year mediation process involving a number of editors, the outcome of which I think it is fair to say DIREKTOR found less than satisfactory, and I doubt we'll be finished with it anytime soon. The article is a mess, and under the best of conditions it would take a very long time to sort it out. --Nuujinn (talk) 14:20, 25 November 2011 (UTC)
Nuujinn, please do not further proliferate your gross misconceptions about the Wikipedia mediation process, and, more specifically, do not suggest the existence of phantom "outcomes" when there were none to speak of. You are merely trying to create an ethereal aura of "legitimacy" for the section which you wrote (alone). We are at all times free to change, edit, modify and refactor any text on this project. And the fact is, your text is very far from a fair representation of facts.
  • Peacemaker, there's a bit of a chicken-or-egg problem there. "Cheta" later came to mean "company" in the Yugoslav and Serbian army, replacing "kumpanija" (which was German in origin and therefore undesirable), but I believe that originally the "chetas" were not companies as such. To be sure, today in Serbia "cheta" means "company" (though not so elsewhere in ex-Yu, e.g. satnija in Croatia), hence the information provided by your friend, but I believe the usage of the term in that capacity is rather derived from the Chetniks than vice versa, i.e., I do not think that for the Chetniks' "cheta" was considered to be anything like a strictly defined military unit. I could be wrong, though.
  • Agreed.
  • Naturally. I also do not support the status quo version, Peacemaker, it was simply my suggestion that the status quo version be restored while the discussions are on over here, to prevent any edit-warring.
--DIREKTOR (TALK) 16:02, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Renaming sections

I beleave that it would be objective to rename all sections from "collaboration" into "relation" as that way it would be possible to explore other aspects of relation between the intervenients. Also, the relation between Chetniks vs Germans, Italians, NDH, etc. was much much complex than just "collaboration", and it was named this way only because of the will of certain editors to expand only that aspect of the relation. FkpCascais (talk) 09:32, 4 December 2011 (UTC)

I disagree with you. The main relationship between the Chetniks and the Third Reich was collaboration. Jingiby (talk) 10:01, 4 December 2011 (UTC)
Disagree as well, of course. Sounds like POV weasel words to me. Almost like renaming the "Ethnic cleansing" section into "Ethnic conflict". The sources are very unambiguous with regard to the terms used to refer to these "relations". Maybe we should strike all mention of the word "collaboration" and replace it with "relations" (no pun intended)? --DIREKTOR (TALK) 10:05, 4 December 2011 (UTC)
Jingiby, you were not active in these discussions. The relation between Chetniks and Axis was of declared war. The complexity must be reflected. FkpCascais (talk) 10:16, 4 December 2011 (UTC)
"You were not active in these discussions"? Neither was User:Jean-Jacques Georges, for literally years now. Yet your response to his comment was "welcome, could you help here, please, seems that some sort of offensive is going on and I am quite lonely here..." :) The difference seems to be that Jingiby opposes you. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 10:19, 4 December 2011 (UTC)
I'm not sure how relevant Jingiby's activity is in this context. I also disagree with changing the section titles from collaboration to anything else. It is what it is, and the collaboration of the Chetniks is a key issue supported by the sources in this article. That is why collaboration is in the lede. Peacemaker67 (talk) 10:24, 4 December 2011 (UTC)
JJG was part of the mediation. Jingby´s intervention here is obviously welcomed, but out-of-context and btw he made a biased comment without any scholar support... Third Reich, lol. FkpCascais (talk) 17:48, 4 December 2011 (UTC)
The pot is calling the kettle black... -- ◅PRODUCER (TALK) 18:08, 4 December 2011 (UTC)

Notece how Chetniks are described here on bottom of bottom right of page 3. Royalist, pro-Allied and anti-communist. I beleave we are missing specially the "anti-communist" element in the lede.

With regard of exagerations of ultra-nationalism and ethnic cleansing, just see the way it is dealt here, on p. 278. This is NPOV approach. FkpCascais (talk) 22:09, 4 December 2011 (UTC)

Find a source that says they are "exaggerations", other than yourself that is. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 02:05, 5 December 2011 (UTC)

@FkpCascais. I have no problem with the inclusion of a reference to Chetnik 'anti-Communism' in the lede and the Formation and Ideology section, as long as it is NPOV, sourced and balanced with the other facets of the Chetnik ideology already there. Get one from a reliable source and we can discuss wording and where it would fit. Peacemaker67 (talk) 11:34, 5 December 2011 (UTC)

Neither do I, but the problem is that their anti-communist ideology applies to WWII first and foremost. I suggest that it be added in the WWII section. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 12:12, 5 December 2011 (UTC)
"...applies to WWII first and foremost." Wrong perception in my view. Monarchists were anti-communist ever since communists became politically active, and that includes the pre-1941 period as well. The King´s governament banned the KPY already in 1920/21, and the anti-communism among royalists is even older... Now, Chetniks may not have had direct involvement with communists in their supression, but they were certainly strongly on King´s side on this issue, no doubts. Thus no need to limit that perception to any time period, much less only to WWII. We really need to avoid focusing only on WWII, specially for this ideological sections. FkpCascais (talk) 12:34, 5 December 2011 (UTC)
I am sure the Chetniks probably would have been anti-communists in 1904, had they had any contact with communism at all. The point is they didn't. We cannot class everyone we think would probably be anti-communist as "anti-communist", just because we think they would have been such. The Romans or the Aztecs probably also would have been decidedly "anti-communist". (The ban of the KPY has nothing to do with this.) --DIREKTOR (TALK) 14:15, 5 December 2011 (UTC)

Origins

I just expanded the origins section with some well-sourced material, and DIRKETOR immediately reverted my edits, and removed again the UNDUE tag on the article. I put the material back, given that the sources are good, and restored the tag since we clearly have a disagreement regarding due weight of issues. --Nuujinn (talk) 02:06, 5 December 2011 (UTC)

Nuujinn, kindly refrain from nonsense, non-consensus edits, WP:EDIT-WARRING, and obvious POV WP:OVERTAGGING. I do not dispute your addition of sourced content, however:
  • The entire section you edited covers the WWII movement, yet you added a WWII sub-sub-section there. I hope this is some sort of error on your part, but in either case please do not change the sectional organization of the article without prior discussion.
  • On Wikipedia, we dot place tags to make ourselves feel better, but to actually resolve listed issues. See WP:OVERTAGGING: "It is very rare that more than two or three tags are needed, even on the worst articles. Adding more tags usually results in all of them being ignored. Focus your attention on the most important one or two issues." Furthermore, if you supposedly believe that a WP:UNDUE violation is a problem in the article - start a discussion on the issue, because apart from your deliberate omission of Tomasevich and Ramet from the lede and vast chunks of text, we have not had any WP:UNDUE discussions.
  • Do not remove the note on the alternative translation without any reason.
In other words, do not list more than two tags, and discuss all tags you add. Tags that are not actively being addressed and are added only as a "feel better" measure should be removed. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 02:14, 5 December 2011 (UTC)
I put the undue tag there last month Direktor, Nuujiin just restored it when you removed it. I understand WP:OVERTAGGING is not WP policy, but nevertheless I didn't feel that it was POV tagging. I believed, and still believe (although there had been improvements), that there is significant undue weight given to certain matters in the article. Excuse my lack of knowledge/experience as regard tagging, but when I get a minute, I will list them. As far as the Turkish translation bit in the lede is concerned, both FkpCascais and I consider it does not meet the 'importance' test to remain in the lede (although Fkp may have a slightly different view as to why it shouldn't be there). I am interested in other editors views, particularly as it is covered in sufficient detail in the Etymology section. Peacemaker67 (talk) 02:43, 5 December 2011 (UTC)
@Nuujiin. I'm not sure what you were doing with the Formation and Ideology section. I support Direktor's reverts, as you appear to have blanked that section and replaced it with info unrelated to WW2 which is covered sufficiently in earlier sections. As far as the translation regarding 'Fatherland' and 'Homeland' is concerned, whilst it may not be important enough to be in the lede, FkpCascais, Direktor and I have discussed this at some length above, and it is probably worth clarifying that there are two possible translations (which is reflected in the sources). Peacemaker67 (talk) 03:26, 5 December 2011 (UTC)
@Peacemaker, I do not have a different view, but exactly the same as you and I explained myself, just that I complained about Direktor doing this for simple provocative purposes, as he is very well aware that Chetniks fought Turks in their first stages of existance... FkpCascais (talk) 10:01, 5 December 2011 (UTC)

Peacemaker, here's the diff. I did add some material in the wrong section, and I thank DIREKTOR for moving that, but mainly what I did was expand a bit on the formation of the Chetniks in WWII with references to distinguish the Pecanac's and Mihailovice's groups, and marked statements that need references, with some prose cleanup and some minor deletions. I don't think my edits constituted section blanking, but I'm willing to talk about it. Also, if anyone has Tomasevich p.123 at hand, could you post the quote regarding the naming of the movement.

FWIW, I agree with you and FKP regarding the translation issue being in the lede.

In regard to Homeland versus Fatherland, I think that if the best sources we have use "homeland" that's what we should use, since we cannot rely on our expertise, as wanting or vast as it may be. I do have experience as a translator, so I could make a reasonable argument in this regard, but it wouldn't count for anything since we are supposed to rely on what reliable sources say. If the issue were important enough for us to get into it, there'd be a source discussing it, but so far I'm not found one. The raw number of ghits on the terms is really irrelevant, as the quality of sources is the key question. I think Roberts, Tomasevich, and Pavlowitch are the three best we have, and they use homeland. What's the best source that uses Fatherland?

Also, DIREKTOR, WP:TAGGING is neither a policy nor a guideline, but rather an essay, and thus it represents the opinions of some editors--we are not bound to it, but removal of tags in the midst of a dispute is considered rather bad form--the article as it stand omits a good deal of information and thus gives undue weight to a number of key issues (such as basically omitting that while some Germans in the early part of the war did try to reach agreements with the Chetniks, many were doing their best to wipe them out). --Nuujinn (talk) 00:14, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

Either discuss the supposed WP:UNDUE violation or stop reverting the removal of Peacemaker's tag which was added for a specific reason which no longer applies. What you are doing is classic WP:OVERTAGGING, which is not actionable as you point out, but edit-warring to do so is. There is no WP:UNDUE discussion on this talkpage, and you will be called upon to justify your latest edit war on ANI. The purpose of the tags is to help solve the issues, not to keep them in for "psychological effect".
  • "fatherland" = "otadžbina" (derived from "otac" meaning "father"); "homeland" = "domovina" (derived from "dom" meaning "home"). As far as translation is concerned, there is no room for debate whatsoever. The terms correspond entirely in the two languages, and are only as interchangeable in English as "homeland" and "fatherland" are interchangeable. In short, to translate "fatherland" into "homeland" is an error without question, but the two terms are virtual synonyms (in both languages).
  • "otadžbina" (fatherland) is the traditional Serbian way of referring to their country in romantic terms, "domovina" (homeland) is traditionally Croatian (much as "motherland" is Russian, etc.). The motto of the (Serb-dominated) Kingdom of Yugoslavia was "For King and Fatherland!" (Za Kralja i Otadžbinu!), as was the case with the Kingdom of Serbia before it. The motto of the Chetniks themselves was "For King and Fatherland!" (Za Kralja i Otadžbinu!).
  • Nuujinn, you can keep knocking down these straw men of yours all week if you like. I would never suggest we use a term, correctly translated or no, that was significantly out of usage in English-language sources. Unlike you, who simply defines your position as an opposition to my own and continuously seeks to undermine whatever I may propose, I researched the matter before forming an opinion. The sources are divided equally on the usage of the of the term, and very high quality sources can be found using either . In addition to all of the above, you will find all over enWikipedia, "Fatherland" is currently being used.
"Homeland" is used and deserves mention in the WWII section as an alternative translation, but its plain inaccurate and should not supersede a term that equally well sourced - but perfectly correct. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 16:50, 6 December 2011 (UTC)
I don't agree that it is equally well sourced, as the better sources we have such as Roberts and Tomasevich tend to use Homeland instead of Fatherland, and in looking over the sources (for the third time) that use Fatherland, I see mostly sources that we would regard as marginal--numbers do not matter so much as quality. And I simply don't care what your position is in regard to the accuracy of the translations, as I believe that falls in the realm of OR. I don't care what we have on WP, since we are not a reliable source. In regard to the undue tag, I have mentioned my major concern regarding undue weight, and until that is resolved, I will maintain the tag. (As an aside, in US English, Fatherland is not at all the same and Homeland.) --Nuujinn (talk) 01:21, 7 December 2011 (UTC)
So, supposing (just for a moment) we were all to accept your personal standards with regard to what constitutes a "better source", are you seriously telling people you reviewed the quality of well over 3,000 sources to produce some sort of real basis for such statements? I mean, I know you don't "agree" with me, that's a given in any situation, but at least you could put together a coherent, believable argument.
As for your "rejection" of what constitutes an accurate translation, that does little more than affirm your position as being the opposite of mine rather at all costs. Anyone who speaks the language (FkpCascais included, see above) can tell you the above disclosure is correct. For the record Nuujinn, I am entirely bilingual and speak English and Serbo-Croatian indifferently and with a flawless accent. I thank you, therefore, but I do not need you to instruct me in the English language, particularly since it appears you may need some help there yourself: the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (of US English) explicitly disagrees with you: "fatherland" is not only listed as one of the synonyms of "homeland" (and vice versa), its listed first as the closest equivalent. You know, it strikes me that if you keep "opposing" just about everything I say, you're bound to oppose me on something rather obvious such as this, and then you won't look all that good.. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 02:53, 7 December 2011 (UTC)
So now direktor, you don´t know anymore what is a "better source"? How is that you claimed this troughout discussions regarding Tomasevic, but now suddenly you don´t know about "better sources"?
Anyway, what is your problem with Homeland? We all agreed to use it except you, who is making a drama out of nowhere. Tomasevic and Roberts (the heaviest weights of sources we have been using) both use it. And regarding the translation, we already spoke about it, literal translation doesn´t allways necessaily have to be the best, as in this case Homeland is equally used and quite suitable for the context. Anyway, we all agreed, we could be moving on, but you do your usual stuff. FkpCascais (talk) 09:21, 7 December 2011 (UTC)
Fkp you know its the wrong translation, the Chetnik motto is "Za Kralja i Otadzbinu!", a ne "Za Tudjmana i Domovinu!" :). It just hurts my eyes. Believe it or not I actually don't have it in for the Chetniks, I respect their tradition and would like to see it accurately depicted. But you're right on some level, if you don't care about it, I suppose I shouldn't make a fuss over it.
As for "better source", read my post(s) more carefully. I was only quoting Tomasevich's peer reviews - I was not trying to impose my own personal definition of a "better source". Some sources are certainly "better" than others, its simply that we are not the ones to make such judgments. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 12:06, 7 December 2011 (UTC)
I thin Fkp makes a good point--if you regard the terms as synonyms, why do you care enough to disagree with Tomasevich (who you have consistently lauded) and the other mainline sources such as Roberts and Pavlowitch? Good translations are generally not word for word, and dictionaries deal with definitions. Translations rely on both definitions and connotations. But if you want to pursue, I would suggest that you rustle up the three best sources that use Fatherland and we'll compare them. I looked through a dozen pages of the google searches last night, and I did not see anything that matched the quality of those three. --Nuujinn (talk) 13:40, 7 December 2011 (UTC)
"Homeland" is an acceptable translation (because its a synonym), but its not the best translation. "Fatherland" is the best translation of "otadzbina" because "otadzbina" is derived from the word "father" ("otac"). To put it more simply, "fatherland" and "otadzbina" are the exact same word in their respective languages. "Homeland" and "otadzbina" are not.
I do not "regard" them as synonyms, they are synonyms. That said, "fatherland" and "homeland" have a very similar meaning, but they are obviously not 100% completely identical (and therefore one is more accurate than the other). And I believe I've said several times I'm dropping the issue. --DIREKTOR (TALK) 18:59, 7 December 2011 (UTC)

Nominally&de facto

I see that a group of editors massively uses this description in the infobox using:

Kingdom of Yugoslavia (nominally), Axis powers (de facto)

I find this simplification tendentious. I made an edit on Pavle Đurišić in order to replace this simplification with a more precise and correct info. I am not saying that my edit ahould be definitive, but we do need to discuss this issue and acknolledge that the version nominally/de facto can/should be improved. FkpCascais (talk) 05:57, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

What are you suggesting his allegiance was and when? and what are your sources? Peacemaker67 (talk) 07:52, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

In any case, there is no allegiance in the info box for this article, take the discussion over to the Djurisic article. Peacemaker67 (talk) 08:04, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

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