Hello,

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about corralling variants. That reflection dealt with names, of people and organizations. Names can vary, whether through the use of nicknames or shortened versions or through formal name changes. When writing an index, it is important to identify those variants and to somehow bring them together in the index.

Someone replied to that reflection and brought up the important and related issue of synonymous and similar terms. Thank you for your email! Synonyms seem like a natural follow-up, so I am going to write about that today.

Synonyms vs. Similar Terms

When I think about synonyms, I mostly think about concepts and things. These are different from names. Name variants either belong to the same person or organization or they don’t. With concepts and things, there can be much more nuance.

I like the phrase “synonymous and similar terms” because it reflects that nuance. Some terms are interchangeable. Other terms are similar yet distinct. The context of the discussion can also be important; terms may be synonymous in one book and distinct in another. So when dealing with concepts and things, it is not simply a matter of identifying synonyms but also of determining how they are used.

Terms can vary for a number of reasons. Synonyms exist in the English language and an author may use more than one term in their book. Authors in an edited collection may also choose different terms.

Preferred terms can change as society becomes more attentive to the impact and nuance of what terms mean and how terms impact people. For example, the recent move from “slaves” to “enslaved people.” In Canada, in regards to Indigenous Peoples, terminology has shifted over the past several decades from “Indian,” to “Aboriginal,” to “Indigenous.” Indigenous Peoples are also differentiated, in Canada, between the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

Terms can also vary across countries and cultures. In regards to Indigenous Peoples, the term Native Americans is not typically used in Canada, while common in the US.

Terms can also reflect important distinctions. In an edited collection I recently indexed, the terms and phrases “Two-Spirit,” “Indigiqueer,” and “Two-Spirit, trans, and queer Indigenous” where all used in reference to queer Indigenous people. Though the authors typically used these terms together to discuss queer Indigenous people more broadly, the authors also wanted to acknowledge that queer Indigenous people can identify in different ways.

Three Strategies

There are three main strategies for handling synonymous and similar terms. These can be used alone or combined.

1. Choose a preferred term to gather together discussions and create cross-references from the other terms. This works best if the book predominantly uses a single term, or if conventions and understandings have shifted to prefer one term over another. This strategy is also best when terms are truly synonymous. All discussions are gathered in a single array. Use cross-references to redirect readers from the other terms.
2. Create separate arrays for each term, with cross-references between them. This works best if terms are similar, not quite synonymous. Keeping the arrays separate emphasizes the distinctions, while the cross-references alert readers that more can be found elsewhere.
3. Combine terms into a single heading. This works best if terms are used interchangeably in the text. For example, if terms are synonymous and there is no clear preference. Or, if terms are distinct but mostly discussed together. In the queer Indigenous example above, the volume editors and I settled on the main heading “Two-spirit and Indigiqueer” to acknowledge that these are distinct identities that are nonetheless discussed together. When combining terms, headings can either be double-posted or, if subheadings are needed, a cross-reference included from the second term.

Include All Alternative Terms?

How proactive should indexers be finding and including alternative terms? Is it acceptable to stick to terms in the text or should the indexer look beyond?

This is a judgement call that each indexer will need to make. If synonymous and similar terms are in the text, then yes, those should definitely be in the index. Preferred terms in the index should ideally reflect the text.

If terms are not in the text, it is not necessarily the indexer’s responsibility to find and include. Part of this is due to the limits of the indexer’s knowledge. I am not well-versed on terminology in Australia or the UK, for example, so if a British or Australian term is not in the book, I probably won’t think of it. I may also miss synonyms if the subject matter is outside of my range of expertise.

The inclusion of synonyms and similar terms should also be reasonable for the intended audience. If the book is being published in Canada for a Canadian audience, cross-references from American or British terms are probably unnecessary. I usually include the term “Native Americans” in indexes for American publishers and audiences but not for a Canadian audience.

If several synonyms exist, I think it is good enough to include what most readers are likely to search for, rather than trying to exhaustively find and include every possible term. In Canada, “Indigenous” is now well established, so I no longer feel the need to include a cross-reference from “Aboriginal,” unless the book uses the term. Similarly, when considering the terms “gay,” “LGBT,” “queer” and “2S+LGBTTQ*,” among others, does the audience really need a cross-reference from each? Maybe, maybe not.

What I am trying to find is a balanced approach. While trying to be thorough, I am also mindful of my own limitations. I am also aware of diminishing returns, for myself if trying to think of and include every last synonym, and for readers, if the chances of readers searching for a particular term are miniscule. I am trying to provide the most reasonable access for the most readers; there may be a few outliers that I can’t control.

Synonymous and similar terms can be difficult to spot and parse. Pay attention to how terms are used in the text, pick a strategy, and make sure that similar terms are somehow connected so that distinctions and similarities are clear to readers.

Yours in indexing,

Stephen