indexes: homonyms

Adopt the following order of entry for homonyms—person or organization (forenames precede surnames); place (cities and towns precede administrative areas, which precede physical features); subject; title of publication:

  • Hull, Robert (hockey player)
  • Hull (Quebec)
  • Hull, population of
  • Hull, A Short History of

Within a list of personal names an alphabetical (John, Pope; John, Saint), hierarchical (John, Saint; John, Pope) or chronological/numerical (John XXII; John XXIII) arrangement is possible. The usual hierarchical order is saints, popes, emperors and empresses, kings and queens, surnames:

  • John, Pope
  • John, Augustus

Include modifiers in parentheses after each common noun in order to distinguish it from its homonyms:

  • Character (literature)
  • Character (psychology)

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A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada

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