Template:Circa

c.

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This template is used on approximately 85,000 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

Preview message: Transclusion count updated automatically (see documentation).

Usage[edit]

This template generates an abbreviation for circa: c. By default the abbreviation is marked with an HTML <abbr> tag, which in most browsers renders as a tooltip when hovered.

Examples[edit]

Syntax	What it looks like	Notes
`{{circa\|1325}}`	c. 1325	Default style: no line break allowed; thin space
`{{circa\|1325\|lk=yes}}`	c. 1325	Replace abbreviation tooltip with a link to Wiktionary instead
`{{circa\|1325\|lk=no}}`	c. 1325	No abbreviation tooltip at all
`{{circa\|1000\|1050}}`	c. 1000 – c. 1050	For a range with both dates uncertain. No tooltip on the second instance of "c."
`{{circa\|1000–1050}}`	c. 1000–1050	Another option for a range; but, per MOS:CIRCA, prefer `{{circa\|1000\|1050}}`

Parameters[edit]

Using the date itself as parameter (for example, "{{circa|1956}}", giving "c. 1956"), web browsers do not insert a line break anywhere in the string. By contrast, "{{circa}} 1956" allows a line break between the "c." and the number. Also, with the date as a parameter a thinner space is used with many browsers:

"c. 1956" is generated by "{{circa|1956}}".
"c. 1956" is generated by "{{circa}} 1956".

If the parameter |lk= (for "link") is set as "|lk=no" or "|lk=off", the abbreviation is rendered as "c.", without a wikilink or abbreviation element. If it is absent, or set to "|lk=abbr", the abbreviation is rendered with the HTML <abbr> element. If it is set to "|lk=yes" or "|lk=on", it is rendered as "c.", with a wikilink to the wikt:circa article in Wiktionary and not an abbreviation element. lk=no can be used to avoid overlinking when this template is used repeatedly in the body of an article. For example:

[[Dionysius Exiguus]] was born {{circa|470}}, lived in Rome from {{circa|lk=no|500}}, and died {{circa|lk=no|544}}.
→ Dionysius Exiguus was born c. 470, lived in Rome from c. 500, and died c. 544.

If the parameter "sortable=yes" is specified, the template generates invisible text that will cause the column to sort correctly in sortable tables. However, it is at the cost of having that invisible text read out audibly by many screen readers. "Col 1" without the template does not sort correctly. "Col 2" with the template and sortable=yes sorts correctly.

Title	Col 1	Col 2
Foo	1066	1066
Bar	c. 1510	1510 c. 1510
Baz	1956	1956
Jaz	c. 410	0410 c. 410

{| class="sortable wikitable" style=text-align:right;
|-
! Title!!Col 1!!Col 2
|-
| style=text-align:left; | Foo|| 1066|| 1066
|-
| style=text-align:left; | Bar|| c. 1510|| {{circa|1510|sortable=yes}}
|-
| style=text-align:left; | Baz|| 1956|| 1956
|-
| style=text-align:left; | Jaz|| c. 410|| {{circa|410|sortable=yes}}
|}

Tracking categories[edit]

Category:Pages using circa with unknown parameters (0)

TemplateData[edit]

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Circa in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Circa

This template generates an abbreviation for circa.

Template parameters[Edit template data]
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
year	`1`	An approximate date Example 1965	String	suggested
end year	`2`	Use when the start and end dates of a range are both approximate. Example 1980	String	optional
link	`lk`	If ‘on’, a link is added to the wiktionary article for circa. If ‘off’, the c. does not link or tooltip “circa”. Should be set to ‘off’ for the second and subsequent uses of this template. (Values ‘yes’ or ‘no’ may also be used.) Suggested values `on` `off`	String	optional
sortable	`sortable`	Set to “yes” for values in sortable tables Suggested values `yes` Default yes	Unknown	optional