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Saturday, November 19th, 2022 6:16 AM

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Duplicate Keywords - List #66 (twin characters keywords) (Proposals for Permanent Merger and Auto-Conversion)

Here is the next installment of my lists of proposed keywords for permanent merger and auto-conversion.

I am posting this list for fellow contributors to review first and raise any objections or questions. I will wait at least 28 days before changing this post to a "problem" post and asking IMDb staff to make the proposed changes.

The mergers and auto-conversions should be made in the direction of the arrows.

Duplicate Keywords Proposed for Permanent Merging and Auto-Conversion

real-twins-playing-twins (29 titles)  -->  real-life-twins (6 titles)  -->  real-life-twin-siblings-playing-twin-siblings [new keyword]

same-actor-plays-twin-role (5 titles)  -->  same-actor-playing-twin-role (46 titles)  -->  same-actor-playing-twin-roles (6 titles)  -->  actor-playing-twin-siblings [new keyword]

twin-actresses-for-twin-sisters (19 titles)  -->  real-life-twin-sisters-playing-twin-sisters [new keyword]

twin-brothers-played-by-same-actor (4 titles)  -->  actor-playing-twin-brothers [new keyword]

twin-sisters-played-by-same-actress (7 titles)  -->  same-actress-plays-twin-role (7 titles)  -->  same-actress-playing-twin-role (31 titles)  -->  actress-plays-dual-role-of-twin-sisters (3 titles)  -->  one-actress-plays-twin-sisters (3 titles)  -->  one-actress-for-twin-sisters (44 titles)  -->  actress-playing-twin-sisters [new keyword]

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Related post: 

Duplicate Keywords - List #65 (multiple characters keywords) (Proposals for Permanent Merger and Auto-Conversion)

Idea

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2 years ago

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keyword_expert

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2 years ago

I decided to change this list to merge into keywords containing "-ing" words ("playing") rather than "-s" words ("plays").

I did this for two reasons. First, for these types of keywords, there was already a preference on IMDb for "playing" over "plays." (The same is true for Google searches, although that may be a function of these phrases being used within sentences.)

Second, by using "-ing" words here, that can help distinguish from plot keywords. In general, for keywords describing a person taking an action within a show or film as part of the plot, I have tried to merge into "-s" keywords (e.g., "woman-vomits" is favored over "woman-vomiting"). But what about keywords like this, that don't describe the plot, but rather the actors and actresses who are acting in the film or show itself? Using "-ing" words is one way to distinguish that set of keywords.

I suppose it's possible for there to be a show or film where an actor or actress plays multiple roles as part of the plot. (I would bet such a title exists although I haven't looked for any.) In that case, perhaps keywords like "actor-plays-multiple-characters" would be appropriate there, and those keywords could be designated as Plot Detail keywords. 

In general, it feels slightly better to use "-ing" words here to indicate the acting, as opposed to the plot. I have gone back and forth on this, but that is where I am currently. Any and all feedback is welcome.

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bradley_kent

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2 years ago

I prefer the present tense (plays) rather than  the past tense (playing) because it is more active and is consistent with the plot detail keywords.

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keyword_expert

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@bradley_kent​ 

Both forms ("plays" and "playing") are in present tense -- they are just different forms of present tense.

The "plays" form would be in simple present tense, while the "playing" form would be in present progressive tense. That's explained at these links:

The Present Tense in English vs. The “ing” in English

The present progressive tense in English

The present progressive tense ("playing") can be used to denote an action that is taking place in a particular case to distinguish it from a usual practice. A good example they give at that first link is "I usually drive to work, but my car is broken. So today I’m riding the bus."

I think that's why (in general) keywords like "actor playing multiple roles" are more popular on IMDb than keywords like "actor plays multiple roles" -- because they indicate that something different is happening in this case. In other words, normally an actor "plays" only one role, but in this title, the actor is "playing" multiple roles. 

actor plays multiple roles

actor playing multiple roles

Plus, don't we want to distinguish "Other" (filmmaking) keywords from Plot Detail keywords as much as possible?

(edited)

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2 years ago

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Peter_pbn

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@keyword_expert​ 

On its own, -ing is a non-finite form without tense. It becomes the present progressive when combined with to be conjugated in the present tense. Since the keywords aren't full sentences, you could perhaps argue that the present tense is implied.

The present progressive tense ("playing") can be used to denote an action that is taking place in a particular case to distinguish it from a usual practice.

Yes, though you previously argued that the simple present should be used in keywords about temporary actions.

(edited)

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2 years ago

keyword_expert

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@Peter_pbn​ 

I'm also trying to understand and articulate how and why the keywords came to be the way they are, with some forms preferred over others. 

In the case of "actor playing multiple roles" versus "actor plays multiple roles " there is a preference on IMDb for the former version. 

As you have pointed out, "actor playing multiple roles" is not truly the present progressive tense. But if you were to insert the word "is" in there ("actor is playing multiple roles") then it would be. And that's pretty much what I do mentally when I see this keyword.

As for why this form of the keyword became much more prevalent for these types of keywords, there may be a distinction between keywords that describe actions taking place in the film itself (e.g. "woman-vomits") versus actions that take place as filmmaking actions (e.g. "british-actress-playing-american-character").

In the latter case, normally American female characters are played by American actresses. The keyword "british-actress-playing-american-character" indicates that something different is happening here. 

Perhaps another way to distinguish filmmaking keywords from plot keywords would be to indicate filmmaking keywords in the past tense (e.g., "british-actress-played-an-american-character"). After all, the filmmaking itself undeniably took place in the past. But that form doesn't sound quite right. Or does it?

Overall, I think it could be logical and worthwhile to use grammar to better distinguish filmmaking keywords from plot keywords.

Or maybe I'm overthinking it.

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british actress playing american character

british actress plays an american character

british actor playing american character

british actor plays an american character

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2 years ago

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