> At # 6u you could be forgiven for thinking there is a space between > #COMMENT and (2) or #COMMENT and (3). (though there is clearly no space > in Allan's Tip of the Day.) Further, some of the comment on this matter varies > in that some use the term "name" and others "surname". Also, when we > refer to mother we follow it with an 's but when we refer to spouse we > don't. This may seem nit-picking, but if uniformity is important enough to the > system that we are advised not to leave a space between #COMMENT and > (2) - or (3) as the case may be - may we have these points cleared up. I try and make the name of the field match the column in question, for example for 1952 births, the column is headed "Mother's Maiden Surname" so I put exactly that. If it says Mother's Maiden Name in the year I'm doing I would use that. As to which is simpler, I would say the more formal English is clearer and more blandly stating what is observed and leaving most of the interpretation to the user. It's simpler *for me* to have a set wording to work from, the formality of the language makes little difference to me.