Talk:Kiritimati

message: Lorna Arnold's book Britain and the H-Bomb describes the island in 1956 (page 104) "Despite its sunshine, beaches, tropical warmth and palrge plantations of coconut palms, it was hardly an island of paradise - unlike the idyllic Penhyn.  There was no fresh water (but torrential rain at times) and no source of food except migrant birds, fish, and coconuts; it was infested with evil smelling land-crabs and hosts of flies.  Though not excessively hot, the humidity was very high.  Most of island did not rise above 15 feet and the highest point was only 40 feet above sea level", etc.  Is this accurate, I think the main page would be enhanced by this sort of detail.
I have added the link to Operation Grapple--ManInStone 12:50, 27 July 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Kiritimati is part of the island nation of Kiribati. Kiritimati is a large part of kiribati. I guess Kiritimati is the only significant piece of land according to google. -Indolences 22:53, 23 February 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Description

message: I can't see half the text on this page.  Somebody edit it who has experience!
:Same problem (with Safari and Firefox 2.0)…-Enzino 19:04, 20 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Something is wrong with this page

message: I do not think so. I have lived on Christmas Island recently, and no one says Christmas Atoll for naming it. Of course, it is an atoll (and the biggest and oldest in the world). It is also bigger than the other Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) and many more people live there. The official name, put in the Kiribati constitution (12th July 1979) is Christmas Island (or Kiritimati). For the Gilbertese these two names are the same. For the same reason, Fanning and Washington are called islands and not atolls. And most of the people there, even when they speak in Gilbertese, call them Fanning Island or Washington Island (the Gilbertese names are not very comon, even official with English names). There are two Christmas Islands in the world and that is not a problem for Wikipedia. --Enzino 10:19, 20 Sep 2004 (UTC)
replies: text: "Nowhere? It is known as Christmas Atoll in the geographic and scientific literature. And stop being so "aggressive" ;^)- Marshman 06:47, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Cool it. Even in the scientific literature it is often called "island" - that was the original name, and it kinda stuck. And as Enzino rightly remarked - Teraina may be "Washington Island" even to most Gilbertese (at least when they discuss it in English), but to all Gilbertese, the present island does in fact only have a single name that can be spelt in two different ways ;-) Dysmorodrepanis (talk) 03:12, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

text: Hectar. That's why it's also there in acres, for the metrically-inhibited ;-) Dysmorodrepanis (talk) 03:12, 26 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Christmas Island or Christmas Atoll?

message: Please read and translate if you please the talk on the wikipedia in french about :
the fact that Kiritimati is often spelled KIRIMATI, even in official documents
the fact that Kiritimati is the largest atoll
the fact that Kiritimati is the oldest atoll
Some people dont want to use the name island for an atoll because they assume that most atoll are formed by many islands (not the case of Kiritimati) but I think they should use the term "motu" (a geographical term from polynesian languages meaning island) for the islets. So Christmas island is correct but Christmas atoll is correct too.
I am used to find the coordinates of the islands in the english page but for Kiritimati, they are lacking !
motunono
:I do not know where "Kirimati" comes from (perhaps confusion with the country, Kiribati), perhaps a typographical error that has found a life of its own?  A spelling error is a spelling error, and so-called" official documents are just as prone (if not more so) to such errors and therfore not a source of authority.  If the official Kiribati government includes "Kirimati" as an alternate for Kiritimati, then that would have some weight, but not unspecified "official documents"
:Kiritimati is not even close to  the world's largest atols in dimensions, so this one is a misinterpretation of the fact that Kiritimati has more land area than any other atoll (largest land area of any atoll in the world).
:Oldest?  Maybe, but I'd need to see a geologiucal reason for such a statement.  That was on the English article as well, but no one could back it up or provide a reason other than its large size (unrelated to atoll age). 
:You are correct about motu and they are incorrect about "island". By definition, an atoll is a type of island, and the motus are best described as "islets" in English. Another, similar English term is Key (Amer.) or Cay (Brit.). Christmas Atoll is Christmas Island; both ways are correct (I have no idea how this would compare in French). I prefer Christmas Atoll because I think all atolls should be named that way, and there is less confusion with Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. But the term "island" applies to the same entity as "atoll" geographically and geologically; in common usage, many islets or motus on atolls are "named" islands, giving rise to a lot of confusion. - Marshman 21:42, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Kirimati is just a mistake, made by people that confuses between Kiribati and Kiritimati.
On the other hand, I just confirm that this atoll is the biggest and (probably) the oldest in the world (personal communication at the Société des Océanistes).Enzino 18:06, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  Kiritimati, in fact often : Kirimati ! 

message: From the article as it stands at the time of writing:
Previously (ended on April 26, 2004) a charter flight by Air Kiribati (done by Aloha Airlines) connected Christmas to Honolulu every week with a Boeing 737. Provisional jets shortly replaced it. Since October 2005, Fijian Air Pacific makes a weekly stop between Honolulu and Nadi in Fiji. A large and modern jetty, handling some cargo, was built by the Japanese.
This paragraph in particular could do with some tidying up of the English, but two things are stopping me from editing it:
# What does "by Air Kiribati (done by Aloha Airlines)" mean?
# What are "provisional jets"? This looks like a mistranslation, but I can't work out what of.
Loganberry (Talk) 23:30, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Yes, I had the same problem. I can tell you the answer to number 1: The Air Kiribati flights were operated under contract with Aloha Airlines. I have no idea what a "provisional jet" is, but sure I would not get on one! - Marshman 03:13, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Good guess, but seems unlikely.  I was involved in just such a service to Kiritimati in the 1970s, and it was not a cost-effective way to deliver stuff.  Flights require either lots of freight both ways and/or good passenger use both ways, and goverrnment subsidy for to air freight in "provisions" also unlikely. - Marshman 23:23, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  "Provisional jets"? 

message: I'm a little uncomfortable with the recent change by Pattersonc declaring an official name change in 1981 from Christmas Island/Atoll to Kiritimati.  The name change is one between languages, so there is nothing official here about Kiribati deciding or declaring to call the Island Kiritimati instead of Christmas.  I assume English speakers have alweays used Christmas and Gilbertese speakers have always used Kiritimati.  Do not get me wrong, I favor using Kiritimati. But I require that if someone adds a "fact" about something "official" they need to cite a source. After all, the Mexican government or the CIA could each have their own "official" name for the place and even a date when it became officially whatever, but those are not necessarily facts we need to include in an English Wikipedia. The previous statement, that the atoll has more than one name is closer to the truth, so I'm reverting the addition, until a source can be provided and judged. I seem to recall that someone with knowledge here said that both names are "official" in the Kiribati constitution. If that is no longer or not true, lets correct that fact. - Marshman 02:04, 8 February 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Actually, from what you're writing it's not entirely clear you're aware, but the Gilbertese (i.e. Kiribati) name, Kiritimati is pronounced kirísmas, and, in fact, in Gilbertese, means "Christmas".  They're one and the same word, just in different languages.  I imagine the reason "Kiribati" has gained more traction among English speakers for the name of the country is because Kiribati does a nice job of occluding the fact that it actually means "Gilberts", when in fact, the country also includes Banaba, as well as the Phoenix and most of the Line Islands (where Kiritimati/Christmas happens to be located), while no such benefit can be shown for adopting the name Kiritimati over Christmas other than to avoid confusion with the Australian island.  :-\ Tomertalk 09:48, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

text: In the Kiribati Constitution (12th July 1979, written in English), there are the "official" names of all the islands of the Republic: for this one, you have the choice between the gilbertese version (Kiritimati) or the English one (Christmas Island). For the Gilbertese people, it's nearly the same thing, as Kiritimati is only the rendition of Christmas, with nearly the same pronounciation and the same meaning, (mati is pronounced [mass]). Most of the people write it Xmas (shorter) and the form Kiritimati is not very popular.--Enzino 17:23, 21 February 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: You are right, the two are close to the same thing, but not identical. It is "Kee-rees-mass" in Gilbertese, a little bit different from the English pronunciation. But your facts re: the constitution are what I was getting at in challanging Petersonc. Thanks - Marshman 05:18, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  "Official" Name Change Date 

message: I just ed the statement that Gilbertese is the only language spoken on Kiritimati. Really? Not just the main language? According to the article on Kiribati, English is also a recognised official language. I can reasonably well imagine there being a source backing up, for example, Gilbertese as the only native language on the island. But does the island exclude visitors? It all seems to be a bit of a bizarre statement for an atoll two of whose populated villages are named after European places. BigBlueFish (talk) 23:06, 24 December 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Probably really simple - locals would of course use Gilbertese in their everyday business, but I guess few people there would be lost when you talk English. At least when it comes to basic tourism stuff. (I'd be tempted to think that a sentence like "Let's reel in some bonefish!" is well and widely understood by most people on Kiritimati;-) ) Dysmorodrepanis (talk) 03:17, 26 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Gilbertese only language? 

message: What's in the Bay of Wrecks? Map says dangerous. Is it open for wreck diving or exploration? --Virgil H. Soule (talk) 18:18, 23 October 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Bay of Wrecks 

message: Is there a reliable source for this name?  Kenilworth Terrace (talk) 20:13, 15 February 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Burgle Channel 

message: As already stated, Kiritimati (pronounced K'rismas) is the Gilbertese version of the English Christmas. Most of the Kiribati people pronounces K'reesmass, with a short 'ee'. But this rendition is "official" only since 1979. There is no sense to use Kiritimati in historical conditions (Cook and after). Even now, from Hawaii or Fiji, the use is to write and spell "Christmas Island" (at the airport i.e.). The use of the Gilbertese name is rare even on the island: most people use the English spelling and writing.
So, I will replace Kiritimati by Christmas Island where most in use.--Enzino (talk) 08:07, 30 March 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Kiritimati versus Christmas 

message: The article notes the occurrence of a population explosion, doubling in a couple of decades. An explanation of the cause of the explosion would be nice. Rwflammang (talk) 04:38, 5 January 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Boom town 

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thread_title: File:OperationGrappleXmasIslandHbomb.jpg Nominated for Deletion

message: About the government's status. Who owns it? What's the history behind this? There is brief mention of the USA claiming it for mining ... but do they continue that claim?--27.32.168.222 (talk) 18:10, 24 December 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Nothing in the header 

message: If you go to this Google Maps URL -- http://goo.gl/maps/VuSSt -- you'll see a placed labeled "ologyøya."
Very curious. The first letter isn't capitalized.  The letter ø is said to be used "in the Danish, Norwegian, Faroese and Southern Sami languages."  What's this all about? 184.99.28.92 (talk) 07:44, 1 September 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  ologyøya? 

message: I read this sentence: "The name "Kiritimati" is a rather straightforward respelling of the English word "Christmas" in Gilbertese, in which the combination ti is pronounced s, and the name is thus pronounced [kəˈrɪsməs]."
This contradicts another Wikipedia article, namely Gilbertese language. That article doesn't say anything about the /ə/ or the /ɪ/ in Gilbertese. It's more likely to be /i/. The pronunciation is more likely to be [kiˈɾismäs], according to that article.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by ElMosquitoRápido (talk • contribs) 19:13, 11 January 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  Contradiction 

message: .  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 163.32.125.77 (talk) 08:18, 27 June 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  LOC.MAP=POR 

message: The fifth paragraph, second sentence states: "During these tests islanders were not evacuated.". I was stationed aboard one of the US Navy ships that took part in the 1962 tests and have different view concerning that statement. While the entire population of the island was not evacuated, many children, not sure if it was all of them, and some women were brought aboard our ship whenever a detonation was scheduled. They were safe in an area where they could not accidentally look at the fireball. I remember them as being smiling and happy, playing and having fun while on board. 
Seatrain16 (talk) 03:40, 12 November 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  Evacuation of islanders 

message: Why does it say "(formerly spelt Christmas)" in the infobox header? Is this an official way of referring to Kiritimati in government documents? Because if it isn't used in some standardized fashion outside Wikipedia, I am going to remove it. Duivelwaan (talk) 02:31, 2 December 2016 (UTC)
replies: text: It shouldn't say "spelt" at all. It should say, formerly referred to or something like that. Nice catch - I'll change it. Ckruschke (talk) 20:18, 6 December 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  Kiritimati (formerly spelt Christmas) 

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thread_title:  External links modified