Wikipedia:Per

[edit] Per

Frequently, on several of our process pages, people make comments such as

Delete per nom

Oppose per User:SomeUser

Merge per WP:PAGE

Among new and established users, there is the occasional confusion about what these editors mean their use of the word "per" to imply.

Specifically, "Merge per WP:PAGE" means the following:

"In my opinion we should merge this, for the reasoning explained on WP:PAGE".

(e.g. Rename per WP:NCON)

"Per" occasionaly (albeit often incorrectly) is used literally, such as:

"WP:PAGE is officially policy and therefore it is mandatory to merge this". (generally incorrect in the literal)

(e.g. "Speedy Delete per WP:OFFICE restriction") (likely to be correct literal usage)

Much of this confusion stems from the fact that "per" is also used quite often to cite policies, which can lead to the false conclusion that all pages cited with it are policies. In general, it's probably better to actually explain your reasoning in English rather than expect people to agree with you what "per" means; though, since it is used, you should try to understand what people mean by it here. After all, it's not like you don't have time to write a comment stating your argument in your own words. Even if it is based on policy.

Per generally gives an explanation, not a mandatory reason.
Many pages have a shortcut like WP:PAGE; this does not give those pages any greater degree of officiality, the shortcut exists just for convenience. For instance, such shortcuts are used for policy, guidelines, essays, wikiprojects and parody pages.
So if somebody says "do this per WP:PAGE" and you disagree, it's only a straw man to say "...but WP:PAGE is not policy!!". We know that it's not policy. It is, however, a reason, and you are free to disagree for some other reason, with or without reference to any other page.