Talk:arrow key

arrow key
Definition is "any of four computer keys marked with arrows (up, down, left, right) used to move through text etc". If my numeric keypad's 7, 9, 1, and 3 keys were marked with diagonal-pointing arrows, would I not call them "arrow keys" every bit as much as I do 8, 4, 6, and 2? If my electonic appliance has keys on it and one has an arrow, would I not call it an "arrow key"? So the current definition is wrong. And the right one is SOP: delete. &#x200b;—msh210℠ (talk) 22:00, 7 March 2011 (UTC)
 * On the other hand, the Backspace key is also marked with an arrow, but it is never called an arrow key, to my knowledge. I suspect this passes the fried egg test. -- Prince Kassad 00:02, 8 March 2011 (UTC)
 * There are a lot of keys on my keyboard that are marked with arrows; Backspace, Enter, Shift, Tab. None of which I would consider arrow keys.--Prosfilaes 00:40, 8 March 2011 (UTC)
 * You could call the backspace key arrow key, but people would think you mean a key that isn't usually called backspace key: the backspace key just has a better name. Moreover, the four arrow keys get grouped as a referent so a group name, arrow keys, is convenient, whereas no one ever needs to group them with the backspace key as a single referent. Those two pragmatic reasons make arrow key not be used for the backspace key: rather than that arrow key does not refer to the backspace key for lexical reasons. But another appliance or the like with a key with an arrow would have it called arrow key also, as in, , and . &#x200b;—msh210℠ (talk) 08:07, 8 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Two of your examples nonetheless referred to keys that had directional denotation. And in my opinion and understanding, backspace is not an arrow key. DAVilla 19:54, 8 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Agree, keep. DAVilla 19:54, 8 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Weak keep — I suspect, as Prince Kassad does, that this passes the fried egg test. - -sche 05:03, 9 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Keep because not all keys with arrows are arrow keys. Also, what if I can't find a nice, sharp flint, so I use my house key as an arrowhead? Does that make it an arrow key? Apparently not. bd2412 T 20:01, 21 April 2011 (UTC)
 * For the same reason I suppose, as my shift key has an arrow on it. Keep, irritatingly. --Mglovesfun (talk) 20:04, 21 April 2011 (UTC)

Kept. &#x200b;—msh210℠ (talk) 20:08, 21 April 2011 (UTC)