Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2020 September 29

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September 29

Curfew commander

What is the proper word for a person in charge of a curfew (in areas where curfew appplies)? Seems either Commandant or Commandant (rank), but neither article mentions curfew. Thanks. 212.180.235.46 (talk) 07:55, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

I don't think there is a general notion of "person in charge of a curfew". There is an authority that declares a curfew, and a corps enforcing the curfew. The authority that declares a curfew will generally be the executive body charged with the governance of the concerned area, such as a city, state or national government, or in the case of a military occupation the military government or the commissioner (or commander or whatever their title) of the occupying power. The corps enforcing the curfew will in regular circumstances be the local police, but can also be military police, or any force that accepts the orders of the authority that declared the curfew and is capable of applying coercion to citizens. That enforcing corps will generally be directed by some head, and the title or rank of their position will be the traditional one for the corps involved, like "commissioner of police", "police chief", "sheriff", or whatever.  --Lambiam 10:46, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

There are many different kinds of curfew. According to our article, the answer might simply be your mum.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:24, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

Well, I'm asking because recently during a curfew in Azerbaijan Vilayat Eyvazov was appointed "commandant of areas where curfew is applied". However, I'm not sure whether linking to Commandant would be appropriate here. 212.180.235.46 (talk) 12:49, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

коменданта территорий is what the sources seem to be saying, but it's military commander of those territories, not commander of the curfew right? fiveby(zero) 13:07, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

I think this is the orderen, but the site keeps timing out. fiveby(zero) 13:23, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

For the UK at least, how about wikt:warden? Street warden, "Civilian wardens set to police streets" ...be ready to tackle anti-social behaviour, check on truants, or deal with abandoned cars - as well as enforce court-ordered curfews... Y'all got these people running around tackling anti-social behavior? fiveby(zero) 12:55, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

Ok, maybe "commander of the areas" is worthy. 212.180.235.46 (talk) 14:44, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

In Azeri he was appointed komendant saatının tətbiq edildiyi ərazilərin komendantı. The Azeri term komendant basically means "someone charged with the supervision"; depending on the context, it can be translated as "commander", "commandant", "supervisor", "warden", or "superintendent". So the Azeri means that he was appointed as "the person charged with the supervision of the areas where curfew has been declared". Pick your choice of which one-word translation feels best, taking into account that Vilayət Süleyman oğlu Eyvazov, while having the title of "colonel general", is currently not actively serving in the military but holds the civil position of Minister of Internal Affairs, and that the Azeri term, although also used as a title, is more generally used than as a title. If I had to write something up for an English-language news item, I'd simply write that he was "put in charge".  --Lambiam 19:45, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

It has to be said that a curfew doesn't have to have a person specifically in charge of it. My city, Melbourne, Australia had a curfew until a few days ago to help control COVID-19. It was policed by the police, so I guess the person in charge was the Chief Commissioner of Police, as is the case with any other law enforcement in the city. HiLo48 (talk) 23:35, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

In this country, there is a 10 PM curfew on bars and restaurants. Obviously this is enforced by patrolling police officers. 92.31.140.61 (talk) 10:54, 30 September 2020 (UTC)