<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /></head><body style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif'>
<p>According to Wikipedia, it is country-dependent. As it is an English word, we should only discuss about its meaning in an English-speaking context. There is no such thing as a hamlet in Germany for example; they have different words with different semantics, which may or may not map onto English concepts.</p>
<p>The common theme indicated by the Wikipedia article is that a hamlet is in some way dependent or subordinate to a larger settlement. For example it may not have its own church. That in itself does not define an absolute cut-off point in terms of population; it is dependent on the settlement's context with respect to its surroundings.</p>
<div> </div>
<p>In the UK of course it is a matter of status to be called a City, and there is an unambiguous list of cities. This list can only be changed by the Crown through parliament. The smallest city is St Davids in Wales, with a population of 1841 (2011 figure). Any attempt to retag it in OSM to place=village will probably be reverted within 0.1 nanoseconds....</p>
<p>A smaller incorporated settlement (civil parish) can decide unilaterally to call itself a town. Changes don't happen very often of course, but it is a point of civic pride for the inhabitants as the council becomes a Town Council and they can have a Town Mayor. This is also independent of the population, but the status is carried by the council whose area may include a substantial rural element, which would also become part of the "town". If you ask an inhabitant of that area whether X is a town or a village, they will tell you, and it has nothing to do with population....</p>
<p>In other countries a rule based on population may be appropriate, but in the UK it is definitely a question of status.</p>
<p>//colin</p>
<p>On 2016-02-12 13:39, Paul Berry wrote:</p>
<blockquote type="cite" style="padding: 0 0.4em; border-left: #1010ff 2px solid; margin: 0"><!-- html ignored --><!-- head ignored --><!-- meta ignored -->
<div dir="ltr">Hi Michael,
<div> </div>
<div>Going the other way, what's the cutoff between a hamlet and a village? Population 50? 100? I'd say that with these categories there's some fuzziness so go with what feels right. On the ground experience over armchair mapping wins out here I think (as it does for most things OSM). More complexity: a place that would be a hamlet or village near a town or city can find itself a neighbourhood or suburb over time. Again the distinction can be a fine one.
<div> </div>
<div>Also, and a more important point than all the above, welcome!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Regards,</div>
<div><em>Paul</em><br />
<div class="gmail_extra"><br />
<div class="gmail_quote">On 12 February 2016 at 12:04, Tom Hughes <span><<a href="mailto:tom@compton.nu">tom@compton.nu</a>></span> wrote:<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: #cccccc; border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><span>On 12/02/16 11:51, Ian Caldwell wrote:<br /></span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: #cccccc; border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><span> <br /> On 11 February 2016 at 21:32, Michael Booth <<a href="mailto:boothym@gmail.com">boothym@gmail.com</a><br /></span><span> <mailto:<a href="mailto:boothym@gmail.com">boothym@gmail.com</a>>> wrote:<br /><br /> So my question is, how are we defining villages, towns and cities?<br /> Only by population, or do we also take into account their generally<br /> accepted status (whilst trying to be consistent across the country)?<br /><br /><br /> In England towns will normally have a town council. Villages<br /> will normally have a parish council. Only really a name difference see<br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_council#England_and_Wales">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_council#England_and_Wales</a> .<br /></span></blockquote>
<br /> Normally is a very strong word... There are many, many towns and villages without any town or parish council.<span><span style="color: #888888;"><br /><br /> Tom<br /><br /> -- <br /> Tom Hughes (<a href="mailto:tom@compton.nu">tom@compton.nu</a>)<br /><a href="http://compton.nu/">http://compton.nu/</a></span></span>
<div>
<div><br /><br /> _______________________________________________<br /> Talk-GB mailing list<br /><a href="mailto:Talk-GB@openstreetmap.org">Talk-GB@openstreetmap.org</a><br /><a href="https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-gb">https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-gb</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="pre" style="margin: 0; padding: 0; font-family: monospace">_______________________________________________<br /> Talk-GB mailing list<br /><a href="mailto:Talk-GB@openstreetmap.org">Talk-GB@openstreetmap.org</a><br /><a href="https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-gb">https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-gb</a></div>
</blockquote>
</body></html>