# Chicago author-date: bibliography should sort reprints by original-date, not issued (CMOS 18 §14.16)

**URL:** <https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/chicago-author-date-bibliography-should-sort-reprints-by-original-date-not-issued-cmos-18-14-16/2049>\
**Category:** CSL Development\
**Created:** [July 24, 2026, 6:39pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/chicago-author-date-bibliography-should-sort-reprints-by-original-date-not-issued-cmos-18-14-16/2049 "2026-07-24T18:39:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gwright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@gwright](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/gwright)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 6:39pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/chicago-author-date-bibliography-should-sort-reprints-by-original-date-not-issued-cmos-18-14-16/2049/1 "2026-07-24T18:39:59Z")

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In the Chicago author-date style, when a work has both an `original-date` and an `issued` date (e.g., a reprint or modern edition), the reference list should be sorted by the _original_ `original-date` year not the `issued` year.

The current `chicago-author-date.csl` sorts by `issued` via the `date-sort-year` macro, which calls `date-issued-year`. It does not consider `original-date` for sorting purposes.

**Example — same author with multiple works:**

Current output (sorted by `issued`):

> Yeager, Leland B. 1997. _The Fluttering Veil._ Liberty Fund.  
> Yeager, Leland B. 2011. _Is the Market a Test of Truth and Beauty?_ Mises Institute.  
> Yeager, Leland B. (1994) 2011. “Tautologies in Economics and the Natural Sciences.” In Yeager 2011.  
> Yeager, Leland B. (1995) 2011. “Tacit Preachments Are the Worst Kind.” In Yeager 2011.

Expected (sorted by `original-date` when present):

> Yeager, Leland B. **(1994) 2011.** “Tautologies in Economics…” In Yeager 2011.  
> Yeager, Leland B. **(1995) 2011.** “Tacit Preachments…” In Yeager 2011.  
> Yeager, Leland B. **1997.** _The Fluttering Veil._ Liberty Fund.  
> Yeager, Leland B. **2011.** _Is the Market a Test of Truth and Beauty?_ Mises Institute.

**Relevant CMOS 18 rule:**

- [§14.16: Reprint editions and modern editions](https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/book/ed18/part2/ch14/psec016.html)

The `date-sort-year` macro would need to prefer `original-date` over `issued` when both are present. I tested this in Zotero’s style editor and confirmed it currently sorts by `issued`.

Is this something CSL would consider supporting, and if so, would a change to the `date-sort-year` macro be the right approach?