#When did X first happen?

Yes, this is imprecise; but in this case I think we need to immediately translate this in our minds to When is the first recorded evidence of x?.

This is a problem that is not a problem. Fussing over the difference between "first happened" and "first recorded evidence" doesn't really advance history, and doesn't create the kind of site that I want to support. It is tempting to be distracted by the distinction, and I expect that someone will call me on it sometime. But it isn't productive; the meaning can easily be inferred.

_Are there other examples of phrases that we should automatically translate?

When did X first happen?

Yes, this is imprecise; but in this case I think we need to immediately translate this in our minds to When is the first recorded evidence of x?.

This is a problem that is not a problem. Fussing over the difference between "first happened" and "first recorded evidence" doesn't really advance history, and doesn't create the kind of site that I want to support. It is tempting to be distracted by the distinction, and I expect that someone will call me on it sometime. But it isn't productive; the meaning can easily be inferred.

_Are there other examples of phrases that we should automatically translate?