Post
by keithgood838 » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:52 pm
Capitals, like prepositions, are the unruly members
of the linguistic family mainly because there are no
clear-cut rules governing their behaviour. I hope the
following manuscript extract will be useful to forum
members with an interest in such matters:
WHERE THE CAP FITS
When does one crown
an unsuspecting noun
with the accolade of an upper case letter?
There was once a literary freedom age
when capitals liberally littered the page,
all on a whim of the writer.
Now there are guidelines
designed to make things better.
If only. Like awards, capitals should be bestowed sparingly.
Proper names (quite properly) take an initial capital letter.
So does a title: Prime Minister Brown, President Obama,
but not when referring to the office of prime minister,
or government minister for example. Similarly, a rank
in the services is accorded capitalisation when used as a title:
Lance-Corporal Smith, a lance-corporal in the army.
Capitalise a noun used instead of a name,
eg 'We love you, Grandad.'
The proper noun, Gypsy, is capped, the common noun is not.
Reverting to crowned heads,
we capitalise the King of Spain, for example,
but not when referring to royalty in a general sense.
We refer to the Bible (reverentially) but not bibles or biblical.
Capitalising certain nouns to preclude ambiguity is recommended:
eg Mass - the religious service,
the Press - the publishing media,
the State - the government.
Remoteness of connection over time has relegated your
wellington boot, your venetian blind, and your french window
to lower case status.
Promote historical eras: the Space Age, the Roman Empire,
and trade names: Elastoplast, Hoover, Xerox.
Also geographical areas such as South America and West Germany,
but demote northern Italy, and the north of England, for example.
(West Cork has gained notable exception to this regional rule
because of its appealing topography and agreeable citizenry.)
When referring to newspapers capitalise the definite article
only when it is part of the title, eg The Economist, The Times;
however, not the Daily Mail and the Guardian which, in the latter's
case, cannot decide whether the the is part of its title.
Common sense is a useful tool,
as indeed, is The Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors,
for scribes with a wish to return to school.
Keith
