capitalizing titles when no one is specified, although someone may be implied.
meirman
implied.
On the net, I note that many people capitalize things I haven't.
Religious titles is just one area I've noticed this. There are three
possibilities. 1) Everyone agrees that a title that precedes a name
get's capitalize: Mr. Smith, Mister Jones, Father Flannigan, Private
York, Colonel Klink, etc.
2) I see a lot of people capitalizing where the person involved is
totally unidentified: "Have you ever talked to a
minister/rabbi/priest about this?" Is there any point to that? Does it
make a difference if the word is singular versus plural? One guy I
asked why he did this, said one of two things, that in the singular,
or plural (I forget which), it should be capitalized and in the other
number it shouldn't be: the Ministers, the Priests, the Rabbis. ??
Any truth to this? He also said that Monday should be capitalized but
mondays shouldn't (or was it the other way around). Any truth to
this?
There is one sort of case where I can see his point of view. There is
more than one name used for leading rabbis** of various eras, Tanaim,
Amoraim, Rishonim, Achronim. These terms are capitalized, I guess like
the Yankees and the Braves are :) and if one wants a term that applies
to more than one era, he might say the Rabbis. I think some newcomers
to this topic, Jews and non-Jews, might be over-generalizing from this
one occasion, but I'm not sure about that either. Also in "the
Sages", sage is capitalized when it refers to a fairly identifiable
group of people. What about "the Rabbis of the 10th century"?
Should rabbis be capitalized? Should century be?
**Hebrew has no capital letters, so even wrt religion, we have no
reason to use any convention other than the standard English one. I've
just lost track of that.
3) Then there is the intermediate case, where we know who is referred
to but the title is used without his name:
"It's not surprising that the Archbishop of Canterbury reacted this
way. It's the archibishop's churches that were affected."
Should archbishop be capitalized? (This one I used to know, I think.)
And is birthday capitalized in "Happy xirthday"?
s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Baltimore 17 years
Dena Jo
> Religious titles is just one area I've noticed this. There are three
> possibilities. 1) Everyone agrees that a title that precedes a name
> get's capitalize: Mr. Smith, Mister Jones, Father Flannigan, Private
> York, Colonel Klink, etc.
Titles before a person's name *do* get capped.
> 2) I see a lot of people capitalizing where the person involved is
> totally unidentified: "Have you ever talked to a
> minister/rabbi/priest about this?" Is there any point to that? Does it
> make a difference if the word is singular versus plural?
Those don't get capped. It's "I talked to the rabbi about it," BUT "I
talked to Rabbi about it," because here Rabbi is being used as a
title/name.
> Any truth to this? He also said that Monday should be capitalized but
> mondays shouldn't (or was it the other way around). Any truth to
> this?
No. If a word is capped in its singular form, it is capped when plural.
The only exception I can think of off the top of my head is, "The accident
happened on Main Street," but "The accident happened on Main and Elm
streets." At least that's what I was taught.
> group of people. What about "the Rabbis of the 10th century"?
> Should rabbis be capitalized? Should century be?
I think it should be "The rabbis of the 21st Century," but I'm not sure
about Century, to be honest.
> "It's not surprising that the Archbishop of Canterbury reacted this
> way. It's the archibishop's churches that were affected."
>
> Should archbishop be capitalized? (This one I used to know, I think.)
In that sentence, yes.
> And is birthday capitalized in "Happy xirthday"?
No.
YMMV.
--
Dena Jo
Alan
"meirman" <mei...@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:l6cfsuggrqs1al7me...@4ax.com...
> capitalizing titles when no one is specified, although someone may be
> implied.
> On the net, I note that many people capitalize things I haven't.
> Religious titles is just one area I've noticed this.
A far as I remember pope is one of these.
I think one would write someting like:
"...Up until the current pope, Pope Paul the Sixth..." ;-)
Alan
meirman
<den...@csNOSPAM.com> posted:
Thanks, and to Alan too.
>meirman <mei...@invalid.com> wrote:
>
>> Religious titles is just one area I've noticed this. There are three
>> possibilities. 1) Everyone agrees that a title that precedes a name
>> get's capitalize: Mr. Smith, Mister Jones, Father Flannigan, Private
>> York, Colonel Klink, etc.
>
>Titles before a person's name *do* get capped.
Right.
>> 2) I see a lot of people capitalizing where the person involved is
>> totally unidentified: "Have you ever talked to a
>> minister/rabbi/priest about this?" Is there any point to that? Does it
>> make a difference if the word is singular versus plural?
>
>Those don't get capped. It's "I talked to the rabbi about it," BUT "I
>talked to Rabbi about it," because here Rabbi is being used as a
>title/name.
I don't think anyone would say that. I have heard "Doctor" used that
way, but only by employees of the doctor. "Would you like to talk to
Doctor." I presume they say that so they won't have to remember his
name, for the same reason guys call their girlfriends Honey. (Just
kidding about that one. At least I've always had a long period where
I called them by name before I called anyone Honey.)
>> Any truth to this? He also said that Monday should be capitalized but
>> mondays shouldn't (or was it the other way around). Any truth to
>> this?
>
>No. If a word is capped in its singular form, it is capped when plural.
>The only exception I can think of off the top of my head is, "The accident
>happened on Main Street," but "The accident happened on Main and Elm
>streets." At least that's what I was taught.
I agree. I waited for someone to disagree and no one did. That
settles it.
>> group of people. What about "the Rabbis of the 10th century"?
>> Should rabbis be capitalized? Should century be?
>
>I think it should be "The rabbis of the 21st Century," but I'm not sure
>about Century, to be honest.
LOL. The rabbis of the 21st century don't get special treatment and I
messed up the question by adding of the 10th century. By making it
specific that way, I eliminated the reason to capitalize it. Or you
agreed with the part you snipped, where I covered the other situation.
That's fine. And you answered my question about "of the 10th century."
Great.
>> "It's not surprising that the Archbishop of Canterbury reacted this
>> way. It's the archibishop's churches that were affected."
>>
>> Should archbishop be capitalized? (This one I used to know, I think.)
>
>In that sentence, yes.
That's what I thought. That's what I was working on when I posted.
>> And is birthday capitalized in "Happy xirthday"?
>
>No.
Darn. I must be thinking of the song.
>YMMV.
Maybe, but nonetheless, I've been going by your answer for the last
couple days and I am serene.
I saw a post yesterday where someone capitalized. "He is my best
Client". client!! What are we coming to? I see extra capitals all
over the place now, and not by German speakers who are confused by
their own language's plentiful captialization. I've never noticed
that.
Thanks. I'm sticking with the rules.
Dena Jo
> I've been going by your answer for the last
> couple days and I am serene.
Hearing that causes my heart to soar like a hawk.
--
Dena Jo
(Extra credit points to anyone who can cite the source of that line.)
John Dean
> meirman <mei...@invalid.com> wrote:
>
>> I've been going by your answer for the last
>> couple days and I am serene.
>
> Hearing that causes my heart to soar like a hawk.
Google suggests that *everybody* is using it - like these guys
http://www.geocities.com/adam1117/camp.html
But I, personally, myself, would go for Chief Dan George in Josey Wales
--
John 'Get ready, little lady. Hell is coming to breakfast' Dean
Oxford
De-frag to reply
Dena Jo
> But I, personally, myself, would go for Chief Dan George in Josey Wales
BZZZZZT!
So close too....
Chief Dan George in Little Big Man.
--
Dena Jo