Kansai R/region capitaliztion

[Mick Corliss]

Hi all,

I have a question about capitalization and regions, specifically in Japan. 

Would you capitalize region in Kansai region, Kinki region, or in similar instances? For Kansai it may be clear enough to readers familiar with Japan that it is a region, but less so for Chugoku, me thinks.

FWIW, when I worked at The Japan Times, we did not capitalize region. I cannot find a suitable explanation for this in CMS or my AP Style Guide. Kyodo Tsushin also does not capitalize it.

On a related note, I was combing through my Japan Style Sheet (SWET guide). It listed Nagano prefecture without capitalizing the P in prefecture, and likewise with wards (Suginami ward). This is different than what the style that I have been taught and follow. 

Any and all input welcome.

Mick@silly question?

[Carl Freire]

At 3:04 PM +0900 7/6/09, Mick Corliss wrote:
>Would you capitalize region in Kansai region, Kinki region, or in
>similar instances? For Kansai it may be clear enough to readers
>familiar with Japan that it is a region, but less so for Chugoku, me
>thinks.

It's just a generic descriptive term both in the Japanese original
(chiiki) and in the English translation, and not a formal tag by any
means. Lowercase all the way.

See CMOS 7.44 14th ed.

Cheers,
Carl
--

**********

Carl Freire
cfreire /[@]* ix.netcom.com
Tokyo, Japan

[Roland Hechtenberg]

Mick Corliss wrote:

> Would you capitalize region in Kansai region, Kinki region, or in
> similar instances? For Kansai it may be clear enough to readers familiar
> with Japan that it is a region, but less so for Chugoku, me thinks.

Why should region, prefecture, or ward be capitalized?
It is not part of a proper name.

Have fun,

Roland

[Steven P. Venti]

Mick Corliss <mjco...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On a related note, I was combing through my Japan Style Sheet (SWET guide).
> It listed Nagano prefecture without capitalizing the P in prefecture, and
> likewise with wards (Suginami ward). This is different than what the style
> that I have been taught and follow.

I would maintain that prefecture should be used when capitalized when
used as a proper noun to refer to the prefectural government, but need
not be capitalized when referring to the prefecture as a geographical
region.

Mie Prefecture has recently instituted several policies that promote
tourism in the Ise-Shima area.

Variants of the Kansai dialect are spoken as far east of Osaka as Mie
prefecture.

HTH

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Steven P. Venti
Mail: spv...@bhk-limited.com
Rockport Sunday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCPpd20CgXE
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[Steven P. Venti]

"Steven P. Venti" <spv...@bhk-limited.com> wrote:

What I meant was:
". . . prefecture should capitalized when used as a proper noun."

My fingers type at the speed of light. Unfortunately, my brain processes
information only at the speed of sound. Sheesh.

[demayer]

-----Original Message-----
> I would maintain that prefecture should be used when capitalized when
> used as a proper noun to refer to the prefectural government, but need
> not be capitalized when referring to the prefecture as a geographical
> region.
>
> Mie Prefecture has recently instituted several policies that promote
> tourism in the Ise-Shima area.
>
> Variants of the Kansai dialect are spoken as far east of Osaka as Mie
> prefecture.

I see the logic in your preference, but prefer to treat "Prefecture" as an
integral part of the proper noun. That's how we treat "ABC County" in
American English, for example. A Google search for "the montgomery county
line" yields the following:

...a fatal Sunday morning crash just inside the Montgomery County line
...following the Montgomery County line to the South Fork
...just over the Montgomery County line

etc.

I'm for capitalizing "prefecture" in both your Mie prefecture examples
above.

Regards

Dave M, Taipei