PSA: Random Capitalization Syndrome

[plansrme]

For the love of all that is good and holy, please stop capitalizing random words.

 

This is another description of the condition with helpful treatment options.  For example, "math" is not capitalized.  Yes, it is a subject in school, just like English; but "math" is not derived from "Mathland."  Even calculus is not capitalized; I know it's really, really hard, but it's not capitalized.

 

And if my neighbor doesn't stop capitalizing "mixer" when she invites us, via Facebook, to a "very special Mixer" in her home to promote her MLM product--the product that has a formerly-sensible woman acting like a complete loon--I am going to have to unfriend her.  

 

I had to break it to my 11 yo yesterday that "baseball" is not capitalized.  He was crushed, but I am doing my part to stop this epidemic.  Please, fellow homeschool moms, do yours as well.

 

[luuknam]

Another PSA: languages evolve.

[Word Nerd]

Another PSA: No matter what pet peeve, misspelling, or writing error you point out in a post, someone will chime in and point out that language changes, so who cares. Writing standards are so passé! I should just quit my editing job now because it's utterly pointless.

[Farrar]

I'm often a proponent of the "language evolves" idea and I'm a recovering grammar nazi myself so I'm trying to be less picky about these things. But... I'm with the OP. Randomly capitalizing things still bugs me unless there's some clear precedent for it - say, for example, Truth with a capital "T" or capitalizing a word with a special meaning for the purposes of world building in a scifi novel. When language evolves, then usually it does so in a certain way - people begin saying something a certain, using a word with a consistent new meaning. Random capitalization is just random. There's no rhyme or reason.

 

That said, the recovering grammar nazi part of me isn't judging the people who do it.

[Butter]

Another PSA: languages evolve.

 

Even my brother, who is a linguistics professor and huge proponent of evolving language, admits that words like math, baseball, and calculus should never be capitalized.  He also, however, thinks i should never be capitalized since you is not (this is also partly because of his time in Germany and ich is not capitalized, so why should we capitalize ourselves in English).

 

My random capitalization pet peeve is when my kids capitalize random letters.  Like writing maTh or EngLisH.  Why?  Why oh why oh why?  My daughter has grown out of it.  Please tell me my little boys will too...

[HomeschoolingHearts&Minds]

Even my brother, who is a linguistics professor and huge proponent of evolving language, admits that words like math, baseball, and calculus should never be capitalized.  He also, however, thinks i should never be capitalized since you is not (this is also partly because of his time in Germany and ich is not capitalized, so why should we capitalize ourselves in English).

 

My random capitalization pet peeve is when my kids capitalize random letters.  Like writing maTh or EngLisH.  Why?  Why oh why oh why?  My daughter has grown out of it.  Please tell me my little boys will too...

 

But aren't nouns capitalized in German (but pronouns aren't)?  So, "math" is "Mathe."  If he wants to be consistent, math, baseball, and calculus would be capitalized.

:biggrinjester:

[unsinkable]

I love Random Capitalizations!

 

They make me smile, even though they are Wrong.

[ashfern]

There's a neighborhood near us that the entrance sign is SaddlehorN. Bothers my 13 year old so much that I always have to point it out to her.  :lol:

[Hyacinth]

We read Winnie the Pooh last year and the seemingly random capitalization drove all of us a bit batty.

 

I like spelling and grammar rules, and I like that people care about them. Imagine the anarchy otherwise! (I guess I like hyperbole, too.)

[Farrar]

There's a neighborhood near us that the entrance sign is SaddlehorN. Bothers my 13 year old so much that I always have to point it out to her.  :lol:

 

That sounds like it comes from an old ranch style name - when the letters were part of a brand and using capitals could distinguish one name from another. That said, it's a subdivision and clearly they did it to be cute or annoying or something. Just speculating as to the reasoning.

[maize]

But aren't nouns capitalized in German (but pronouns aren't)? So, "math" is "Mathe." If he wants to be consistent, math, baseball, and calculus would be capitalized.

:biggrinjester:

This was my thought exactly! If we are going to follow German precedent, we shouldn't just pick and choose. I think we should start by replacing all double s's with ß. So much leß meßy.

[maize]

Reminds me of this joke:

http://www.davidpbrown.co.uk/jokes/european-commission.html

[Amy in NH]

We read Winnie the Pooh last year and the seemingly random capitalization drove all of us a bit batty.

 

I like spelling and grammar rules, and I like that people care about them. Imagine the anarchy otherwise! (I guess I like hyperbole, too.)

 

I love the seemingly-but-not-really random capitalization in Pooh.  It gives the writing a different meaning when a higher importance is assigned to what is normally considered mundane.  I think it really cannot be read aloud for that reason.

[Laurie4b]

Another PSA: Random capitalization is common in people with reading disabilities/writing disabilities. 

[maize]

It is always interesting to me when people are bothered--as in, really uncomfortably bothered--by others "breaking the rules" of language. It seems to me that some people are just more rule oriented in general, having and following rules gives them a sense of security and rightness.

 

Not something I experience, so I find the phenomenon intriguing. I do understand the need for laws and conventions that help order and stabilize society, but I don't see the stretching or breaking of little rules and conventions in writing, socializing, etc. as significant threats to communication or society or myself. Surely meaning and intent can be conveyed flexibly?

[BrookValley.]

Well, as someone gainfully employed fixing random capitalization and other grammar no-nos, I say have at it. Random capitalization = job security for poor editors like me.  :laugh:

 

I'm currently in the middle of 214 pages of manual in which "user" is randomly capitalized throughout. No. No. And no. 

[kewb]

I doN't Understand what you Are Talking About. I HAve not noTiced this issue At All.

 

However, as someone who has resigned (or attempted to resign) from the grammar police, I get what you are saying.

[trulycrabby]

Dyslexics and Winnie the Poo can randomly capitalize all they want. Everyone else, just no. :zombie:

[Tsuga]

What if we are part German?

[Guest]

I Know A Few People That Type Everything Just Like This. WHY Do They Do That? :confused1:

[tm919]

I can understand how random capitalization is annoying, but I am not allowed to be annoyed. :) Half of what I write is stream of consciousness, with punctuation used in ways that would have my grammar teacher rolling over in her grave. My husband even tells me that this thing -- is not a substitute for all punctuation.

[TranquilMind]

For the love of all that is good and holy, please stop capitalizing random words.

 

This is another description of the condition with helpful treatment options.  For example, "math" is not capitalized.  Yes, it is a subject in school, just like English; but "math" is not derived from "Mathland."  Even calculus is not capitalized; I know it's really, really hard, but it's not capitalized.

 

And if my neighbor doesn't stop capitalizing "mixer" when she invites us, via Facebook, to a "very special Mixer" in her home to promote her MLM product--the product that has a formerly-sensible woman acting like a complete loon--I am going to have to unfriend her.  

 

I had to break it to my 11 yo yesterday that "baseball" is not capitalized.  He was crushed, but I am doing my part to stop this epidemic.  Please, fellow homeschool moms, do yours as well.

What?  Really?

 

You Think that it is Inappropriate to simply Capitalize Random Words? 

 

I Think you are Worrying about this Far Too Much.

 

;)

[go_go_gadget]

It's important to learn capitalization rules partly *because* you can then break them for effect. If a person randomly--truly randomly--capitalizes, then it's useless and makes reading their work difficult. Well-chosen unusual capitalization, as in Winnie-the-Pooh, serves as a form of emphasis that is fundamentally different from italicization, and better suited to the purpose in that particular work. Some of the wit would be lost without it, and that would be tragic.

[Butter]

Another PSA: Random capitalization is common in people with reading disabilities/writing disabilities. 

 

And that is why I am perfectly happy to let my oldest son continue with them (dyslexia and dysgraphia).

[Word Nerd]

I especially love it when people get really Excited about the Small Business they're writing Copy for and use LOTS OF ALL CAPS mixed in with the Random Capping. And exclamation marks!!!!!!!

[Amy in NH]

Okay, which one of you wrote this article that just came across my FB news feed?

 

 

Sparkly Unicorn gets a mention!!  :laugh:

[HomeschoolingHearts&Minds]

Okay, which one of you wrote this article that just came across my FB news feed?

 

 

Sparkly Unicorn gets a mention!!  :laugh:

 

#8 seems particularly pertinent to this discussion:

 

8. CAPITALIZE ALL YOUR NOUNS

In standard English, we capitalize proper Nouns, but that hasn't always been the Convention. Until the 19th Century, English used to capitalize all Nouns, just like modern German still does. You can see this in old Documents like the Declaration of Independence.

;)

[TeacherZee]

You want to read my students essays then. Many of them have done away with capitalization all together.

 

And we shall not mention the Apostrophe Fairy who randomly sprinkles apostrophes in sentences.

[JumpyTheFrog]

For those of you who generally reply "language evolves" everytime someone vents about terrible grammar or spelling, do you feel the same way about people who post online without using paragraphs? We've all seen those blog posts or comments on news articles where the author takes up a whole screen without using paragraphs...or even worse, does the same in all caps. I tend to skip those (even when I see them on this forum) because the lack of paragraphs makes it too hard to read.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Also, if your kids are learning a foreign language, do you let them use "language evolves" to get out of fixing mistakes in their school work?

[Laura Corin]

It is always interesting to me when people are bothered--as in, really uncomfortably bothered--by others "breaking the rules" of language. It seems to me that some people are just more rule oriented in general, having and following rules gives them a sense of security and rightness.

 

The company I worked for previously suffered from random capitalisation, and it was confusing.  I would receive building specifications that would say something like: 'Front door - Edinburgh Beech'.  Then I would have to go and hunt through door catalogues to see if it was a door of a design called 'Edinburgh' that was made of beech, or whether someone had named one of their (PVC) doors 'Edinburgh Beech'.

[ajfries]

Whenever I start a new thread, I always wonder if I should capitalize every word. Because it's a title right? But it's not a book title...it always gives me pause.

[Guest]

I love to randomly capitalize. It makes me feel so Ben Franklin-ish.

[Tap]

Dyslexics and Winnie the Poo can randomly capitalize all they want. Everyone else, just no. :zombie:

LOL  I was reading this thread and wondering what is the big deal.  My capitalization isn't random, it is done on purpose to make things make more sense.

 

I'm dyslexic  :seeya: and since I have to live in the nonsensical English world created by non-dyslexic-stoopid-heads, they can just overlook my little stray capital friends and deal with it. lol   :boxing_smiley:

 

I am pretty convinced that if Dyslexics created the English language, it would all make much, much more sense and capital letters would be sprinkled around like cute little confetti letters helping to emphasize important words and thoughts.  :party:

[Random]

Dyslexics and Winnie the Poo can randomly capitalize all they want. Everyone else, just no. :zombie:

 

 

You have given me another piece of the puzzle.  So much of my husband's behavior makes sense to me now.

 

He must really be Winnie the Pooh. (not Poo, incidentally)

[Melissa in Australia]

LOL  I was reading this thread and wondering what is the big deal.  My capitalization isn't random, it is done on purpose to make things make more sense.

 

I'm dyslexic  :seeya: and since I have to live in the nonsensical English world created by non-dyslexic-stoopid-heads, they can just overlook my little stray capital friends and deal with it. lol   :boxing_smiley:

 

I am pretty convinced that if Dyslexics created the English language, it would all make much, much more sense and capital letters would be sprinkled around like cute little confetti letters helping to emphasize important words and thoughts.  :party:

can I just say I love you

 

 

 

 

 

I am dyslexic as are most of my children, brothers, uncles etc. One of my brothers can only write in capitals- no lower case at all.  I have often wondered how is it that non-dyslexics have gotten the upper hand in writing rules when it is the dyslexics that have invented and  improved everything in the world

[Slache]

Dyslexics and Winnie the Poo can randomly capitalize all they want. Everyone else, just no. :zombie:

Yay! I get a Pass! :D

[goldberry]

This drives me crazy!  I work at a fire station, and the firefighters (mostly men) have to write reports, in which they very often capitalize the word Fire.  "We entered the structure and found the Fire had spread to the other rooms."  "We proceeded with Fire suppression."

 

Really, I know you love fire and all, but it is not a proper noun...

[Word Nerd]

This thread reminds me of a bad (meaning awesome and funny) Family Feud answer I saw in a listicle the other day:

 

Real or fictional, name a famous Willie.

Answer: Willie the Pooh?

[Guest]

This thread reminds me of a bad (meaning awesome and funny) Family Feud answer I saw in a listicle the other day:

 

Real or fictional, name a famous Willie.

Answer: Willie the Pooh?

Oooops. Something like that, right? :D

[8circles]

The examples given don't seem very random, they seem to be used to emphasize certain words.  I guess I never noticed because the emphasis seems to make sense to me.

 

The examples of Math & Calculus make sense to me because they would be used as the name of the class - to me that means a proper noun.  I'm not saying it's correct - clearly it isn't according to the resident experts (not being snarky although that sounds snarky).  Just explaining why the error makes sense to me.  I'm not dyslexic AFAIK.  I do have a child who I suspect is dyslexic and he does randomly capitalize. 

[Guest]

For those of you who generally reply "language evolves" everytime someone vents about terrible grammar or spelling, do you feel the same way about people who post online without using paragraphs? We've all seen those blog posts or comments on news articles where the author takes up a whole screen without using paragraphs...or even worse, does the same in all caps. I tend to skip those (even when I see them on this forum) because the lack of paragraphs makes it too hard to read.

No; generally, language evolves in the direction of ease, not difficulty. So, now people accept "google" as a verb to mean, "search on the internet." It is easier (not to mention more fun) to say "google," than to say, "search on the internet." Stylistically, most people agree that it is easier to read properly-grouped paragraphs, with correct punctuation. My mother, who is an old-school, hard-core, loves-to-diagram grammarian from way back does use ALL CAPS and little punctuation, because it is more managable with her disability. So it is entirely possible that a person uses a short-cut or sub-optimal usage on the web because it is the best they can do.

 

I do not think it's a cop-out to say language evolves over a new use or newly accepted spelling of an old word, because, well, language evolves. I recently read that "thru" is gaining acceptance as an improvement on "through"; now I do sometimes use it. It doesn't mean there is no longer any line between correct and incorrect language, it simply means the line is perforated and it always has been.

 

I love words. I love to use new words and different words. I love to borrow words seen here by our Aussie and UK boardies. Seriously, it should always be a "biscuit tin" instead of a "cookie tin." And I really want to call my shopping cart a "trolly," because that is just such a great word!

 

ETA: ironically, had to correct grammar

[Guest]

I never chime in to grammar threads because mine is terrible. But, I realized reading this thread, I really don't give a flying fart. Some of the smartest guys I know, guys who do real things like raise animals and build entire homes with their own hands have terrible spelling and/or grammar. Complaining about grammar feels very elitist to me.

[Guest]

Okay, which one of you wrote this article that just came across my FB news feed?

 

 

Sparkly Unicorn gets a mention!! :laugh:

Yes, but, need I point out *that* was not capitalized and is thus, clearly not our Sparkly Unicorn!

[Guest]

I never chime in to grammar threads because mine is terrible. But, I realized reading this thread, I really don't give a flying fart. Some of the smartest guys I know, guys who do real things like raise animals and build entire homes with their own hands have terrible spelling and/or grammar. Complaining about grammar feels very elitist to me.

Yes, such as my DH. He built our entire house himself - twice! And has built an award-winning show airplane. And a motorcycle. It is incredible what he can make and build with his hands. Just don't ask him to spell it.

[Corraleno]

For the love of all that is good and holy, please stop capitalizing random words.

 

This is another description of the condition with helpful treatment options.  For example, "math" is not capitalized.  Yes, it is a subject in school, just like English; but "math" is not derived from "Mathland."  Even calculus is not capitalized; I know it's really, really hard, but it's not capitalized.

 

I think the confusion about school subjects is understandable, since it's correct to capitalize those words when they are actual course titles: 

 

Suzie's online classes this year are Precalculus, World History, and World Literature. She's really struggling in Precalculus [class title], because unfortunately she's forgotten most of the algebra she learned in the last two years, but her prior knowledge of world history and literature has guaranteed her an A in those classes. 

[Random]

I never chime in to grammar threads because mine is terrible. Some of the smartest guys I know, guys who do real things like raise animals and build entire homes with their own hands have terrible spelling and/or grammar. Complaining about grammar feels very elitist to me.

 

Me, too.

 

I know a builder who is probably among the best of the best.  And he designs amazing buildings.  But, he misspells words like window, door, electrical plan, and concrete on the building plans that he draws freehand.  He inserts random capital letters, too. I have to check these things for him.

 

I can spell and use better grammar than him, but he's way smarter than me.  ;)

[Zinnia]

I Know A Few People That Type Everything Just Like This. WHY Do They Do That? :confused1:

 

Occasionally my phone just starts doing this.  And just as randomly, it stops.  But in the meantime, if I text you, I seem like a complete nincampoop.  Silly technology. 

[8circles]

Me, too.

 

I know a builder who is probably among the best of the best.  And he designs amazing buildings.  But, he misspells words like window, door, electrical plan, and concrete on the building plans that he draws freehand.  He inserts random capital letters, too. I have to check these things for him.

 

I can spell and use better grammar than him, but he's way smarter than me.  ;)

 

Technically...

 

I can spell and use better grammar than he, but he's way smarter than I.

 

{{tongue firmly in cheek}}

[Guest]

Technically...

 

I can spell and use better grammar than he, but he's way smarter than I.

 

{{tongue firmly in cheek}}

 

Pffft! Language evolves, man.