| Author | Comment | pd Rydia 
Dia, Innkeep of Justice
Posts: 9111
(1/21/04 5:55 pm)
66.42.150.199
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 | Dear Grammar Nazis
What are the rule/s for capitalizing titles? I.e.: Which types of words do you leave in all lowercase, besides articles?
Hello, I'm Dia. I'm a dragongirl, and I bite. RAWR!
 -=- "Y'know, I've always been told that dragons are bigger. And less bi-pedal." -- Cuimacc (MovieMan)
-=- "Got Dragonale?" -- Richard (Nakibe)
-=- "Half elves? Uh oh, they are eaten by Dragons, we call them Dwagon Kibble here..." -- Lord McBastard
-=- "*Today's important Lesson. Dragongirls Bite. Nekojin nip*" -- UnclePervy | Uncle Pervy 
Posts: 7330
(1/21/04 7:42 pm)
158.253.0.214
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 | Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
The way I hear it, it's anything not the, an, and, or; so on.
Except the first word. | PriamNevhausten
DoppELganger >:(
Posts: 2407
(1/21/04 7:11 pm)
24.210.143.23
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 | Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
From my grammar handbook (excerpted for ease of retyping):
Capitalize the first letter of the principal words in the title of a published or artistic work. Articles (a, an, the), conjuctions (and, but, or, nor), and prepositions with three or fewer letters (of, in, on, to, for, etc.) are not capitalized unless they appear as the first or last words of the title or as the first word of a subtitle following a colon. The to in infinitives (to write, to exercise, to study) is also not capitalized unless it appears as the first word in the title or subtitle.
Italicize (or underline if an italics font is not available) the titles of complete published and artistic works that contain subdivisions. Use italics for the titles of books, magazines, newspapers, booklets, pamphlets, compact discs, plays, musicals, operas, musical albums, Web sites, and other similar works that contain subdivisions such as chapters, articles, columns, acts, episodes, songs, or links.
Italicize or underline also the titles of movies and television shows.
...
Capitalize the main words and place in quotation marks the titles of individual chapters, sections, articles, columns, acts, episodes, or songs contained in complete published and artistic works such as books, magazines, booklets, pamphlets, newspapers, compact discs, plays, musicals, operas, television series, and musical albums.
In a published work capitalize the first letter of subdivisions such as preface, contents, glossary, appendix, and index when they refer to a specific work.
...
Capitalize the first letter of principal words in any title...
Place in quotation marks the titles of radio programs, poems, songs, paintings, sculptures, and essays--any such published or artistic works that do not contain subdivisions with subtitles.
Place the titles of unpublished essays, manuscripts, reports, theses, and dissertations in quotation marks. Capitalize the first letter of the principal words in the title. "It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies Edited by: PriamNevhausten at: 1/21/04 7:12 pm
| pd Rydia
Dia, Innkeep of Justice
Posts: 9113
(1/21/04 8:32 pm)
66.42.150.199
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| Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
Thank you, Mr. Priam!
Hello, I'm Dia. I'm a dragongirl, and I bite. RAWR!
-=- "Y'know, I've always been told that dragons are bigger. And less bi-pedal." -- Cuimacc (MovieMan)
-=- "Got Dragonale?" -- Richard (Nakibe)
-=- "Half elves? Uh oh, they are eaten by Dragons, we call them Dwagon Kibble here..." -- Lord McBastard
-=- "*Today's important Lesson. Dragongirls Bite. Nekojin nip*" -- UnclePervy | Ganonfro
Stop throwing marshmellows
at me!
Posts: 693
(1/22/04 6:35 am)
24.59.66.42
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 | Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
My face...it's full of bees!! Edited by: PriamNevhausten at: 1/22/04 1:19 pm
| BrainWalker 
Cuddly Ohioan Chauffeur
Posts: 3168
(1/22/04 12:30 pm)
24.145.156.47
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 | Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
Goddamnit, when will people realize that the tired "too long, didn't read" jokes weren't even funny the first time, and only continue to degrade in quality? Also, Ganon needs to resize his damn avatar already. Seriously.
Also, in an effort to suggest that I might have actually learned something:
The Project of Justice: This Time, it's Personal, chapter 06: "The Violin is Mightier Than the Sword"
Is that right? | PriamNevhausten
DoppELganger >:(
Posts: 2409
(1/22/04 2:21 pm)
24.210.143.23
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| Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
It seems that is indeed correct. The capitalization of "Than" bothers me on an intuitive level, but the rules say it's good, so no foul. "It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies | Lord Hatsuma 
Wandering Hero, yo
Posts: 223
(1/22/04 3:05 pm)
128.61.105.176
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 | Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
I probably would have capitalized "it's".
~Hatsuma! | CronoLuminaire 
The Reploid-Bish
Posts: 243
(1/27/04 11:50 am)
199.219.144.50
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 | Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
What about how the author him/her/itself capatilized the title? If it has a "strange" capatilization, do the author's intentions override the standards of grammar? For instance, if a title has every word capatilized, including any "an's" ""of's" or Non-initial "the's."
I should post more...Kyle: *sips Cocoa*
James: ::Sips Cocoa::
Eve: ::Sips Cocoa::
Cocoa; Gecko-Fencers, Reploid-bishes and Epee wielding children agree, It's the best drink on Gaera!
ULTIMATE ESOTERIC ELEMENTAL
(You won't know what hit you) | PriamNevhausten
DoppELganger >:(
Posts: 2423
(1/27/04 4:19 pm)
24.210.143.23
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| Re: Dear Grammar Nazis
If it's clearly a stylistic choice, then yes. Consider that we capitalize the name of the movie eXistenZ rather oddly, because that's the way that it says that it is captitalized. "It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies |
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