You should only capitalize directions, such as south, when you are referring to it as the proper noun, such as "in the South.". Western (and Northern) blots however, were not named after inventors but were given these names in honor of . Except for England, the other three countries have their own parliaments. The Chicago Manual of Style and the MLA Handbook, for instance, say to only capitalize Southern when referring to the American Civil War. Capitalizing western and capitalizing west have the same rules. Characteristics. The word should only be capitalized if it appears in the body's name. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(42679, '499cbd76-cfa5-4fea-836f-ead06058d874', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); North, East, South or West - Capitalize or Not? Capitalize these words when they designate regions. To capitalize or not to capitalize "southern" California [duplicate]. After all, it was named after its inventor, Edwin Southern, and therefore the use of the capital is justified. Note that it doesn't seem to be treated as a compound proper noun (e.g., searching for "Southeastern Albania" produces an error since Ngrams is case sensitive and there don't seem to be any instances of that capitalization in the Google Books database). ), but I'd suggest not capitalizing it unless you're certain it is necessary. The Starved Rock Lodge offers world-famous midwestern hospitality in a scenic environment. When did states go to 2 letter abbreviations? Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. Editorial Style Guide - University Of Nevada, Las Vegas This suffix makes the direction an adjective, and when it describes a specific region, it should be capitalized. For example, we capitalizenorth,south,east, andwest when the terms refer to regions or cultures: Customs in the East differ from those in the West. However, I was recently advised by someone who I consider to be educated to capitalize "southern" in this context. Broadly speaking, a region is an area that's divided by: Geographic regions are usually depicted by their not-so-clearly defined, and at times transitory boundaries. Names of gods are capitalized, including Allah, Vishnu, and God. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia? I still don't see any "descriptivist argument", much less a strong one. My friend is a southerner. You have entered an incorrect email address! Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic, as are those lacking any signs of reasonable research. You should always capitalize Westerner since it refers to a group of people who are proper nouns. Which sentence is capitalized correctly Carlotta? Most of the north is sandy, and the northern coast is mountainous. When to Capitalize People's Titles - The Blue Book Of Grammar And Southern United States, for example, is appropriate because it is located in a specific region. I am living in Western Downtown. Keep reading to learn everything there is to regions and their capitalization, rules for related terms and phrases, what a region is, etc. A diathermal wall between two thermodynamic systems in thermodynamics allows heat transfer but does not allow for the transfer of matter across it. For example, Southern France is capitalized because it is a proper noun and . Explanation: Because, Pisces is a noun. Capitalize the traditional geographic regions in the United States: the Midwest, the North, the South, the West, and the combined regions (i.e., the Northeast, the Southeast, and the Southwest). Whichever version you use, then, we'd suggest not capitalizing the direction, just the country name. What about capitalizing western or Westerner? Capitalize proper nouns and most adjectives formed from proper nouns. Knowing whether to capitalize directional adjectives can be challenging. The obvious examples of this are countries, states, cities, and other geographical areas: We study the history of Eastern Europe. In other words, directions can be tricky! The question as to whether something should be considered a name or not is one of style, and as such you should adhere to the discipline of your editor, publication, or organization, or in the absence of a house style, you should adopt a suitable. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. When to Capitalize Directions - Writing Explained Unless they are actually part of the place name, directions dont need to be capitalized, but this depends on personal preference (e.g., if it might make this clearer to the reader) and whether its specified by a style guide. Capitalize the traditional geographic regions in the United States: the Midwest, the North, the South, the West, and the combined regions (i.e., the Northeast, the Southeast, and the Southwest). Here Carlotta is the name hence it needs to be in capital and I, Halloween should be capitalized. When a database has been given a proper name, capitalize that name, but do not italicize it or place it inside quote marks. Likewise, capitalize terms such as "Native American," "Hispanic," and so on. When did they standardize state abbreviations? It only takes a minute to sign up. However, in certain pairings, the common noun appears after a name or proper noun for instance, "the Highlands Region". It only loosely defines a region of California and its border is not officially defined either. So you would only capitalize federal when you use it in the name of a federal agency, an act, or some other proper noun. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. But the AP Stylebook says to always capitalize "Southern" when referring to "the South" in the United States, regardless of whether you're discussing the Civil War. Here is part of that discussion: 8.46 Regions of the world and national regions. Regardless of what side of the debate table you are on, the different thoughts clearly illustrate how differing opinions could be on the matter, causing people to use capitalization rules the way they deem appropriate. Here are the types of words that should be capitalized: Proper nouns. You should capitalize North, South, East, and West when theyre part of a proper noun (i.e., the name of a unique thing). When these words are included in the place name, however, they must be capitalized. Capitalization | CSU - California State University Hi, Mary. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. When proofreading or editing documents, we often find that writers are confused about when to capitalize these terms. North, east, south, and west are the four cardinal directions, often marked by the initials N, E, S, and W. East and west are at right angles to north and south. Capitalization Do not capitalize federal, state, department, division, board, program, section, unit, etc., unless the word is part of a formal name. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. To make room for the ZIP Code, state names needed to be abbreviated. If you are referring to a group of proper nouns such as the Southern States. However, if youre referring to a general location, such as the southern winds then southern should be lowercase. However, widely known designations are capitalized: the Upper East Side, Southern California. If youre referring to a collection of proper nouns, such as the Southern States, this is the case. Binomial nomenclature is, of course, also used for animals, including the singularly curious one designated as Homo sapiens. When it's an adjective ("bicentennial year"), I agree that no cap is needed . Names of regions should be capitalized if those are proper nouns or denote a country, city, continent, etc. For example, The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) recommends capitalization:2. In general, Midwesterners are friendly and down to earth. For example: The words are also not capitalized if they only indicate locations or the climate or geography of a region. When we write the days of the week, we always use a capital letter. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Is South Capitalized? - Capitalize My Title Updated on December 22, 2018. For example, Silicon Valley isn't a proprietary name or legally defined area, but it receives initial caps anyway. Thor and Norway are capitalized because they are proper nouns. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Erin Wright with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. When And When Not To. NOTE: Within certain regions it is not uncommon for many who live there to capitalize the adjective because of the special importance they attach to the regional designation. Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. You should only capitalize directions, such as north, when you are referring to it as the proper noun, such as "in the North.". It's not a continent, nor is it a country. In general, you should capitalize the names of countries and languages. Clearly, LA, OC, and SD are part of Southern California, but there are a lot of other places that are located in southern California that are not located in Southern California, such as Palm Springs, Salton Sea, Joshua Tree, Blythe, etc. Why do many companies reject expired SSL certificates as bugs in bug bounties? Currently, Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary capitalizes Midwesterner, Northerner, Southerner, and Westerner, while Websters New World College Dictionary and The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language only capitalize Midwesterner and allow northerner, southerner, and westerner to be capitalized or lowercased.7. 2023 Caniry - All Rights Reserved 1 The Midwest is the breadbasket of the United States. However, some people also suggest capitalizing the names of: The uniting theme here is the idea of naming a well-known or well-defined region. MLA style followsThe Chicago Manual of Style (8.47) for geographic terms. In case it's not obvious, I have a bachelor's in writing. A Little Help with Capitals - Purdue Writing Lab When used as part of a short-form political affiliation, states should also be abbreviated. Dont capitalize names of directions like north, south, east, and west when used to refer to direction and location, but do capitalize these words when they appear in the names of places and regions. Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Generally, you do not need to capitalize the names of the seasons. How to Export PDF Tables from Adobe Acrobat to Excel (PC & Mac), How to Insert Images into Shapes in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac), How to Align the Periods in Numbered Lists in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac), How to Password Protect Files in Microsoft Word, How to Password Protect PDFs in Adobe Acrobat (PC & Mac). If youre referring to a specific location, such as the western winds, western should be lowercase. Topic Q&A List - The Chicago Manual of Style Online That means you should lowercase articles, Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. To know what other words you should capitalize, try our free title capitalization tool. Likewise, the rules for sentences apply: capitalize the common name at the . Automatically capitalize your email subjects, essay, headline, and article titles. Federal or federal? Racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and are capitalized. 3. The sentence reads "I turned on north Bolton." The problem is, there doesn't appear to be a consensus. Is south capitalized when referring to Southern states? seems less related to the usual descriptivist process, more opinion-based. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. O needs to be capitalized since it is at the beginning of the sentence, I needs to be capital, Pisces is a specific constellation so it is a proper noun, and likewise North is proper noun. To know what other words you should capitalize, try our free title capitalization tool. Examples: southern France, northern Canada. And Wisconsin is known as the Badger State (not "the badger state") even though its official name is Wisconsin. However, the forms bachelor's degree, bachelor's, master's degree and master's are acceptable as general terms. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. However, it is accepted that these are capitalized when discussing the American Civil War, for example, and, as mentioned in this article in the final Summary section, some style guides prefer north and south to always be capitalized when referring generally to these areas of the United States. However, if instead you reference a general location, such as "the southern winds," then the word southern should be lowercase. However, the Associated Press Stylebook does not recommend capitals in that case. If youre referring to a specific location, such as the southern winds, southern should be lowercase. I is always capitalized, along with all its contractions. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. @Devil07, the geographical adjective "southern" is not usurped -- it just means something different. When used to refer to direction and location, dont capitalize the names of directions like north, south, east, or west; however, when they appear in the names of places and regions, do capitalize these words. However, be consistent and do not write: "Visitors to southern California climbed while visitors to northern California fell." Should south be capitalized? Not capitalizing when referring to a general direction. Hi there! The word states would remain lower case if states is referred to in a general way, such as There are two senators for each state.. Terms that denote regions of the world or of a particular country are often capitalized, as are a few of the adjectives and nouns derived from such terms. Are both letters capitalized in state abbreviations? It is also a great option for general business writing. More answers below Each morning, the sun rises in the east . 'I have no authority for this opinion, other than my intuition as an English speaker.' The difference between the phonemes /p/ and /b/ in Japanese. Guidance to capitalize proper nouns in APA Style. But you capitalize them when theyre specific regions or an integral part of a proper name. Only when it's very apparent or writing the direction names in small letters looks completely off, capitalize them. When to Capitalize Words for Compass Points - Daily Writing Tips The obvious examples of this are countries, states, cities, and other geographical areas: Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox. So it would be best to check your style guide if you have one and to make sure whatever you choose is used consistently. Why are trials on "Law & Order" in the New York Supreme Court? The Department decided on the current two-letter abbreviations in October 1963. Sallie Ward, a Southern belle. Colorado is part of the Southwest. If a law is new but its interpretation is vague, can the courts directly ask the drafters the intent and official interpretation of their law? Rules for Capitalizing Academic Degrees in AP Style The following examples illustrate not only the principles sketched in [an earlier section of CMOS] but also variations based on context and usage. When words like northern, southern, eastern, or western precede a place name, they aren't usually capitalized because they only indicate a general location within a region. In contrast, The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style) recommends lowercasing specific U.S. geographic regions used as adjectives:3. The basic guidelines for using capital letters in English appear simple enough: Capitalize the first word in a sentence. For example, you would write "the Southern United States," but "the southern way of . Here are directions capitalized in sentences: Words such as "southerner" and "northerner" are usually not capitalized if they denote people. "southern California" is not the same as "Southern California". Biden administration should avoid subsidies for risky mortgages I assume CMOS have done reasonable research before arguing against a rigid insistence on 'the principles sketched in [an earlier section of CMOS]' and have thought carefully before arguing against ignoring authors' strong preferences. Capitalization For WebCT Users in Writing Classes: The "caps" icon (usually immediately before a word) indicates either that the following word ought to be capitalized (for one of the reasons listed here) or, if it is already capitalized, that it shouldn't be. Here are some rules to follow. September 18, 2013, at 9:56 pm. Chicago style is best for writers who want to adhere to traditional publishing standards and academic writers in non-scientific fields. In general, you should capitalize the first word, all nouns, all verbs (even short ones, like is), all adjectives, and all proper nouns. When people form a group and give it a name, it should be capitalized. You should always capitalize Southerner since it refers to a group of people who are proper nouns. are widely recognized as popular names and are thus capitalized. Unless the direction is part of the country's actual name, it remains lowercased. University Editorial Style Guidelines - Santa Clara University Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including phrasal verbs such as play with), adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions. Here are a few more examples: When the directional terms are not proper names and are affixed to proper nouns simply to denote direction, they are written in lowercase for example, "southern France", "northern New York", etc. You should only capitalize directions, such as south, when you are referring to it as the proper noun, such as "in the South." If you are merely referring to a direction, such as "go south on I-90," then you should keep south lowercase. Should northern be capitalized - 650.org When to Capitalize North, South, East and West. If as is used as a preposition, it is lowercase; if as is used as an adverb, conjunction or pronoun, it is uppercase. When you're talking about America's West Coast or the Middle East, the directional word is also part of a proper name, and it gets a capital letter. It also looks at when to capitalize those regions when they are used as adjectives and to describe U.S. geographic populations. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. However, it is only compulsory to do so when "North" is part of a proper noun. AP Style Directions and Regions - Writing Explained However, when these words are actually part of the place name, they must be capitalized. The correct sentence is Carlotta and I love Halloween. We always use a capital letter when we write the days of the week. As an Amazon Associate, CapitalizeMyTitle.com earns from qualifying purchases. By convention, however, southern is capitalized when it refers to the region of California: I live in Southern California. For example, most people would capitalize South London because South London is a well-known part of a famous city. To properly follow AP style guidelines, only use one space after a period, as opposed to the often used double-space. Therefore, use "Black" and "White" instead of "black" and "white" (do not use colors to refer to other human groups; doing so is considered pejorative). Others may argue that the word simply denotes the direction of the region the individual lives and must not have the capital letter. Of course, as with other nouns, they should be capitalized at the beginning of sentences and in titles. Is state capitalized when referring to a specific state? When words like northern, southern, eastern, and western precede a place name, they are not ordinarily capitalized, because they merely indicate general location within a region. Note that exceptions based on specific regional, political, or historical contexts are inevitable and that an author's strong preference should usually be respected. Is Southern Capitalized? - Capitalize My Title So, if a person is from South Africa, south would be capitalized since it's the proper name of the country. In some cases, like country and city names, this is clear. You should always capitalize Southerner since it refers to a group of people who are proper nouns. Am I a midwesterner or a Midwesterner? South-Eastern Albania? The Chicago Manual of Style. He's one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. What is, In a front-wheel drive setup, theyre what transfers power to the wheels via the transmission or differential (in a rear-wheel drive setup). References to God (s) The word "god" should be capitalized if it is being used as a proper name of a monotheistic god, as in God in Christianity and Judaism. When referring to Greek, Roman, and other groups of gods and goddesses, only the name is capitalized. Alternatively, some style guide suggest that all of the main words (i.e. The obvious examples of this are countries, states, cities, and other geographical areas: We study the history of Eastern Europe. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". When the word "state" comes after a state's name, it should be capitalized. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 2 Do you capitalize state when referring to a state? However, as in the case of plant names, animal names are not capitalized ("I spotted a red-tailed hawk," not "I spotted a Red-Tailed Hawk"), except when an element of the name is a proper noun, as in "Steller . To Capitalize or not to Capitalize Independence? A region can be a city, town, village, country, continent, or any area that comes under the jurisdiction or administration of a state. Do not capitalize these words when they merely indicate general location or refer to the geography or climate of the region. North Dakota; West Virginia; Also capitalize compass points when used in denoting widely known sections. Should Southeast be capitalized? - Wise-Answer The word "southern" is not part of the official name of California or any city or county, so I never capitalize it. Direction-denoting terms such as north, south, east, west, etc. Why are non-Western countries siding with China in the UN. When to Capitalize Animal and Plant Names - Daily Writing Tips What states in the US are consider southern states?

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