Spelling can be such a pain in the behind, especially for writers. We’re bright enough to realize we can’t trust our spell checking programs because of homophones or similarly spelled words. We have dictionaries for tricky words, and we can program our auto-correct features to catch habitually misspelled words. But what about trademarked names, proper names, and other names requiring capitalizing?
After going through edits for RUNNING SCARED, I learned the rules aren’t cut and dried. For instance, while Internet and Web or Web site are capitalized, google used as a verb is not. Don’t ask why; I don’t know. According to my editor, that’s Google’s decision. Perhaps they like their trademarked word being generic for online search engines.
Other everyday items we don’t think about as proper names but are trademarked include Windbreaker, Dumpster, Formica, Jaws of Life, Hula Hoop, Kleenex, Coke, and Jeep. It’s very important that you respect a company’s brand name; they’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars to register and advertise it.
Back by popular demand, here is the Grammar Cop’s quick reference for capitalization:
CAPITALIZE:
- A person’s name.
- A person’s title when it precedes the name.
- Days of the week, months of the year.
- Special days, holidays.
- Organizations and abbreviations of organizations.
- Historical periods, documents, and events.
- Nationality, race, or language.
- Personification of objects or abstract concepts.
- First word of a statement.
- When used as part of a proper name: lake, county, high school, college, river, street, park, country, company, institution, etc. (Ohio River, the river)
- A noun identifying a family member when used as a name. (Mom, your mom)
- Geographical locations-specific. (The West, out west)
- References to the Diety.
- The pronoun “I.”
- Acronyms (AT&T, URL)
- In a title, all words except prepositions, articles, and conjunctions of four letters or less (Days of Thunder) unless it’s the first word. (The Runaway Bride)
- Subjects studied that are specific titles (Composition 101, meteorology, American History 202, biology)
DON’T CAPITALIZE:
- Points on a compass or direction.
- Seasons of the year.
- Pronouns other than “I” unless at the start of a sentence or part of a title.
EXAMPLES:
We watched West Wing before heading down south.
Independence Day falls on a Wednesday this year, according to my mother.
Mother is always right about summer holidays.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and best wishes for the new year.
As always, you should consult a dictionary or grammar or style reference when in doubt. Happy writing!
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