As a result, noun will always be the first capital letter. when they indicate compass direction, but capitalize when they indicate a region: the West Coast. This seems a difficult case; as this discussion at. I tried to describe the difference in my answer below. The example you give is a generic direction used as an adjective (like the "east wing of the mansion" example in the post), so no capitalization is required. Many scholars now study the global South. Geographic Regions and States Editorial Style Guide Purchase College southern Atlanta; But capitalize compass points when part of a proper name. Please include the research youve done. "I" is always capitalized, along with all its . We always use a capital letter when we write the days of the week. 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 Capitalise or Not To Capitalise: A Useful Guide - Proofed Should northern be capitalized - 650.org Names of regions should be capitalized if those are proper nouns or denote a country, city, continent, etc. Q. Debating with an editor over capitalization of the word bicentennial. Should north East south West be capitalized? Should southern states be capitalized? - TipsFolder.com Consistency is the most important thing, though, so you should be fine as long as the form chosen is clear and you use it each time. Should Southeast be capitalized? - Wise-Answer document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Capitalize My Title makes title capitalization easy. Lowercase to when it functions in an infinitive. The Chicago Manual of Style and the MLA Handbook, for instance, say to only capitalize Southern when referring to the American Civil War. Here are the types of words that should be capitalized: Proper nouns. Do not capitalize these words when they merely indicate general location or refer to the geography or climate of the region. Capitalization hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(42679, '809ac5c4-ef90-4489-8311-03d2c90632ee', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Topics: There's not enough context in your example to offer any solid advice (e.g., the "north" of where? Racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and are capitalized. In contrast, The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style) recommends lowercasing specific U.S. geographic regions used as adjectives:3. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. Capitalization Rules-A Quick Guide | Grammarly the East, the North, the South, the West (of a country) northern, southern, eastern, western (parts of a country) States should also be abbreviated when used as part of a short-form political affiliation. Erin Wright, 20122023. Proper nouns - American Psychological Association 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. Whether it's an "official" name or not and how well the thing is defined have no bearing whatsoever. Column: Should 'white' be capitalized? It feels wrong, but it's the way Drive south for five miles. When did states go to 2 letter abbreviations? only if it's a proper name. The main thing is to be consistent with whatever you choose. AP Style holds to the general rule of lowercasing compass directions and capitalizing regions. Capitalize proper nouns and most adjectives formed from proper nouns. 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. For example, you would write "the Southern United States," but "the southern way of . With states, lowercase in most uses: northern New York. The sentence reads "I turned on north Bolton." Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The seasons are not proper nouns and are therefore not normally capitalized. Do you capitalize Southern in southern United States? I is always capitalized, along with all its contractions. It is also a great option for general business writing. Copyright 2022 - TheContentAuthority.com, Reindeer Vs. Moose: Main Differences, How To Tell Them Apart. Is state capitalized when referring to a specific state? . What about capitalizing a Westerner or a Westerner? NOTE: When terms like western region and southern district are used to name organizational units within a company, capitalize them. To know what other words you should capitalize, try our free title capitalization tool. Should global south be capitalized? Should California coast be capitalized? - Sage-Advices "southern California" is not the same as "Southern California". When to Capitalize North, South, East and West. 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. Of course, they should be capitalized at the start of sentences and in titles, as they are with other nouns. In headlines, the periods are omitted. Actually, you should capitalize federal only when it is part of a proper noun, that is, the official name of a particular or unique person, place, or thing. In other words, directions can be tricky! 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). The same applies for related adjectives and other compass directions: We live in the eastern part of the country. The Content Authority is where you will find great content, written by amazing writers, around topics like grammar, writing, publishing, and marketing. These should not be capitalized unless they are the first or last word of the title. 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). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Does the word federal need to be capitalized? As an aside, when we toured through the San Francisco Peninsula earlier this year, our guide told us that the natives generally didn't like the name 'Silicon Valley'. The following formal names of specific degrees should always be capitalized in AP style: As you can see, master's degrees are capitalized when abbreviated. When referring to regions, capitalize these words. The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) suggests capitalizing terms like Midwesterner, Northerner, Southerner, and Westerner:5. Is Southern Capitalized? - Capitalize My Title any that aren't articles, conjunctions or prepositions) should be capitalised. Capitalize a persons title when it precedes the name. On a cloudless night, I studied Pisces, a constellation in the North sky. Is it Southern or Southern? Southern, according to a co-author, should not be capitalized because it is an adjective rather than a noun. For example, capitalizing "Southerner" in the sentence "As a Southerner, she had a distinct drawl" can be up for debate. MLA style followsThe Chicago Manual of Style (8.47) for geographic terms. As a general thumb rule, if a particular direction (north, south, etc.) Except for Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah, the name of a city and state should be abbreviated when they are used together. The word 'southern' shouldn't be capitalized in a sentence unless it is a proper noun. To capitalize or not quoted text after be form, How to handle a hobby that makes income in US. However, the Associated Press Stylebook does not recommend capitals in that case. However, to, not a dash, should be used when from introduces a range of dates (from 2012 to 2013, not from 2012-13). However, if, like Northern Ireland and North Korea, the direction is part of the proper name, it should be capitalized. For places names and proper names, the word "Southern" should be capitalized, but in other contexts, it is not. Instead, I have compiled a partial list of things people shouldn't capitalize but commonly do anyway. when they indicate compass direction, but capitalize when they indicate a region: the West Coast. For example, we capitalize north, south, east, and west when the terms refer to regions or cultures: Customs in the East differ from those in the West. Does Counterspell prevent from any further spells being cast on a given turn? When to Capitalize Directional Words - Ellii Blog Southern California; West Texas; the Lower East Side of New York; If in doubt, use lowercase. 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. Should "west coast" be capitalized if it is referring to the western region of the U.S.? If it's a name, it's a proper noun. Most of the north is sandy, and the northern coast is mountainous. Are coca cola and pepsi owned by the same company? Use the US Postal Services symbol system, which is a two-letter abbreviation that consists of a two-letter abbreviation in which both letters are capitalized and no periods are used when giving an address or in tables or other uses where space is limited. Is it "southern California" or "Southern California?". Hi, Kelly. However, if you use the word southern instead of a general location, such as the southern winds, the word should be lowercase. The key factor here is that were using these words descriptively (i.e., to specify the direction or location of something), not to name something. 2 Do you capitalize state when referring to a state? So, option 2 is correct. What about capitalizing a Southerner or a Southerner? 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. Do you know "what is the Western Hemisphere?" When combining with another common noun to form the name for a region . Is South capitalized when talking about the Civil War? Unless you are referring to the Four Seasons, there is no reason for seasons to . Opportunities exist on the east and west sides of the city. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. When referring to a specific region, you should capitalize the words East Coast such as Im traveling to the East Coast since East Coast is a proper noun in this case. Note that exceptions based on specific regional, political, or historical contexts are inevitable and that an author's strong preference should usually be respected. Are seasons capitalized or not? The AP Stylebook, which is the guiding stylebook for a number of news organizations, including The Daily Tar Heel, advises against using the Oxford comma in most basic series. And Wisconsin is known as the Badger State (not "the badger state") even though its official name is Wisconsin. For example: But when the terms are used to indicate a region, they are capitalized for example, the "West Coast". You should capitalize the words East Coast when referring to a specific region, such as Im traveling to the East Coast, because East Coast is a proper noun in this case. When dealing with geographic terms, capitalize nouns such as "river", "lake", etc. 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. Similarly, the European Union is an assortment of multiple countries. And "north" in that sentence refers to a direction (i.e., where you turned), not the place (i.e., Bolton Avenue). At 8.47 ("Popular place names or epithets"), CMOS notes that certain other regions and epithets receive initial caps as well. It only takes a minute to sign up. In other words, directions can be tricky! When And When Not To. However, widely known designations are capitalized: the Upper East Side, Southern California. University Editorial Style Guidelines - Santa Clara University When in doubt, lowercase. A title like this would appear as: A Guide to English: Perfecting Grammar in an Academic Paper. When these words are included in the place name, however, they must be capitalized. Please note that my close-vote reason was 'lack of reasonable signs of research'; I believe that there are differences between the 'northern Europe' example and this one. But in other cases, it is more a matter of convention and habit. The Midwest is the breadbasket of the United States. Is "Southern California" considered a proper noun? Proper nouns include the specific names of people, places, and things. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Circling back to the "title" rule, if the headline is in sentence case and the word "region" is not the starting word of the title, "region" should be written in lowercase. The Chicago Manual of Style and the MLA Handbook, for instance, say to only capitalize Southern when referring to the American Civil War. Is south capitalized when referring to Southern states? Southern United States, for example, is appropriate because it is located in a specific region. Hi, Mary. The Chicago Manual of Style. The English language has grammar and usage rules by the boatload. It only loosely defines a region of California and its border is not officially defined either. With names of states The same rule applies as with names of nations. 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. Should states and territories be Capitalised? Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. When did they standardize state abbreviations? It's all directional | Grammar Party Thus, here are 10 capitalization rules you should know for a well written write-up: Capitalize the first word of every sentence. 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). As noted in the post, there's no need to capitalize generic directions (only when they're part of a proper noun). West is directly opposite east. You should always capitalize Southerner since it refers to a group of people who are proper nouns. doesn't shout the need for "capitalization", it's safe to write it in lowercase. Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. Each morning, the sun rises in the east . We also lowercase the terms when they refer to people: My friend is a southerner. Did the Allman Brothers Band play southern rock or Southern rock? Capitalize words that are part of the formal name, but lowercase in less formal uses: he crossed the Hudson River; but: he fell into the river. However, when the terms southerner and northerner refer to people on either side of the United States civil war, the civil war was fought between Southerners and Northerners. Use capital letters in the following ways: The first words of a sentence When he tells a joke, he sometimes forgets the punch line. Human settlements and their impact on the physical geography, and, The communication between the environment and humanity, The precipitation is the maximum in the interior, Cattle-breeding techniques or practices could vary across, Urundi and Ruanda are fertile, healthy, high-lying, and thickly populated, This text isn't a law but an abstract of the several special usages obtained in those, She passed the Lake Amadeus and the Reynolds range in that direction but had to turn, Many scholars are now studying the global. You should capitalize North, South, East, and West when theyre part of a proper noun (i.e., the name of a unique thing). In general, you should capitalize the first word, all nouns, all verbs (even short ones, like is), all adjectives, and all proper nouns. That's when even the most exhaustive style . What does it mean that the Bible was divinely inspired? The first instance of when "global" should be capitalized is when used as the first word in a sentence. Not capitalizing when referring to a general direction. To know what other words you should capitalize, try our free title capitalization tool. 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.. Without capitalization, it could refer to anyone in the southern hemisphere, or perhaps southern England. Some authorities also capitalize titles if they immediately follow the name without the word "the.". You should only capitalize directions, such as south, when you are referring to it as the proper noun, such as "in the South.". Each state has its own shortened name codes, which are used in written documents and mailing addresses. Posted by Editorial Style Guide - University Of Nevada, Las Vegas the Southern States the Eastern Seaboard Northern Ireland the Western Hemisphere To find out when to capitalize North, South, East, and West, read our guide to capitalizing directions below. As Sven Yargs' answer shows, there is a strong descriptivist argument involved. When proofreading or editing documents, we often find that writers are confused about when to capitalize these terms. However, I was recently advised by someone who I consider to be educated to capitalize "southern" in this context. Job seekers, Is Pepsi the owner of KFC? Is south and Southern capitalized? - TimesMojo Colorado is part of the Southwest. Though a direction is a general noun, it could at times be not that straightforward to ascertain whether it's a common noun or a proper noun.
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