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#178798 - 08/17/08 08:37 PM Writing Help: Capitalization
Nouveau Scribe Offline
stranger

Registered: 08/17/08
Posts: 1
Loc: United States
Is there a reason to capitalize the words "communist" and "socialist" in this sentence:

 Quote:
Anyone who thinks that is nothing but a Socialist or Communist ...


This is quoted from a book about writing: "Reading, Writing, and Rhetoric" by Hogins and Yarber.

I can understand if he meant "Communist Party of China" where capitalization is required but in this context, is capitalization justified?

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#178809 - 08/18/08 06:31 AM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: Nouveau Scribe]
Faldage Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 13655
I would say leave them all lower case unless, as you say, they're part of a proper noun phrase.

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#178825 - 08/19/08 03:30 AM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: Faldage]
Zed Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 08/27/02
Posts: 2154
Loc: British Columbia, Canada
I would leave it lower case as well but there could be an argument that it is capitalized to indicate that the writer was referring to members of a group or movement and not just to their ideology.
Nope, capitals still look wrong.

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#181313 - 12/29/08 12:14 PM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: Zed]
LukeJavan8 Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 06/23/08
Posts: 5289
Loc: Land of the Flat Water


If I were still teaching high school I would have the students
leave them in lower case, unless, as Zed says, it refers to
a particular group, and not their ideology.

This is a great topic, our country and its use of language
and grammar sadly and badly needs this, to wit, the media.
_________________________
----please, draw me a sheep----

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#181429 - 01/03/09 10:58 PM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: Zed]
hellerfan Offline
stranger

Registered: 12/31/08
Posts: 3
Loc: Houston, TX
If you're going to label a person a member of the Socialist or Communist groups (parties), then the words Socialist and Communist are proper nouns and should be capitalized.

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#181458 - 01/04/09 06:06 PM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: hellerfan]
LukeJavan8 Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 06/23/08
Posts: 5289
Loc: Land of the Flat Water
Originally Posted By: hellerfan
If you're going to label a person a member of the Socialist or Communist groups (parties), then the words Socialist and Communist are proper nouns and should be capitalized.


but would not zed's comment above still be correct?
_________________________
----please, draw me a sheep----

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#181778 - 01/16/09 09:12 AM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: LukeJavan8]
Andrew Robinson Offline
stranger

Registered: 10/16/08
Posts: 23
Loc: Ireland
Different publishers have their own house rules about capitalization; problems can arise when there is a difference between for instance a college fellow (contemporary) and a College Fellow (proprietor).

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#181866 - 01/18/09 07:18 PM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: Andrew Robinson]
PastorVon Offline
member

Registered: 12/30/08
Posts: 107
Loc: USA, North Carolina
Originally Posted By: Andrew Robinson
Different publishers have their own house rules about capitalization; problems can arise when there is a difference between for instance a college fellow (contemporary) and a College Fellow (proprietor).


But, aren't there a number of style manuals that serve as standards? I think of the Chicago Style Manual for one. When I was in college (1960s), Harbrace's Manual was the standard at the university I attended.

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#181873 - 01/19/09 06:35 AM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: PastorVon]
Faldage Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 13655
Originally Posted By: PastorVon

But, aren't there a number of style manuals that serve as standards?


There are. They don't always agree on specifics. Different publishers choose different manuals.

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#181887 - 01/19/09 07:07 PM Re: Writing Help: Capitalization [Re: PastorVon]
Faldage Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 13655
Originally Posted By: PastorVon


But, aren't there a number of style manuals that serve as standards?


PastorVon started a sentence with a conjunction! shocked

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