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#89119 - 12/08/02 01:32 PM A question of usage
wwh Offline
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Registered: 01/18/01
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In German, all nouns are capitalized. Usually when taken as loanwrds, they are also
capitalized until they become common. I would however tend to use the capital
always. Any comments?


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#89120 - 12/08/02 02:42 PM Re: A question of usage
Faldage Offline
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Registered: 12/01/00
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I didn't know they ever did nouns without capitalizing them. I know I know some German nouns that were borrowed from other languages, but I can't think of one off hand. Any examples?


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#89121 - 12/08/02 02:54 PM Re: A question of usage
wwh Offline
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Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
Dear Faldage: I meant when German words are borrowed into English, after a while the capital
begins to be dropped. I think perhaps it would be better to keep the capital. For instance, in the
spelling bee words, they had "anschluss" without the capital. Next question, should the spellers
be expected to spell it :"Capital A, small n, s.c.h,l,u,s,s"


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#89122 - 12/08/02 03:09 PM Re: A question of usage
Faldage Offline
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I don't see why we should follow other languages' orthographic conventions. We usually drop diacriticals from French words when they become naturalized citizens.


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#89123 - 12/08/02 03:34 PM Re: A question of usage
wwh Offline
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Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
You're right about the accent marks. It would be a pain to try to be consistent in supplying them.
So the capitals might as well be omitted too.


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#89124 - 12/14/02 12:22 PM Re: A question of usage
musick Offline
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Registered: 12/24/00
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Loc: Chicago
I'm not sure we couldn't use a few extra vowels to make pronunciation a bit clearer and spelling a bit more consistant. Who turned the heat awf under the melting pawt?


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#89125 - 12/14/02 01:10 PM Re: A question of usage
Buffalo Shrdlu Offline
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Registered: 06/24/02
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Loc: Vermont
wouldn't that be "paht"?



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#89126 - 12/14/02 02:54 PM Re: A question of usage
musick Offline
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Registered: 12/24/00
Posts: 2658
Loc: Chicago
That depends upon how much time one has spent on the US east side...

... whatever werks fer yew.


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