Okay, I honestly thought there used to be a stickied thread for these kinds of things, but it doesn't seem to exist and none of the other threads seemed appropriate for asking this in. So basically if you have a question concerning this kind of stuff--and the rest of google/wikipedia is being useless--stick it here. (Unless there really is a thread and I am just blind, in which case just kill me)
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Anyway, I'm stuck on an issue concerning proper nouns. I've been referring to a very particular monkey throughout my narrative as 'small scruffy monkey' to the point that is effectively the creature's name, so I'm not actually sure if I should be capatilising 'Small Scruffy Monkey' or not??
Wanderer Ward
12 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I'm no genius at grammar, but I'd say for this one is depends what kind of feel you're going for and what you want to do, not what grammar dictates you should. Also, are you using an article? If so, I wouldn't capitalise, if not, again I think it's down to you... I've been no help at all! ~:|
If the characters in the story refer to the monkey as Small Scruffy Monkey I'd capitalise it. If a third person narrator is the only one to refer to the monkey, well... I'd probably still capitalise it.
I guess it depends how you use it. I mean if you are going 'look at Small Scruffy Monkey' then it is acting as a name in which case I guess you should capitalise it. If you were to say 'look at that small scruffy monkey' then it isn't being used as a name, so no caps. Hope that made some sense.... Personally though, I would be inclined to leave the caps off both ways, but that's just me.
Agree with the people above. If you are an article, don't capitalise (unless you are wanting to use SSM as a title, the way I always said "the Arsala" in my story). If no article, capitalise.
Mystic Guilden
11 years ago
Mystic Guilden
Mage
I'm stealing this thread in an attempt not to begin a brand new one for a minor thing such as this-
Everyone: So you are alive.
The slavers turned their back for a moment, and they have free wi-fi. [act]shrugs[/act]
Anywho, I was sending birthday wished to a friend of mine, and suddenly had a little internal debate over whether to write 'spoilt rotten' or 'spoiled rotten'. Normally I automatically use the former (I'm not sure why I debated it tonight). So my question to you lovely writers is, which of these two forms do you use?
A quick search alluded to the idea that 'spoilt rotten' is a UK version, while 'spoiled rotten' is more American English.
Pretty trivial stuff, but I guess I'm a little curious :)
I think I'd go with the former, too. Not that I've used the phrase in my writing before (not that I've done much writing before this year :P).
I always use the former so that's the one I'd go with. It just seems to make more sense, I'm not sure why :P
Former. I have an irrational abhorrence for most things considered American English, also spoilt has less letters to type.
And here is yet another vote for the former option! I just like the look of "spoilt" better, just as I like dreamt, leapt, etc.