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. NOTE: When terms like western region and southern district are used to name organizational units within a company, capitalize them. By convention, however, southern is capitalized when it refers to the region of California: I live in Southern California. Likewise, capitalize terms such as "Native American," "Hispanic," and so on. Do you capitalize the S in Southern California? - TipsFolder.com I live to the west of Detroit Michigan. 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. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? The plant common name has to conform to the rules of English, however, so if there's a proper noun in the common name, it must be capitalized. Instead of using the frequently used double-space, only use one space after a period to properly follow AP style guidelines. Coordinate conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet & so (FANBOYS). As an Amazon Associate, CapitalizeMyTitle.com earns from qualifying purchases. When possessive pronouns like her, his, my, our, and your are used, do not capitalize them. Which Is More Stable Thiophene Or Pyridine. When did states go to 2 letter abbreviations? Along with the proper nouns listed in the table above, you should also always capitalize: the first word after a colon when what follows the colon is an independent clause, most nouns when they are followed by numerals or letters (e.g., Table 1, Figure 2, Panel A; see section 4.17), and. In most forms of writings, not capitalizing direction names when they could have been capitalized doesn't bother the readers much. Erin Wright, 20122023. The West Coast has beautiful scenery. Everyone on the bus tour enjoyed the southern food in Tennessee. 8 What states in the US are consider southern states? For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook. So, if a person is from South Africa, south would be capitalized since it's the proper name of the country. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You can also upload a document to get an instant quote. You should only capitalize directions, such as north, south, east, and west, when you are referring to the direction as a proper noun, such as in the South or up North. If you are merely referring to a direction, such as go south on I-90, then you should keep the direction lowercase. The official USPS postal abbreviation is this format. One exception to this rule: common objects with a country or nationality as part of the name ( french fries, scotch whiskey, venetian blinds, and so forth). You should capitalize North, South, East, and West when theyre part of a proper noun (i.e., the name of a unique thing). In headlines, the periods are omitted. 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. Should "west coast" be capitalized if it is referring to the western region of the U.S.? Are seasons capitalized or not? Some could argue the word "Southerner" in the sentence denotes someone who belongs to a specific region, and the letter "S" should therefore be capitalized. Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook. Capitalize the Southern California region? Capitalize the traditional geographic regions in the United States: the Midwest, the North, the South, the West, and the combined regions (i.e., the Northeast, the Southeast, and the Southwest). Do you capitalize state when referring to a state? Racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and are capitalized. For example, The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) recommends capitalization:2. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. North Dakota; West Virginia; Also capitalize compass points when used in denoting widely known sections. Some could argue the word "Southerner" in the sentence denotes someone who belongs to a specific region, and the letter "S" should therefore be capitalized. Check your style guide (if applicable) for advice on specific terms. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? Only capitalize state when it follows the states name, such as New York State is also known as the Empire State, or when it is part of a traditional state name, such as Empire State or Lone Star State, can be capitalized. The Chicago Manual of Style and the MLA Handbook, for instance, say to only capitalize Southern when referring to the American Civil War. That means you should lowercase articles, Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. And Wisconsin is known as the Badger State (not "the badger state") even though its official name is Wisconsin. As noted in the post, there's no need to capitalize generic directions (only when they're part of a proper noun). editing, Is summer a good time? However, widely known designations are capitalized: the Upper East Side, Southern California. Should southern be capitalized? Here are some rules to follow. To Capitalize or not to Capitalize Independence? Do You Capitalize "Real Estate"? Names of racial and ethnic groups are treated as proper nouns, which means they are capitalized (e.g., African American, Asian American, Black, European American, First Nations, Hispanic, Native American, Latinx, White). Everyone on the bus tour enjoyed the Southern food in Tennessee. Best Book Writing Software and Book Writing Apps, Cursive Text Generator , Buscador de palabras y descifrador de palabras. North, east, south, and west are the four cardinal directions, often marked by the initials N, E, S, and W. East and west are at right angles to north and south. Should northern be capitalized - 650.org West is directly opposite east. Should aurora borealis be capitalized? Explained by Sharing Culture It was put into effect at first for big businesses, but was then gradually adopted by everyone as a standardized format. Thor and Norway are capitalized because they are proper nouns. Job seekers, Is Pepsi the owner of KFC? The mines are located in the western part of the plateau. . Is that an argument? Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. only if it's a proper name. To put it another way, capitalize words like Mother, Father, Grandmother, Grandfather, Son, Daughter, and Sis in place of the persons name. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. You should capitalize "North," "South," "East," and "West" when they're part of a proper noun (i.e., the name of a unique thing). Is it Southern or Southern? The argument I hear is this is a region of the building not a direction, so it should be capitalized. The mines are located in the western part of the plateau. Time arrow with "current position" evolving with overlay number. AP style is primarily for journalists and writers who want to conform to traditional journalism styles. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Erin Wright with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Alternatively, some style guide suggest that all of the main words (i.e. Is South capitalized when talking about the Civil War? My friend is a southerner. Here are directions capitalized in sentences: Words such as "southerner" and "northerner" are usually not capitalized if they denote people. when they indicate compass direction, but capitalize when they indicate a region: the West Coast. Related, but not duplicates (in my opinion): As definitive as it gets. Do You Capitalize the Word "Queen" in a Sentence? I studied Pisces, a constellation of the North sky, on a cloudless night. You would capitalize "Southern" when referring to the people, or their culture, politics, or social activities, e.g., Southern hospitality, Southern cuisine, Southern accents. Proper nouns include the specific names of people, places, and things. So, should you capitalize regions when writing? When north, south, east, and west refer to generic directions (i.e., the points of the compass), they are not capitalized: The master bedroom is in the east wing of the mansion. Avoiding Common Capitalization Errors | The Proofreading Pulse Unless you are referring to the Four Seasons, there is no reason for seasons to . Of course, they should be capitalized at the start of sentences and in titles, as they are with other nouns. As explained in the post, some people do capitalize terms like "the North" when they refer to a well-established geographical area. APA Style 6th Edition Blog: Do I Capitalize This Word? Proper nouns are names of particular individuals, places, or things, such as Josephina, Michigan, Oreo, and United Auto Workers. Do you capitalize north? These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Posted by Rule 1. Hello! The state postal codes were formalized into two character abbreviations in 1963. A region can be a city, town, village, country, continent, or any area that comes under the jurisdiction or administration of a state. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. northern New Jersey, western Massachusetts Northern Ireland, Western Australia However, I was recently advised by someone who I consider to be educated to capitalize "southern" in this context. NOTE: Within certain regions it is not uncommon for many who live there to capitalize the adjective because of the special importance they attach to the regional designation. 'I have no authority for this opinion, other than my intuition as an English speaker.' For example, "western Massachusetts", "northern New Jersey". To properly follow AP style guidelines, only use one space after a period, as opposed to the often used double-space. Binomial nomenclature is, of course, also used for animals, including the singularly curious one designated as Homo sapiens. Should southern states be capitalized? - TipsFolder.com Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. In "the eastern portion of Colorado", however, "eastern" is written in small letters since it doesn't denote people or specific culture or practice. Do you know "what is the Western Hemisphere?" Is "southern" capitalized in this sentence? - Quora Title Case Capitalization (APA 7th) Sentence Case Capitalization (APA 7th) Generally, you do not need to capitalize the names of the seasons. Capitalize the traditional geographic regions in the United States: the Midwest, the North, the South, the West, and the combined regions (i.e., the Northeast, the Southeast, and the Southwest). 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Capitalize My Title makes title capitalization easy. It is also a great option for general business writing. When Should You Capitalize Geographic Regions in the United States? In a June 11 statement, the National Association of Black Journalists issued a recommendation "that whenever a color is used to appropriately describe race then it should be capitalized . Capitalize such words as northern, southern, eastern, and western when they refer to the people in a region or to their political, social, or cultural activities. Only when it's very apparent or writing the direction names in small letters looks completely off, capitalize them. The following examples illustrate not only the principles sketched in [an earlier section of CMOS] but also variations based on context and usage. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Likewise, the rules for sentences apply: capitalize the common name at the . When it's an adjective ("bicentennial year"), I agree that no cap is needed . Whether it's an "official" name or not and how well the thing is defined have no bearing whatsoever. Should north southeast and West be capitalized? Southern belle (from French belle 'beautiful') is a colloquialism for a debutante in the planter class of the Antebellum South. The water and land global areas are further divided into subregions bounded by huge geographical features influencing large-scale ecologies. When to Capitalize Directions - Writing Explained CMOS looks at what a large relevant tranche of people do; this ultimately defines what is acceptable. What does it mean that the Bible was divinely inspired? I guess you're saying that it's always okay to break any principle if you really want to, because CMOS says so. Note that it doesn't seem to be treated as a compound proper noun (e.g., searching for "Southeastern Albania" produces an error since Ngrams is case sensitive and there don't seem to be any instances of that capitalization in the Google Books database). hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(42679, '499cbd76-cfa5-4fea-836f-ead06058d874', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); North, East, South or West - Capitalize or Not? These are not governed entities, but they are official designations. 1. It might be amusing to look for instances of "southern Southern California" or "northern Southern California". That's when even the most exhaustive style . U.S. Names of people People's names are proper nouns, and therefore should be capitalized. If the designation is widely known, the "direction" terms are capitalized for instance, "Southern California". This is known as 'title case'. Rules for Capitalizing Academic Degrees in AP Style Capitalize locations in a country if the proper noun is given in other words, the name of a region or city, such as the Congo, the Mississippi River, etc. It only loosely defines a region of California and its border is not officially defined either. Hi, Victoria. Are both letters capitalized in state abbreviations? in the southwestern part an eastward direction These words usually do get capitalized when they describe a region of the world or of a country, but there are some exceptions. Editorial Style Guide - University Of Nevada, Las Vegas The Starved Rock Lodge offers world-famous Midwestern hospitality in a scenic environment. - thanks! Topic Q&A List - The Chicago Manual of Style Online Sallie Ward, a Southern belle. Capitalizing "North," "South," "East," and "West" when they're part of a proper noun (i.e., the name of a specific geographical region or culture). These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. You capitalize state only when it follows the name of the state, as in New York State is also called the Empire State, or when its part of a traditional name for a state, like Empire State or Lone Star State. When it precedes the name of the state, dont capitalize the word unless its part of a title of . However, capitalization may depend on the style guide you're using. During the Civil War, Northerners and Southerners battled in twenty-three states. any that aren't articles, conjunctions or prepositions) should be capitalised. Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. However, if instead you reference a general location, such as "the southern winds," then the word southern should be lowercase. If youre referring to the Western States, for example, youre referring to a group of proper nouns. Todays post explains when to capitalize geographic regions in the United States. However, I was recently advised by someone who I consider to be educated to capitalize "southern" in this context. Home-buyers pay a 1.75% fee up . However, when these words are actually part of the place name, they must be capitalized. When words like northern, southern, eastern, or western precede a place name, they arent usually capitalized because they only indicate a general location within a region. Western (and Northern) blots however, were not named after inventors but were given these names in honor of . 6 Does the word federal need to be capitalized? By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Black and white: Why capitalization matters - Columbia Journalism Review So capitalize The Pacific Northwest and Central Texas, but not We drove west for two hours., The States that make up The South are usually considered to be: Virginia Tennessee Arkansas Louisiana North Carolina South Carolina Mississippi Alabama Georgia Florida Texas. are widely recognized as popular names and are thus capitalized. 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. The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style) suggests lowercasing terms like midwesterner, northerner, southerner, and westerner, except when referencing the Civil War, in which case Northerner and Southerner should be capitalized:6. The correct answer is option C. In option A, the word Chemistry is only capitalized leaving the other proper noun in lower case. However, if youre referring to a specific region, such as the east coast of the United States, keep the words lowercase. I wanted to know how to write Southeast Albania correctly (proof reading). When to Capitalize Animal and Plant Names - Daily Writing Tips When referring to races, should 'black' and 'white' be capitalized? (MLA) The obvious examples of this are countries, states, cities, and other geographical areas: We study the history of Eastern Europe. The Chicago Manual of Style. When you're talking about America's West Coast or the Middle East, the directional word is also part of a proper name, and it gets a capital letter. Wotan is one of the gods in Wagner's Ring Cycle. But when these terms are part of an actual place's name, capitalize them, as in "Western Australia", "Northern Ireland", etc. In other words, capitalize words such as Mother, Father, Grandmother, Grandfather, Son, Daughter, and Sis when they are used in place of the persons name. However, if you are referring to a general region, such as the east coast of the United States then you should keep the words lowercase. Capitalize common nouns such as party, river and street when they are part of a proper name. Terms that denote regions of the world or of a particular country are often capitalized, as are a few of the adjectives and nouns derived from such terms. Hi, Lynne. Be the first to read new posts and updates about MLA style. 10 Do I capitalize southern as in the US region? Keep reading to learn everything there is to regions and their capitalization, rules for related terms and phrases, what a region is, etc. Can you drive with a broken front differential? One reason partisans capitalize "White" or "Black" is to denote its importance in messages, even subliminally, magnified by lowercasing the "other." As always, we believe that labels can oversimplify, and that a specific description is better. Common nouns are the names of things. Should You Capitalize Western? (Western World, Culture - Grammarlookup If as is used as a preposition, it is lowercase; if as is used as an adverb, conjunction or pronoun, it is uppercase. Otherwise, not. Example: "War-weary ministers in London asked themselves why they fought a costly war in the [north] when they had friends in the Carolinas and Georgia.". AP Style says it should be capitalized while the Chicago Style Manual says it should be lowercased. 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. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. To Capitalise or Not To Capitalise: A Useful Guide - Proofed After all, it was named after its inventor, Edwin Southern, and therefore the use of the capital is justified. 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. ), but I'd suggest not capitalizing it unless you're certain it is necessary. capitalization, maps, writing tips. Lorry Vs. Truck: Meaning And How To Use Each One, Turnip Vs. Radish: Meaning And Differences Of These Words. southern Atlanta; But capitalize compass points when part of a proper name. Do not capitalize these words when they merely indicate general location or refer to the geography or climate of the region. For example, capitalizing "Southerner" in the sentence "As a Southerner, she had a distinct drawl" can be up for debate.
