TheNextBigWriter Premium → caps question - Capitalization
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I'm including the Holy Land's "Sea of Galilee" in my WIP. When I refer to it simply as sea (e.g., Low hills lay beyond the sea/Sea.), do I capitalize sea? It's a specific sea, so I'm inclined to capitalize it.
Thanks
Dirk
Dirk,
My Creative Writing prof taught us that uppercase is not needed unless you include the formal name of the entity with the word. So, in this case, "sea" would not require an uppercase annotation.
That was back in the 1970s - perhaps the "rule" has changed since then, but I don't think so.
Good luck with your novel!
Alan
I'm including the Holy Land's "Sea of Galilee" in my WIP. When I refer to it simply as sea (e.g., Low hills lay beyond the sea/Sea.), do I capitalize sea? It's a specific sea, so I'm inclined to capitalize it.
Thanks
Dirk
No.
The Pacific Ocean is not a pacific ocean ...
Thank you, Alan and Temple. Temple, the book is beyond my reading level.
I'm including the Holy Land's "Sea of Galilee" in my WIP. When I refer to it simply as sea (e.g., Low hills lay beyond the sea/Sea.), do I capitalize sea? It's a specific sea, so I'm inclined to capitalize it.
Under what circumstance would you refer to it as simply "sea"? If you didn't want to repeat "Sea of Galilee" but want to say, for example, "In the Galilee close to the Sea" you would capitalize it. Even if you wrote: "He went down to the beaches along Tiberias and took a dip in the Sea," you would capitalize it. I cannot off hand think of an instance where you would not. Maybe: "At Tiberias he found the sea quite warm," if the reader is already familiar with the location and that "sea" is the "Sea of Galilee."
If he's standing there, looking at the water, it's 'the sea.' If he's thinking about the geographical location and its importance, it's the 'Sea of Galilee.'
Examples: The sea was turbulent, tossing the fishing boats like shuttlecocks. OR The Sea of Galilee served as the backdrop for many biblical events.
*rolls eyes*
humans ...
AI? Bring it on, baby ...
I was going to go with lowercase sea, but I have a similar example that may complicate things. In my previous book, I had a large military force named the Praetorian Guard that protected the Imperial Family. Based on examples from other writers, when I shortened it, I kept caps: "The Guard stands with you, Imperator." as opposed to "The guard stands with you, Imperator."
Thoughts?
I was going to go with lowercase sea, but I have a similar example that may complicate things. In my previous book, I had a large military force named the Praetorian Guard that protected the Imperial Family. Based on examples from other writers, when I shortened it, I kept caps: "The Guard stands with you, Imperator." as opposed to "The guard stands with you, Imperator."
Thoughts?
I agree. Just as the Guard refers to the Praetorian Guard, the Sea (in context) refers the the Sea of Galilee.
Here's an example from a capitalization article about geographic naming: Everyone should visit the Indiana Dunes. The dunes offer hiking, swimming, and picnicking. If I follow my Guard rule, then dunes should be Dunes.
Not exactly equivalent.
1. Everyone should visit the Rockton Fair this summer. The fair offers unique attractions.
2. The Canadian National Exhibition occurs annually. The Exhibition attracts a worldwide audience
In (2) the Caps is optional. Anyone living in the shadow of this event knows you're proper-naming it the moment you write that. Someone living in England not so much, and may wonder why the caps was used.
Here's an example from a capitalization article about geographic naming: Everyone should visit the Indiana Dunes. The dunes offer hiking, swimming, and picnicking. If I follow my Guard rule, then dunes should be Dunes.
I disagree that is correct. However, " ... Indiana Dunes. These dunes offer hiking..." is correct because there is a shift in logic of a specific geographic species "Indiana Dunes" to a generality of "dunes" in which the species "Indiana Dunes" is included. The difference between the definite article the and the adjective this/these indicates this difference.
Rules, who needs them? Just text it in all lower case. Take care. Vern
Based on examples from other writers, when I shortened it, I kept caps: "The Guard stands with you, Imperator." as opposed to "The guard stands with you, Imperator."
You had it right.
Not exactly equivalent.
1. Everyone should visit the Rockton Fair this summer. The fair offers unique attractions.
2. The Canadian National Exhibition occurs annually. The Exhibition attracts a worldwide audienceIn (2) the Caps is optional. Anyone living in the shadow of this event knows you're proper-naming it the moment you write that. Someone living in England not so much, and may wonder why the caps was used.
Brits can't spell ;-)
My thanks to everyone. Ponder, I will.
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TheNextBigWriter Premium → caps question - Capitalization
