Topic: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

I'm just editing my chapters, and one of my reviewers suggested that exorcist should lowercase in the following sentence:

“Where is your God now, Exorcist?”

Which is correct? If the person were addressing a priest, the word Father would be capitalized. An exorcist is simply a priest with specialized training and duties. I should add that the person being addressed is not actually a real exorcist. The demon addressing him is using the term derisively, hence the italics.

Thanks
Dirk

Quote Post 1

2 Reply by dagny (edited by dagny 2020-09-06 23:00:59)

Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Dirk B. wrote:

I'm just editing my chapters, and one of my reviewers suggested that exorcist should lowercase in the following sentence:

“Where is your God now, Exorcist?”

Which is correct? If the person were addressing a priest, the word Father would be capitalized. An exorcist is simply a priest with specialized training and duties. I should add that the person being addressed is not actually a real exorcist. The demon addressing him is using the term derisively, hence the italics.

Thanks
Dirk

Dirk,
You would not capitalize it as it is not a title like Pastor, Reverend, Doctor or Pastor.
dags smile

Quote Post 2

Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Thank you, Dagny. That makes sense.

Quote Post 3

Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Quote from English Grammar: "And so, in usual practice, don't capitalize the common noun. However, if you want to achieve the specific effect of highlighting the proper noun you are referring to, go ahead and capitalize."

Take care. Vern

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Thanks, Vern. Since I show emphasis using italics in my book, I think I'm best off with italicized lowercase. As Dagny pointed out, it's not a title.

English grammar? What's that?

Much obliged.
Dirk

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

For instance, if you are using a job title as a direct address, it should be capitalized. “Do you think I should start running on a treadmill, Doctor?” https://www.business2community.com/huma … g-01259140

The key is that "Exorcist" is used in direct address to the person. Even though the person is not truly an exorcist, the demon is addressing him as such (direct address), so the title is capitalized.

My dog ate my homework, Teacher.
I'm late because the traffic was terrible, Boss.
I'm too busy to take out the trash, Mom.

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Thanks, JP. I'm glad to see there is so much agreement on this subject. Caps it is.

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Dirk B. wrote:

Thanks, JP. I'm glad to see there is so much agreement on this subject. Caps it is.

I just logged on to reverse my advice, because I, while working on an idea, realized I was wrong when I capitalized the word Visitors when referring to a group of individuals. As soon as I did it, I thought, hmmm...this is what Dirk was talking about! And I was wrong.
dags smile

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9 Reply by jack the knife (edited by jack the knife 2020-09-09 15:35:50)

Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

JP is right in one of her examples, but "boss" and "teacher" should not be capitalized. They are not titles. ("Mom" isn't really a title, either, but convention makes it one.)  "You neglected to give me the discount, clerk." "You are entitled to a military discount, veteran." The first is a job descriptor, the second is a situation descriptor. Neither are titles. Similarly, Dirk, I still hold to my comment that your "exorcist" should be lower case as it's a job descriptor, not a title.

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

I was wondering if anyone would object to capitalizing teacher and boss in direct address as I've never seen those terms (and similar ones) capitalized before. I'm wearing out the E key on my keyboard switching back and forth. :-)

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

38 Special wrote:

Teacher, teacher, can you teach me?
Can you tell me all I need to know?

However I would expect the caps if teacher was shortened.
>Hey, Teach! How you doing

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

j p lundstrom wrote:

For instance, if you are using a job title as a direct address, it should be capitalized. “Do you think I should start running on a treadmill, Doctor?” https://www.business2community.com/huma … g-01259140

The key is that "Exorcist" is used in direct address to the person. Even though the person is not truly an exorcist, the demon is addressing him as such (direct address), so the title is capitalized.

My dog ate my homework, Teacher.
I'm late because the traffic was terrible, Boss.
I'm too busy to take out the trash, Mom.

These are right.

When a title is used as a name, they should be capitalized.

Here's a link that makes it easy to understand https://justpublishingadvice.com/when-d … ily-names/
An excerpt:
When are mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa names?
When you use any of these words or other family titles, take a moment to think if you can replace them with a real name.

Hey Mom, can you buy me some chewing gum when you go shopping?

How was your day at work, Dad?

Oh, Grandma called in while you were out.

Grandpa is getting a bit deaf.

MT

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Memphis Trace wrote:
j p lundstrom wrote:

For instance, if you are using a job title as a direct address, it should be capitalized. “Do you think I should start running on a treadmill, Doctor?” https://www.business2community.com/huma … g-01259140

The key is that "Exorcist" is used in direct address to the person. Even though the person is not truly an exorcist, the demon is addressing him as such (direct address), so the title is capitalized.

My dog ate my homework, Teacher.
I'm late because the traffic was terrible, Boss.
I'm too busy to take out the trash, Mom.

These are right.

When a title is used as a name, they should be capitalized.

Here's a link that makes it easy to understand https://justpublishingadvice.com/when-d … ily-names/
An excerpt:
When are mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa names?
When you use any of these words or other family titles, take a moment to think if you can replace them with a real name.

Hey Mom, can you buy me some chewing gum when you go shopping?

How was your day at work, Dad?

Oh, Grandma called in while you were out.

Grandpa is getting a bit deaf.

MT

The issue isn’t  family addresses. Everyone agrees that Mom, Dad, etc. should be capitalized when used in an address. But not when they are referred to generically, as in, “My mom makes the best meatloaf.”  But when referring to the mother directly, as in, “You might think you’re a good cook, Dad, but Mom can beat you every time,” Mom gets capitalized.

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

An example from the Chicago Manual of Style: "Hello, stranger." Not a title, so no caps.

Much obliged, Everyone. ;-)

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Weird example since stranger isn't a job yikes

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Replace stranger with strangler. It still looks wrong in caps. :-)

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Re: Capitalize exorcist in direct address?

Dirk B. wrote:

An example from the Chicago Manual of Style: "Hello, stranger." Not a title, so no caps.

Much obliged, Everyone. ;-)

In your original posting “Where is your God now, Exorcist?” Exorcist was used as a name.

Capitalizing it was correct.

MT

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