Forum: Author Hangout

I can see having some rules as it improves communication to have them. But those things have to be revisited every so often. For example, I'm reading Grant's Memoirs. Written in the 1870s. Easily understood but if I wrote that way here, everyone would likely consider me in need of help.

Language is dynamic, constantly changing. Anyone thinking 100 year old, or even 50 year old, rules should never be changed don't live in the real world.

Easily understood but if I wrote that way here, everyone would likely consider me in need of help.

Umm... We already do...

:)

At the time I published the novel in 2014, the Chicago Manual of Style said to capitalize it. Now they say not to. So I'm un-capitalizing the word.

Just because CMOH (or anybody else) changes style doesn't mean you have to. When I was in 6th grade English, Mrs. Higginbotham taught that a proper noun is a "particular person, place or thing," and ought to be capitalized. As far as I can see, the Internet fits that description and should be capitalized, regardless of what the style folks say.

As far as I can see, the Internet fits that description and should be capitalized, regardless of what the style folks say.

I agree. The internet is big enough and widespread enough to deserve a capital. The question is, where should the Capital be situated...? Also, what should it be called...?

Capital

"What Is Capital?
Capital is a term for financial assets, such as funds held in deposit accounts, as well as for the physical factors of production; that is, manufacturing equipment. Additionally, capital includes facilities, including buildings used to produce and store manufactured goods. Materials used and consumed as part of the manufacturing process do not qualify as capital."

On that basis, the capital of the Internet is probably Redmond, Washington where Microsoft is headquartered. Perhaps these days Amazon may have more capital, in which
case Seattle, Washington is their headquarters.

I agree. The internet is big enough and widespread enough to deserve a capital. The question is, where should the Capital be situated...? Also, what should it be called...?

Google DC?

Who's we unega agehya?

Apparently not you Tonto.

Apparently not you Tonto.

The closest match to "Tonto" for any nation is from Apache. There is some old English translation meaning silly, and some Spanish meaning wild rough people.

Considering he was supposed to be Comanche or Potawatomi, you've to wonder when the Native Americans are portrayed as ignorant savages.

Considering he was supposed to be Comanche or Potawatomi, you've to wonder when the Native Americans are portrayed as ignorant savages.

Of course they are ignorant savages...! They had the gall to be living there long before the continent was 'discovered' and 'explored'. How dare they occupy lands that had yet to be claimed by settlers...? Why, it was almost like they thought they had a right to exist there...!

The much vaunted "Constitution" and "Bill of Rights" hardly applied to slaves and certainly was not conceived to apply to Native Americans. Why would it? After all, its founders were setting up a new country, one which they intended to be free from the oppressions they had suffered prior to emigrating.

What they wanted was, "The land of the free and the home of the brave". What they got was the highest number of incarcerated people per capita in the world and of course they long ago exterminated as many 'braves' as they could.

The constitution and bill of rights was a good idea with horrendous implementation. If implemented as written, slavery and other genocidal or outright evil acts, would have never happened.

Unfortunately, just like socialism and communism, people got involved. Every political system fails in the face of greed, jealousy, and covetousness.

Since none of us belong to associations which dictate the language and punctuation we use, it's up to us, as intelligent individuals, to create and maintain our own style guides, just so we can defend our choices if called on our choices.

My attitude is; this sort of thing has long since gotten out of hand.

The basic premise behind any language, written or spoken, is to convey a thought or information to another person. The more convoluted the 'rules' become, the less clear that passing of information or language becomes.

"to create and maintain our own style guides"

Applying that logic to the rules, laws, guides, accepted practices, or whatever you choose to call it, is a breakdown in order. Where no order exist, chaos reigns. That is not to say it's a bad idea, but to say it should have never gotten to the point that such is contemplated and or needed.

In simplistic terms, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

it's up to us, as intelligent individuals, to create and maintain our own style guides,

I think Crumbly is on to something there. Having said that, if Chicago Manual of Style is to your liking, then by all means use it. However, it too changes over time. For myself, I'm going to run with Crumbly's idea.