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Snarf Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

A Dialogue with a Colon Capitalization

In following the different style guides and rules of a capital versus a lowercase after a colon, how much should all those rules apply to dialogue? For example:

"But, let's face it: This guy's nuts! He's probably crazier than anyone here!"

According to some, a capital should always follow a colon. According to others, it should only follow if there is more than one sentence following the colon, or if the colon comes after something like "Remember." So, in accordance with all of this, it only seems logical to me to capitalize the "This" in that dialogue. What do you think?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

I couldn't care less. There's no agreement. That's to be expected and is nothing to complain about as English is spoken in so many countries and there's no Language Academy or any other similar institute whose word is the final truth.

— Cool Breeze

  • I couldn't care less.
  • There's no agreement.
  • That's to be expected and is nothing to complain about as English is spoken in so many countries and there's no Language Academy or any other similar institute whose word is the final truth.
  • If you write a book, it's a good idea to be consistent.
  • CB
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9 Answers
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I couldn't care less. There's no agreement. That's to be expected and is nothing to complain about as English is spoken in so many countries and there's no Language Academy or any other similar institute whose word is the final truth. If you write a book, it's a good idea to be consistent.

CB
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So it wouldn't be incorrect to make the "this" lowercase, despite all those rules that point to it needing to be capitalized?
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Hi,

In my experience, it's much more common to use a period , not a colon, in such a context.
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SnarfAccording to some, a capital should always follow a colon. According to others, it should only follow if there is more than one sentence following the colon, or if the colon comes after something like "Remember."
All of this sounds like nonsense to me.
SnarfSo it wouldn't be incorrect to make the "this" lowercase, …
No,
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CliveHi,In my experience, it's much more common to use a period , not a colon, in such a context. Clive
You'd put a period after "But, let's face it"?
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Note the comma after but is wrong.

Unless

But, let's face it, this guy's nuts!
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I want the character to pause there, that's why I put that comma.

You'd make the "This" capitalized in this case, right, since "This guy's nuts" can stand on its own?
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Hi,

You'd put a period after "But, let's face it"? Yes. 'Although I wouldn't object to a comma,
ie "But, let's face it, this guy's nuts! He's probably crazier than anyone here!"

Clive
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