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Usenet Posted 20 years ago
Usage
Capitalization: mom, dad
Greetings,
A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' & 'dad' has arisen with some acquaintances. For example:
"Mom was a way for 3 months the first time. That
was when dad and I became buddies."
(They think it should be "Dad and I".)
The line I hear is 'dad' needs to be capitalized because it is used as a name.
What say you?
-het
PS.
Fowler & Strunk are unhelpful in this instance.
"It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and reality of tomorrow." - Robert Goddard
SF & Writing: http://www.autobahn.mb.ca/~het/writing/writing.html H.E. Taylor http://www.autobahn.mb.ca/~het/
A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' & 'dad' has arisen with some acquaintances. For example:
"Mom was a way for 3 months the first time. That
was when dad and I became buddies."
(They think it should be "Dad and I".)
The line I hear is 'dad' needs to be capitalized because it is used as a name.
What say you?
-het
PS.
Fowler & Strunk are unhelpful in this instance.
"It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and reality of tomorrow." - Robert Goddard
SF & Writing: http://www.autobahn.mb.ca/~het/writing/writing.html H.E. Taylor http://www.autobahn.mb.ca/~het/
Top answer
[nq:1]Greetings, A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' & 'dad' has arisen with some acquaintances. For example: "Mom ... I hear is 'dad' needs to be capitalized because it is used as a name.
- [nq:1]Greetings, A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' & 'dad' has arisen with some acquaintances.
- For example: "Mom ...
- I hear is 'dad' needs to be capitalized because it is used as a name.
- What say you?
- -het[/nq] Your acquaintances are right.
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19 Answers
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[nq:1]Greetings, A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' & 'dad' has arisen with some acquaintances. For example: "Mom ... I hear is 'dad' needs to be capitalized because it is used as a name. What say you? -het[/nq]
Your acquaintances are right.
Nate
Your acquaintances are right.
Nate
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[nq:1]Greetings, A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' & 'dad' has arisen with some acquaintances. For example: "Mom ... "Dad and I".) The line I hear is 'dad' needs to be capitalized because it is used as a name.[/nq]
That is korrekt:
Titles and offices are capitalized when they immediately precede a personal name or are standing in for the name entirely:
Princess Stepha
That is korrekt:
Titles and offices are capitalized when they immediately precede a personal name or are standing in for the name entirely:
Princess Stepha
00
[nq:1]Greetings, A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' & 'dad' has arisen with some acquaintances. For example: "Mom ... it is used as a name. What say you? -het PS. Fowler & Strunk are unhelpful in this instance.[/nq]
I cannot give you the official answer (there may not be one) but my native BrE usage is: capitals if it refers to a particular individual otherwise not.
"My D
I cannot give you the official answer (there may not be one) but my native BrE usage is: capitals if it refers to a particular individual otherwise not.
"My D
00
[nq:2]Greetings, A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' ... to be capitalized because it is used as a name.[/nq]
[nq:1]I cannot give you the official answer (there may not be one) but my native BrE usage is: capitals if ... the school." (Not specific individuals) "Your Dad is over there with the other dads." Note the BrE spelling of "mum".[/nq]
Interesting, but that's not the
[nq:1]I cannot give you the official answer (there may not be one) but my native BrE usage is: capitals if ... the school." (Not specific individuals) "Your Dad is over there with the other dads." Note the BrE spelling of "mum".[/nq]
Interesting, but that's not the
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[nq:2]I cannot give you the official answer (there may not ... Dad is bigger than your Dad." (Both are particular individuals)[/nq]
[nq:1]Interesting, but that's not the way I was taught. The ones with "my" and "your" would not be capitalized.[/nq]
I took Sean's example as being the same as "My Jakob is bigger than your Jakob."
[nq:1]Give this to your mom. Give this to Mom. That was wh
[nq:1]Interesting, but that's not the way I was taught. The ones with "my" and "your" would not be capitalized.[/nq]
I took Sean's example as being the same as "My Jakob is bigger than your Jakob."
[nq:1]Give this to your mom. Give this to Mom. That was wh
00
[nq:1]Greetings, A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' & 'dad' has arisen with some acquaintances. For example: "Mom was a way for 3 months the first time. That[/nq]
Should that be "away"?
Peter Duncanson
UK (posting from a.e.u)
Should that be "away"?
Peter Duncanson
UK (posting from a.e.u)
00
[nq:2]Greetings, A question about the capitalization or not of 'mom' ... was a way for 3 months the first time. That[/nq]
[nq:1]Should that be "away"?[/nq]
Nah. The poster clearly intends that Mom was one of a group of musicians or carollers who perform in the streets for three months at Christmastime (August thru December).
Nat
"Second to the right, and straight on {till>'
[nq:1]Should that be "away"?[/nq]
Nah. The poster clearly intends that Mom was one of a group of musicians or carollers who perform in the streets for three months at Christmastime (August thru December).
Nat
"Second to the right, and straight on {till>'
00
[nq:2]I cannot give you the official answer (there may not ... with the other dads." Note the BrE spelling of "mum".[/nq]
[nq:1]Interesting, but that's not the way I was taught. The ones with "my" and "your" would not be capitalized. Give ... When it's used as the name of the person, it's capitalized. When it's merely descriptive of the role, it's not.[/nq]
Nate may be right and we are not
[nq:1]Interesting, but that's not the way I was taught. The ones with "my" and "your" would not be capitalized. Give ... When it's used as the name of the person, it's capitalized. When it's merely descriptive of the role, it's not.[/nq]
Nate may be right and we are not
00
(=2E..)
[nq:1]I would not do the same with mother and father, there I agree with you. I would capitalize them only as religious titles or as proper names. I don't recall father and mother in proper names except Father Time and Old Mother Hubbard.[/nq]
Our boys (9 and 7) often call their ma "Mother", and me "Father". It's a bit of a ***-take, but I make sure they're capitalised.
Wi
[nq:1]I would not do the same with mother and father, there I agree with you. I would capitalize them only as religious titles or as proper names. I don't recall father and mother in proper names except Father Time and Old Mother Hubbard.[/nq]
Our boys (9 and 7) often call their ma "Mother", and me "Father". It's a bit of a ***-take, but I make sure they're capitalised.
Wi
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[nq:1]Our boys (9 and 7) often call their ma "Mother", and me "Father". It's a bit of a ***-take, but I make sure they're capitalised.[/nq]
We did the same, perfectly seriously. Certainly capitalized.
David
We did the same, perfectly seriously. Certainly capitalized.
David
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