Internet or Internet or the internet

Question

First question:We used to write: InternetBut now I have seen it without the capitalized initial: internetWhich is correct now?Second question:Is it "using internet" or "using the internet"?And is it the same for US and UK?Thank you very much for your help!

Ozzourti · Accepted Answer

AnonymousWe used to write: InternetBut now I have seen it without the capitalized initial: internetWhich is correct now?

Still the version with a capital 'I'.

AnonymousSecond question:Is it "using internet" or "using the internet"?

"using the Internet"

AnonymousAnd is it the same for US and UK?

Yes, as far as I know. And speaking of articles, "for the US and (the) UK".

Rover_KE · Answer

The capital letter is becoming rarer in the UK.

Ozzourti · Answer

A number of style manuals recommend capitalizing the word. Well, at least they did the last time I checked...

But you are most certainly right about the capital letter version being headed for extinction in the UK. I think that Americans tend to capitalize it much more often than English speakers on the other side of the pond.

I always write 'Internet' (but might consider changing that if need arise). But for the time being, I'm definitely happier with the capital letter. Maybe I'll just stick to it then.

Anonymous · Answer

thank you both for your help

BarbaraPA · Answer

Not only do I still capitalize "the Internet" but I still write "Web page," acknowledging that the World Wide Web also used to be a proper noun.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

The internet has been losing its distinction as a proper noun.
I used to capitalize it, but more and more it is becoming just another common noun.

There is a Wiki article on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalization_of_%22Internet%22
n 2002, a New York Times column said that Internet has been changing from a proper noun to a generic term.

A significant number of publications do not capitalize internet. Among them are http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Economist, the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Times, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times, the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guardian, the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Observer^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalization_of_%22Internet%22#cite_note-10} and the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald. As of 2011, most publications using "internet" appear to be located outside of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America, but the gap is closing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wired_News, an American news source, adopted the lower-case spelling in 2004.^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalization_of_%22Internet%22#cite_note-11} Around April 2010, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNN shifted its house style to adopt the lowercase spelling.

Ozzourti · Answer

BarbaraPANot only do I still capitalize "the Internet" but I still write "Web page," acknowledging that the World Wide Web also used to be a proper noun.

I usually write it as one word (webpage) and I don't capitalize it. But if I wrote it as two separate words, I'd use a capital 'W'.

Soheil1 · Answer

It has become more important how to use it.No time for such finesse!

Am I using the right word?

Internet or Internet or the internet

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