Do I Capitalize someone's role?
Do I use capitals when referring to someone's position within an institution or company? And is it the same for all levels of employee?
i.e in the following sentence, should the words in bold be capitalized?
[As a double check, am I right in thinking the 'Prof', being his title. should be capitalized?]
Discussion with my head of department, Prof. F. Bloggs, has indicated...
Cheers
grammar capitalization
add a comment |
Do I use capitals when referring to someone's position within an institution or company? And is it the same for all levels of employee?
i.e in the following sentence, should the words in bold be capitalized?
[As a double check, am I right in thinking the 'Prof', being his title. should be capitalized?]
Discussion with my head of department, Prof. F. Bloggs, has indicated...
Cheers
grammar capitalization
There's a lot of guidance about this available on-line, although you may have to check a few different sites to get an answer to your specific example.
– J.R.
Oct 24 '14 at 12:58
1
As an aside, this has nothing to do with grammar. There are no capital letters in speech.
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 24 '14 at 13:19
@RegDwigнt, when my grandfather was training to be a gardener, he noted that the words Head Gardener were always pronounced with capitals.
– Brian Hooper
Oct 24 '14 at 14:10
1
As @ JR states, there's no dearth of guidance. Title case conventions can vary among different authors,publications, style guides...simple rule is to pick a style and be consistent.
– Misti
Oct 24 '14 at 14:17
add a comment |
Do I use capitals when referring to someone's position within an institution or company? And is it the same for all levels of employee?
i.e in the following sentence, should the words in bold be capitalized?
[As a double check, am I right in thinking the 'Prof', being his title. should be capitalized?]
Discussion with my head of department, Prof. F. Bloggs, has indicated...
Cheers
grammar capitalization
Do I use capitals when referring to someone's position within an institution or company? And is it the same for all levels of employee?
i.e in the following sentence, should the words in bold be capitalized?
[As a double check, am I right in thinking the 'Prof', being his title. should be capitalized?]
Discussion with my head of department, Prof. F. Bloggs, has indicated...
Cheers
grammar capitalization
grammar capitalization
asked Oct 24 '14 at 12:50
user2696225user2696225
2538
2538
There's a lot of guidance about this available on-line, although you may have to check a few different sites to get an answer to your specific example.
– J.R.
Oct 24 '14 at 12:58
1
As an aside, this has nothing to do with grammar. There are no capital letters in speech.
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 24 '14 at 13:19
@RegDwigнt, when my grandfather was training to be a gardener, he noted that the words Head Gardener were always pronounced with capitals.
– Brian Hooper
Oct 24 '14 at 14:10
1
As @ JR states, there's no dearth of guidance. Title case conventions can vary among different authors,publications, style guides...simple rule is to pick a style and be consistent.
– Misti
Oct 24 '14 at 14:17
add a comment |
There's a lot of guidance about this available on-line, although you may have to check a few different sites to get an answer to your specific example.
– J.R.
Oct 24 '14 at 12:58
1
As an aside, this has nothing to do with grammar. There are no capital letters in speech.
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 24 '14 at 13:19
@RegDwigнt, when my grandfather was training to be a gardener, he noted that the words Head Gardener were always pronounced with capitals.
– Brian Hooper
Oct 24 '14 at 14:10
1
As @ JR states, there's no dearth of guidance. Title case conventions can vary among different authors,publications, style guides...simple rule is to pick a style and be consistent.
– Misti
Oct 24 '14 at 14:17
There's a lot of guidance about this available on-line, although you may have to check a few different sites to get an answer to your specific example.
– J.R.
Oct 24 '14 at 12:58
There's a lot of guidance about this available on-line, although you may have to check a few different sites to get an answer to your specific example.
– J.R.
Oct 24 '14 at 12:58
1
1
As an aside, this has nothing to do with grammar. There are no capital letters in speech.
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 24 '14 at 13:19
As an aside, this has nothing to do with grammar. There are no capital letters in speech.
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 24 '14 at 13:19
@RegDwigнt, when my grandfather was training to be a gardener, he noted that the words Head Gardener were always pronounced with capitals.
– Brian Hooper
Oct 24 '14 at 14:10
@RegDwigнt, when my grandfather was training to be a gardener, he noted that the words Head Gardener were always pronounced with capitals.
– Brian Hooper
Oct 24 '14 at 14:10
1
1
As @ JR states, there's no dearth of guidance. Title case conventions can vary among different authors,publications, style guides...simple rule is to pick a style and be consistent.
– Misti
Oct 24 '14 at 14:17
As @ JR states, there's no dearth of guidance. Title case conventions can vary among different authors,publications, style guides...simple rule is to pick a style and be consistent.
– Misti
Oct 24 '14 at 14:17
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
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No, not in British English. Capitalise job titles but not roles.
The Guardian style guide says:
capitals
jobs all lc, eg prime minister, US secretary of state, chief rabbi, editor of the Guardian.
titles cap up titles, but not job description, eg President Barack Obama (but the US president, Barack Obama, and Obama on subsequent mention); the Duke of Westminster (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis but the pope.
http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c
The Economist style guide says:
Capitals
A balance has to be struck between so many capitals that the eyes dance and so few that the reader is diverted more by our
style than by our substance. The general rule is to dignify with
capital letters organisations and institutions, but not people. More
exact rules are laid out below. Even these, however, leave some
decisions to individual judgment. If in doubt use lower case unless it
looks absurd. And remember that “a foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
PEOPLE
Use upper case for ranks and titles when written in conjunction with a name, but lower case when on their own. Thus President Bush, but the president; Vice-President Cheney, but the
vice-president; Colonel Qaddafi, but the colonel; Pope Benedict, but
the pope; Queen Elizabeth, but the queen.
Do not write Prime Minister
Blair or Defence Secretary Rumsfeld; they are the prime minister, Mr
Blair, and the defence secretary, Mr Rumsfeld. You may, however, write
Chancellor Schröder.
All office-holders when referred to merely by
their office, not by their name, are lower case: the chancellor of the
exchequer, the foreign secretary, the prime minister, the speaker, the
treasury secretary, the president of the United States, the chairman
of Coca-Cola.
The only exceptions are
a few titles that would look unduly
peculiar without capitals, eg, Black Rod, Master of the Rolls,
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Lord Privy Seal, Lord
Chancellor.
a few exalted people, such as the Dalai Lama and the
Aga Khan. Also God and the Prophet.
Some titles serve as names, and
therefore have initial capitals, though they also serve as
descriptions: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Emir of Kuwait, the
Shah of Iran. If you want to describe the office rather than the
individual, use lower case: The next archbishop of Canterbury will be
a woman. Since the demise of the ninth duke, there has never been
another duke of Portland.
http://www.economist.com/style-guide/capitals
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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No, not in British English. Capitalise job titles but not roles.
The Guardian style guide says:
capitals
jobs all lc, eg prime minister, US secretary of state, chief rabbi, editor of the Guardian.
titles cap up titles, but not job description, eg President Barack Obama (but the US president, Barack Obama, and Obama on subsequent mention); the Duke of Westminster (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis but the pope.
http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c
The Economist style guide says:
Capitals
A balance has to be struck between so many capitals that the eyes dance and so few that the reader is diverted more by our
style than by our substance. The general rule is to dignify with
capital letters organisations and institutions, but not people. More
exact rules are laid out below. Even these, however, leave some
decisions to individual judgment. If in doubt use lower case unless it
looks absurd. And remember that “a foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
PEOPLE
Use upper case for ranks and titles when written in conjunction with a name, but lower case when on their own. Thus President Bush, but the president; Vice-President Cheney, but the
vice-president; Colonel Qaddafi, but the colonel; Pope Benedict, but
the pope; Queen Elizabeth, but the queen.
Do not write Prime Minister
Blair or Defence Secretary Rumsfeld; they are the prime minister, Mr
Blair, and the defence secretary, Mr Rumsfeld. You may, however, write
Chancellor Schröder.
All office-holders when referred to merely by
their office, not by their name, are lower case: the chancellor of the
exchequer, the foreign secretary, the prime minister, the speaker, the
treasury secretary, the president of the United States, the chairman
of Coca-Cola.
The only exceptions are
a few titles that would look unduly
peculiar without capitals, eg, Black Rod, Master of the Rolls,
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Lord Privy Seal, Lord
Chancellor.
a few exalted people, such as the Dalai Lama and the
Aga Khan. Also God and the Prophet.
Some titles serve as names, and
therefore have initial capitals, though they also serve as
descriptions: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Emir of Kuwait, the
Shah of Iran. If you want to describe the office rather than the
individual, use lower case: The next archbishop of Canterbury will be
a woman. Since the demise of the ninth duke, there has never been
another duke of Portland.
http://www.economist.com/style-guide/capitals
add a comment |
No, not in British English. Capitalise job titles but not roles.
The Guardian style guide says:
capitals
jobs all lc, eg prime minister, US secretary of state, chief rabbi, editor of the Guardian.
titles cap up titles, but not job description, eg President Barack Obama (but the US president, Barack Obama, and Obama on subsequent mention); the Duke of Westminster (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis but the pope.
http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c
The Economist style guide says:
Capitals
A balance has to be struck between so many capitals that the eyes dance and so few that the reader is diverted more by our
style than by our substance. The general rule is to dignify with
capital letters organisations and institutions, but not people. More
exact rules are laid out below. Even these, however, leave some
decisions to individual judgment. If in doubt use lower case unless it
looks absurd. And remember that “a foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
PEOPLE
Use upper case for ranks and titles when written in conjunction with a name, but lower case when on their own. Thus President Bush, but the president; Vice-President Cheney, but the
vice-president; Colonel Qaddafi, but the colonel; Pope Benedict, but
the pope; Queen Elizabeth, but the queen.
Do not write Prime Minister
Blair or Defence Secretary Rumsfeld; they are the prime minister, Mr
Blair, and the defence secretary, Mr Rumsfeld. You may, however, write
Chancellor Schröder.
All office-holders when referred to merely by
their office, not by their name, are lower case: the chancellor of the
exchequer, the foreign secretary, the prime minister, the speaker, the
treasury secretary, the president of the United States, the chairman
of Coca-Cola.
The only exceptions are
a few titles that would look unduly
peculiar without capitals, eg, Black Rod, Master of the Rolls,
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Lord Privy Seal, Lord
Chancellor.
a few exalted people, such as the Dalai Lama and the
Aga Khan. Also God and the Prophet.
Some titles serve as names, and
therefore have initial capitals, though they also serve as
descriptions: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Emir of Kuwait, the
Shah of Iran. If you want to describe the office rather than the
individual, use lower case: The next archbishop of Canterbury will be
a woman. Since the demise of the ninth duke, there has never been
another duke of Portland.
http://www.economist.com/style-guide/capitals
add a comment |
No, not in British English. Capitalise job titles but not roles.
The Guardian style guide says:
capitals
jobs all lc, eg prime minister, US secretary of state, chief rabbi, editor of the Guardian.
titles cap up titles, but not job description, eg President Barack Obama (but the US president, Barack Obama, and Obama on subsequent mention); the Duke of Westminster (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis but the pope.
http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c
The Economist style guide says:
Capitals
A balance has to be struck between so many capitals that the eyes dance and so few that the reader is diverted more by our
style than by our substance. The general rule is to dignify with
capital letters organisations and institutions, but not people. More
exact rules are laid out below. Even these, however, leave some
decisions to individual judgment. If in doubt use lower case unless it
looks absurd. And remember that “a foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
PEOPLE
Use upper case for ranks and titles when written in conjunction with a name, but lower case when on their own. Thus President Bush, but the president; Vice-President Cheney, but the
vice-president; Colonel Qaddafi, but the colonel; Pope Benedict, but
the pope; Queen Elizabeth, but the queen.
Do not write Prime Minister
Blair or Defence Secretary Rumsfeld; they are the prime minister, Mr
Blair, and the defence secretary, Mr Rumsfeld. You may, however, write
Chancellor Schröder.
All office-holders when referred to merely by
their office, not by their name, are lower case: the chancellor of the
exchequer, the foreign secretary, the prime minister, the speaker, the
treasury secretary, the president of the United States, the chairman
of Coca-Cola.
The only exceptions are
a few titles that would look unduly
peculiar without capitals, eg, Black Rod, Master of the Rolls,
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Lord Privy Seal, Lord
Chancellor.
a few exalted people, such as the Dalai Lama and the
Aga Khan. Also God and the Prophet.
Some titles serve as names, and
therefore have initial capitals, though they also serve as
descriptions: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Emir of Kuwait, the
Shah of Iran. If you want to describe the office rather than the
individual, use lower case: The next archbishop of Canterbury will be
a woman. Since the demise of the ninth duke, there has never been
another duke of Portland.
http://www.economist.com/style-guide/capitals
No, not in British English. Capitalise job titles but not roles.
The Guardian style guide says:
capitals
jobs all lc, eg prime minister, US secretary of state, chief rabbi, editor of the Guardian.
titles cap up titles, but not job description, eg President Barack Obama (but the US president, Barack Obama, and Obama on subsequent mention); the Duke of Westminster (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis but the pope.
http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c
The Economist style guide says:
Capitals
A balance has to be struck between so many capitals that the eyes dance and so few that the reader is diverted more by our
style than by our substance. The general rule is to dignify with
capital letters organisations and institutions, but not people. More
exact rules are laid out below. Even these, however, leave some
decisions to individual judgment. If in doubt use lower case unless it
looks absurd. And remember that “a foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
PEOPLE
Use upper case for ranks and titles when written in conjunction with a name, but lower case when on their own. Thus President Bush, but the president; Vice-President Cheney, but the
vice-president; Colonel Qaddafi, but the colonel; Pope Benedict, but
the pope; Queen Elizabeth, but the queen.
Do not write Prime Minister
Blair or Defence Secretary Rumsfeld; they are the prime minister, Mr
Blair, and the defence secretary, Mr Rumsfeld. You may, however, write
Chancellor Schröder.
All office-holders when referred to merely by
their office, not by their name, are lower case: the chancellor of the
exchequer, the foreign secretary, the prime minister, the speaker, the
treasury secretary, the president of the United States, the chairman
of Coca-Cola.
The only exceptions are
a few titles that would look unduly
peculiar without capitals, eg, Black Rod, Master of the Rolls,
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Lord Privy Seal, Lord
Chancellor.
a few exalted people, such as the Dalai Lama and the
Aga Khan. Also God and the Prophet.
Some titles serve as names, and
therefore have initial capitals, though they also serve as
descriptions: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Emir of Kuwait, the
Shah of Iran. If you want to describe the office rather than the
individual, use lower case: The next archbishop of Canterbury will be
a woman. Since the demise of the ninth duke, there has never been
another duke of Portland.
http://www.economist.com/style-guide/capitals
edited Oct 24 '14 at 13:16
answered Oct 24 '14 at 13:10
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add a comment |
protected by tchrist♦ 2 days ago
Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?
There's a lot of guidance about this available on-line, although you may have to check a few different sites to get an answer to your specific example.
– J.R.
Oct 24 '14 at 12:58
1
As an aside, this has nothing to do with grammar. There are no capital letters in speech.
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 24 '14 at 13:19
@RegDwigнt, when my grandfather was training to be a gardener, he noted that the words Head Gardener were always pronounced with capitals.
– Brian Hooper
Oct 24 '14 at 14:10
1
As @ JR states, there's no dearth of guidance. Title case conventions can vary among different authors,publications, style guides...simple rule is to pick a style and be consistent.
– Misti
Oct 24 '14 at 14:17