Oh, Hell!

MattWalker · May 2, 2011

So, this might be a very basic grammatical question, but honestly, I never know what to do when it's instance pops up. I've looked it up online before, but I get different answers every time. So I figured I'd see what you guys have to say.

When it comes to the word 'hell,' I never know to capitalize it or not.

I assume this: When writing about the place of damnation and fire and all that, it's capitalized. Like 'Oh, go to Hell!'

When it comes to a description of something, I assume it's not. Like 'When you go out there, give 'em hell!'

Am I right? Am I wrong? Is there a correct answer?

...WHERE IS WALDO?

Erm, thanks.

AngelaT.Marie · May 2, 2011

That looks right to me. I never really thought about it that much but I guess Hell is a proper noun lol

dawinsor · May 2, 2011

Dictionary.com shows it lower cased.

Nick Blaze · May 2, 2011

When you're using it to refer to the mythological Hell, capitalize it. When it's not, do not. However, I've seen many cases where "Man, Hell will freeze over before pigs fly," and "Go to Hell" are not capital. Actually, now I'm confused...

Cyia · May 2, 2011

Hell as a place is capitalized, just like any other physical location's name.

Hell as a curse, isn't capitalized. It's not referencing the place, therefore it's not a proper noun.

Jamesaritchie · May 2, 2011

Go to hell is referencing the place, but convention usually says not to cap it.

maestrowork · May 2, 2011

Hell is a specific place, so it would be "go to Hell."

But used as an exclamation, it's lowercased: "what the hell are you doing?"

Soccer Mom · May 2, 2011

I never capitalize it unless it's the start of a sentence of part of the vicar's sermon.

I've seen it done both as "Go to Hell" and "Go to hell." My publishers prefer the latter, but it may just be a matter of house style. YMMV

Tracks · May 2, 2011

I love how the suggestions are all over the place!

I usually capitalize Hell when it's a place, and not so much when it isn't. Then again, I'm a big fan of capitalization.

dangerousbill · May 2, 2011

Are we talking about Hell, Austria; Hell, the place where we'll meet all our friends someday; or hell, a general exclamation or emphasis?

Bufty · May 3, 2011

There's a place called Hell in the Cayman Islands, too.

CACTUSWENDY · May 3, 2011

In my story about some demons when they are talking about the place of Hell....I cap it. When it is just said as a cuss word....I don't. To them it is the same thing as me saying I live in America....or the USA.

Purple Rose · May 3, 2011

I've not used capital in any instance, not even when I scream "Go to hell!". Now that I've read the above posts, I'm going to go through my ms again and cap it where relevant.

PeterL · May 3, 2011

Hell, Norway certainly should be capitalized. The religious belief of Hell should also be capitalized, but there is a tendency for things to slip into lower case, even when it is as specific a place name as Hell.

absitinvidia · May 3, 2011

The answer is: there is no correct answer, as this is a matter of style and thus has no one right answer.

The Chicago Manual of Style has an entire section devoted to this (in the 16th edition, it's 8.108: Heaven, hell and so on), which states:

Terms for divine dwelling places, ideal states, places of divine punishment, and the like are usually lowercased (though they are often capitalized in a purely religious context).

Also, do keep in mind that if you capitalize "hell" under the logic that it's a "physical location", then you must also capitalize "heaven".

Calliopenjo · May 3, 2011

Here is my half a cent's worth.

English Language and Usage and Part 2

Straightdope.com

I hope it helps

Oh, Hell!

MattWalker

AngelaT.Marie

Hopeless Romantic<3

dawinsor

Dorothy A. Winsor

Nick Blaze

Jun-Ikkyu

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

Jamesaritchie

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

Tracks

dangerousbill

Retired Illuminatus

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Purple Rose

practical experience, FTW

PeterL

absitinvidia

A bit of a wallflower

Calliopenjo

Esteemed thinker