Do you capitalize letter i? I?

mfarraday · Feb 20, 2012

Are you a product of your era?

Someone recently told to me that i should capitalize my letter i's.

Then i saw someone else on another site point out that it was important.

i got so absorbed in the Age of Texting that i completely forgot about capital letter I.

do you ever find yourself using acronyms and such when you're typing? i don't, but i suppose that it might happen to some people. i wonder sometimes if English teachers find such acronyms on student work nowadays...

capital letter I. big deal? or not so much.

such a small question, but an important one. right?

Bufty · Feb 20, 2012

It's far easier to read text with proper capitalisation.

If I come across a lengthy post where capital letters are ignored I very soon head elsewhere.

This is a site for writers so I try to write as correctly as I can...I'm sure other folk may not be too bothered...each to his own.

MeretSeger · Feb 20, 2012

I'll go with yes, it's a big deal.

gothicangel · Feb 20, 2012

mfarraday said:
do you ever find yourself using acronyms and such when you're typing? i don't, but i suppose that it might happen to some people. i wonder sometimes if English teachers find such acronyms on student work nowadays...

capital letter I. big deal? or not so much.

such a small question, but an important one. right?

It's a massive deal [as well as starting a sentence with a capital letter.]

What is fine for using while texting to your mates, is completely unacceptable when querying an agent/editor. It's an automatic reject.

I was 26 when I went to university, but you wouldn't believe how many stories I heard about students being failed for appalling grammar/punctuation . . . even essays subbed written wholly in textspeak.

Dr.Gonzo · Feb 20, 2012

Bufty said:
It's far easier to read text with proper capitalisation.

If I come across a lengthy post where capital letters are ignored I very soon head elsewhere.

This is a site for writers so I try to write as correctly as I can...

Yes. The odd mistake will slip past me, but I'll edit if I see it early enough. If it's been a while when I notice it, or if it's been quoted, I'll leave it. With gritted teeth.

Schilcote · Feb 20, 2012

I always say this to people who use txtspeak on forums: If you don't use proper spelling and capitalization, it makes you look dumb. I'm not going to consider you a very intelligent person, even if you are a perfectly normal person in real life. That, and it makes your post hard to read.

Same thinking would apply to writing stories. If you don't capitalize "I", I'm going to think you're writing a HALF-LIFE: FULL LIFE CONSEQUENCES-type story.

mfarraday · Feb 20, 2012

i don't know what it surprises me that writers, of all people, would care about proper capitalization.

how strange that it never occurred to me.

thanks for the replies!

dpaterso · Feb 20, 2012

Ditto, it matters to me.

What you do on your phone is your business. If you want me to respect your prose then follow the rules, please.

Fair enough if the typist has problems with their hands, that's different.

Alas I'm unable to pick any of the offered poll options!

-Derek

scarletpeaches · Feb 20, 2012

Yes, it's a big fat fuckin' deal.

And for the record, I properly spell and punctuate my text messages.

Chris P · Feb 20, 2012

I'm a purist. "I" should be capitalized and therefore I do. :rulez

Except when texting on my phone. I don't use apostrophes or commas while texting, but everything must be spelled correctly.

"c u b4 u go!" :mob

We speak English, not Bingo.

Bufty · Feb 20, 2012

That isn't the clearest of opening sentences and the absence of capitals and subsequent punctuation doesn't help at all. We are only known here by our posts.

mfarraday said:
i don't know what it surprises me that writers, of all people, would care about proper capitalization.

how strange that it never occurred to me.

thanks for the replies!

MeretSeger · Feb 20, 2012

mfarraday said:
i don't know what it surprises me that writers, of all people, would care about proper capitalization.

how strange that it never occurred to me.

thanks for the replies!

Readers care, too. Bad grammar on one big thing is a sign of coming bad grammar throughout, and for most people, it makes their eyes bleed.

imo (since this is a forum and not fiction)

mfarraday · Feb 20, 2012

Bufty said:
That isn't the clearest of opening sentences and the absence of capitals and subsequent punctuation doesn't help at all.

eh? i don't get what you mean.

-----------------------------------

so does it make everyone mad right now that i am not capitalizing my letter i?

scarletpeaches · Feb 20, 2012

Quite.

Bufty · Feb 20, 2012

mfarraday · Feb 20, 2012

whoops - i don't know WHY it surprises me.....is what that post should've said.

sorry!

mfarraday · Feb 20, 2012

what is QED? need acronym dictionary....

mfarraday · Feb 20, 2012

*sigh* i WAS going to spend an hour typing on my WIP but you guys are too interesting....

and the replies to the posts on this forum are just so fast. i've never seen anything like it.

does everyone hate me? because i'm not capping.

i think this is #50...

Bufty · Feb 20, 2012

Quod erat demonstrandum.

Thus it is demonstrated. (Or words to that effect) :Hug2:

mfarraday said:
what is QED? need acronym dictionary....

Terie · Feb 20, 2012

mfarraday said:
i don't know what it surprises me that writers, of all people, would care about proper capitalization.

how strange that it never occurred to me.

thanks for the replies!

I don't know why it surprises you, either. It's as if you're surprised that professionals would observe the standards of their profession.

You might consider that you're addressing other writers here -- many of whom write professionally -- and people for whom English is not their native language. If you wish to communicate accurately and to have your posts both understood and respected, you might want to consider writing in proper English.

If you want to write professionally, you need to write to a professional standard. This is a good place to practice.

Dr.Gonzo · Feb 20, 2012

Is #50 important to you?

mfarraday · Feb 20, 2012

Dr.Gonzo said:
Is #50 important to you?

yes.

i can post my work now.

but i think i'd better watch my cap's if i do...

Bufty · Feb 20, 2012

Put your steel undies on if you are heading over there. :Hug2:

mfarraday said:
yes.

i can post my work now.

but i think i'd better watch my cap's if i do...

Dr.Gonzo · Feb 20, 2012

mfarraday said:
yes.

i can post my work now.

but i think i'd better watch my cap's if i do...

I figured. Good luck.

mfarraday · Feb 20, 2012

steel undies, indeed.

i tend to post first, think later. not good.

i'd better watch myself.

Do you capitalize letter i? I?

Do you think about capital letter I?

i definitely pay attention to my cap's

i forget about it all the time, and actually its no big deal

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