grammar police needed

johnzakour · Mar 7, 2008

Hi all:

In my next book The Flaxen Femme Fatale, I have two military generals in it named General Wall and General Chen. I realize that when I refer to them by name as General Wall or General Chen I should capitalize general. My question is: when I refer to them as "the general" must I capitalize General?

Thanks!

TerzaRima · Mar 7, 2008

You should not capitalize it.

Shweta · Mar 7, 2008

Moved to grammar

Maryn · Mar 7, 2008

A second vote for non-capitalization when you refer to the general.

There are a very few job titles or ranks which remain capitalized even without the specific name. They're positions with worldwide power and recognizability. Standards vary from one publication to the next on who's included. Anybody seen the Pope this morning?

Maryn, who saw the Boss last night

girlyswot · Mar 7, 2008

I'd say yes, you can capitalise military titles of sufficiently high rank that they'd be recognisable just by the title. Not necessarily worldwide recognition, but immediate and unmistakeable recognition within the immediate context. So, the Admiral, but not the Lieutenant. If 'the General' clearly refers to a specific individual, then it should be capitalised. But perhaps the fact that you have two means you shouldn't.

zegota · Mar 7, 2008

Unless a common person in your story would automatically, unequivocally know to whom it is being referred when you say "the General," don't capitalize it.

johnzakour · Mar 7, 2008

Thanks all.

Deleted member 42 · Mar 7, 2008

No; you don't. The Chicago also covers it quite nicely, by the way. You can sort of figure the rule out by looking at dictionaries, but for this kind of question, Chicago is the best bet.

Lance_in_Shanghai · Mar 8, 2008

I agree with Medievalist and I hope we are correct as I would never be able to remember all the ranks in order such as lieutenant, captain and ensign. By the way, these are general (oops) terms that could be applied to many people simultaneously like "the chairman" or "the senator" whereas the Pope and the President are specific and apply to the one and only currently holding the position.

astonwest · Jul 5, 2008

I have this same issue in my current WIP...except I deal with much lower ranks (lieutenant and sergeant) as well as a freighter captain. Those who've read and commented on its usage are all over the place as to whether to capitalize or not.

Deleted member 42 · Jul 5, 2008

astonwest said:
I have this same issue in my current WIP...except I deal with much lower ranks (lieutenant and sergeant) as well as a freighter captain. Those who've read and commented on its usage are all over the place as to whether to capitalize or not.

I not only checked the Blessed American Heritage and the Chicago Manual of Style, I looked at actual books.

If the title is used in the context of a proper noun (General Sherman), uppercase. If it's used in speech "The General says to open another can of beans," uppercase.

If it's used in narrative "the general was less than fond of creamed corn..." no uppercase.

astonwest · Jul 6, 2008

Good to know...guess I'll be going through my manuscript one more time before sending it out.

June Casagrande · Jul 6, 2008

The rules say to lowercase generics and uppercase proper names. But the writer gets to determine whether "the general" is being used as a generic or as a sort of nickname. If people actually call him that like a name, capitalize it. If it's meant as no more of a moniker than "the man" or "the accounting supervisor," then lowercase it.

At the newspaper I edited, the only exception was "the President." Senator Helms was "the senator." Congressman Cox was "the congressman." But President Bush was "the President."

Chris Huff · Jul 9, 2008

I'd agree with June, but add that other exceptions should be made for singular positions. Such as the President (as she said), but also include the Pope, the Dalai Lama, etc.

grammar police needed

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

TerzaRima

Absinthe O'Malice

Shweta

gone

Maryn

I Tried

girlyswot

zegota

Fantastic!

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Deleted member 42

Lance_in_Shanghai

astonwest

2 WIP? A glutton for punishment

Deleted member 42

astonwest

2 WIP? A glutton for punishment

June Casagrande

Chris Huff