Overcapitalisation

And here's another thread title: Is Over Capitalisation One Word or Two? Because there's a rule too now that you don't use hyphens unless you really can't avoid it. Can't keep up.

Hangs head in shame! ;)

Yes of course titles are 'capitalised' - in English - not so much in French. German capitalises any noun. Where possible I like references to titels to be in Italics as well.

Hyphens are useful, and not used as often as they should be, particularly in American English.

'Co-operate' rather than 'Cooperate' for example...

I can't get my eyes adjusted to lack of hyphens. I Like Hyphens. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that it is a decree originally from America anyway.

Capitals get your thread noticed on forums, where the format can look pretty bland. We have Happy Birthday threads on a forum that I run and have had to use capitals for those threads specifically, because so many were not noticing them.

On the other hand, a hyphen in that gransnet ad about a relationship being ready or not for retirement would have been better. It tripped me up everytime I read it.

Is your relationship retirement ready? (not sure if that's exactly the wording)

Could mean you are about to retire your relationship.

So, with regard to other people's (who's in charge anyhow?) 'rules' about using capitals or hyphens, my approach is to do what I like. My judgment is as good as anyone else's.

And, besides, most of the time it doesn't matter a JOT. It's not as if we're all cataloguing books for the British Library when we write down a book title.

I agree, jr. I like hyphens. Jolly useful little beggars.

Thought this was going to be a thread about economics.

I love hyphens and exclamation marks!

JessM you're so right! But at work, when we were given the lecture training on the in-house Style Guide, they warned against Over Capitalisation.

Feetlebaum 'm told it is no longer the 'done thing' to use capital letters in titles - you are to treat them as a sentence. That dreaded hyphenated word: it's old-fashioned.

Bags I also thought that about the retired relationship. You're right, it doesn't matter, excepting that it now looks funny to me when I see all those capitals. It's the same as the case of missing hyphens etc, and other punctuation marks, if you see something written in one way often enough, that becomes the norm (well in my head it does anyway). No wonder I'm . Soon I won't know any more where apostrophes go!

Oh JessM so did I now I'm disappointed.

Well at least you lot all knew what the thread was about.
I thought I was going to learn about some fascinating facet of economics that had so far eluded me

Sorry Jess only just seen your thread above double now!

Jane, you are not alone. When I saw the title of this thread I also thought it was about economics.

So start one on economics!

Gk, I know less than nothing about economics, very much like most politicians.

The only fascinating thing about economics is that it never seems to work... it's hardly a science, is it...

"^I'm told it is no longer the 'done thing' to use capital letters in titles - you are to treat them as a sentence. That dreaded hyphenated word: it's old-fashioned.^"

So it should be, say, "The marriage of Figaro", or "The old curiosity shop" or perhaps "Sweet bird of youth" - no way, Manuel... Hooray for 'old(hyphen)fashioned'!

feetlebaum so why are you not Feetlebaum [LOL emoticon].

GeraldineGransnet I realise I meant headings not titles, I get that titles need them <no sleep last night and been sipping cider all day (pear and ginger, really delicious)>

Grannyknot

Can I have some. Sounds delicious.

I also have bee.n avoiding this thread as I thought it was going to be boringly political. Did n' t notice it was in "chat"!

@Grannyknot - feetlebaum is my user-name - I am not titled. Hmmm - Sir Feetlebaum of the Hovel - sounds rather good!

I did suspect that you might have had <h1>headings</h1> in mind, rather than titles - so, been at the scrumpy have we? Pear and Ginger? Strange - how does 'pear cider' differ from 'perry', I wonder?

Have a good kip tonight... sweet dreams...

@feetlebaum, well I am Serf Efrican and that's my excuse, and I only learnt English at school! Before that 'twas Afrikaans and Zulu. And - you know how love means nothing to a tennis player? I don't have a clue what 'perry' is...

Pear cider is Perry isn' t it? I think so. It is very nice!

Grannyknot I will read your posts with the appropriate accent from now on.

"Everyone loves Babycham
The genuine champagne perry"

(1950s advertising on TV)