In headlines, the periods are omitted. When to capitalize North East South West? [Relevant examples:] the South, southern, a southerner (of a country); the South, Southern, a Southerner (in American Civil War contexts); the Deep South; Southern California; the South of France (region); Southeast Asia; South Africa; South African (referring to the Republic of South Africa); southern Africa (referring to the southern part of the continent); south; southern; southward; to the south (directions). The word should only be capitalized if it appears in the body's name. Each morning, the sun rises in the east . Capitalize the traditional geographic regions in the United States: the Midwest, the North, the South, the West, and the combined regions (i.e., the Northeast, the Southeast, and the Southwest). Is South capitalized when talking about the Civil War? Names of regions should be capitalized if those are proper nouns or denote a country, city, continent, etc. Each morning, the sun rises in the east . When did states go to 2 letter abbreviations? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Words such as one, it, its, its, him, and own should all be capitalized no matter where they appear in a title. Do you capitalize Pacific Northwest? Chicago style is best for writers who want to adhere to traditional publishing standards and academic writers in non-scientific fields. A title like this would appear as: A Guide to English: Perfecting Grammar in an Academic Paper. Some could argue the word "Southerner" in the sentence denotes someone who belongs to a specific region, and the letter "S" should therefore be capitalized. References to God (s) The word "god" should be capitalized if it is being used as a proper name of a monotheistic god, as in God in Christianity and Judaism. For example, capitalizing "Southerner" in the sentence "As a Southerner, she had a distinct drawl" can be up for debate. O needs to be capitalized since it is at the beginning of the sentence, I needs to be capital, Pisces is a specific constellation so it is a proper noun, and likewise North is proper noun. In terms of "human geography", the regions and their subregions are elucidated by the ethnography discipline. Capitalize these words when they designate regions. Capitalizing "North," "South," "East," and "West" when they're part of a proper noun (i.e., the name of a specific geographical region or culture). North, east, south, and west are the four cardinal directions, often marked by the initials N, E, S, and W. East and west are at right angles to north and south. The FHA insures mortgages for buyers with low credit scores and down payments as low as 3.5%. It also looks at when to capitalize those regions when they are used as adjectives and to describe U.S. geographic populations. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. But because it has defined boundaries and administration, it's a "region". I often have to write north, west in reference to an entrance or exit, for example, the patron exited through the north turnstile. 5 Should states and territories be Capitalised? Why are trials on "Law & Order" in the New York Supreme Court? If a law is new but its interpretation is vague, can the courts directly ask the drafters the intent and official interpretation of their law? Southern California; West Texas; the Lower East Side of New York; If in doubt, use lowercase. On a cloudless night, I studied Pisces, a constellation in the North sky. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. In all cases, though, you should: And if you need help, our expert proofreaders are ready! AP style is primarily for journalists and writers who want to conform to traditional journalism styles. To make room for the ZIP Code, state names needed to be abbreviated. when they indicate compass direction, but capitalize when they indicate a region: the West Coast. In October 1963, the Department settled on the current two-letter abbreviations. What about capitalizing a Westerner or a Westerner? And if so, when? But in other cases, it is more a matter of convention and habit. Why are non-Western countries siding with China in the UN. (Most uses will be uppercase.) Lowercase north, south, northeast, northern, and other lowercase letters are used when indicating compass direction. The image of a Southern belle is often characterized by fashion elements such as a hoop skirt, a corset, pantalettes, a wide-brimmed straw hat, and gloves. Capitalize words that are part of the formal name, but lowercase in less formal uses: he crossed the Hudson River; but: he fell into the river. Duck Vs. Loon: How Are These Words Connected? Can you drive with a broken front differential? The Starved Rock Lodge offers world-famous Midwestern hospitality in a scenic environment. Capitalize the first word of a document and the first word after a period. However, when these words are actually part of the place name, they must be capitalized. Proper nouns include the specific names of people, places, and things. The basic guidelines for using capital letters in English appear simple enough: Capitalize the first word in a sentence. When referring to Greek, Roman, and other groups of gods and goddesses, only the name is capitalized. Whether it's an "official" name or not and how well the thing is defined have no bearing whatsoever. Currently, Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary capitalizes Midwesterner, Northerner, Southerner, and Westerner, while Websters New World College Dictionary and The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language only capitalize Midwesterner and allow northerner, southerner, and westerner to be capitalized or lowercased.7. Hi there! And "north" in that sentence refers to a direction (i.e., where you turned), not the place (i.e., Bolton Avenue). In general, you should capitalize the first word, all nouns, all verbs (even short ones, like is), all adjectives, and all proper nouns. For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook. It only loosely defines a region of California and its border is not officially defined either. If you are merely referring to a direction, such as "go south on I-90," then you should keep south lowercase. The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) suggests capitalizing terms like Midwesterner, Northerner, Southerner, and Westerner:5. But when the words are used in specific contexts, denote people belonging to a particular region, or refer to their social, political, or cultural activities, they are capitalized. is considered basic and should be known by people who claim to have a good command of the language. For example, The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) recommends capitalization:2. Should I capitalize "the north" and "the south" in my work on the southern campaign of the Revolutionary war? We lowercase the terms when they refer to directions: The United States is located north of Mexico. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? But you capitalize them when theyre specific regions or an integral part of a proper name. I work in marketing, and I'm wondering if lowercasing the words "off" and "under" in these headlines is correct: "50% off Body Wash" and "Gift Sets under $40.". Surely not one word Southeast? 2023 Caniry - All Rights Reserved Capitalizing North, South, East, and West when theyre part of a proper noun (i.e., the name of a specific geographical region or culture). By prevailing usage, roughly the most southerly one-third or two-fifths of California is referred to as Southern California, in initial caps. when they indicate compass direction, but capitalize when they indicate a region: the West Coast. What is the rule for state abbreviations? Before capitalizing words like east, west, north, and south, check whether you are using them as part of a proper noun or merely to refer to direction or location.Don't capitalize directions (we sailed due east) and locations (western India), but do capitalize compass points when they occur in proper nouns (North Korea, South Sudan, East Dunbartonshire, the Great Western Plains). To find out when to capitalize North, South, East, and West, read our guide to capitalizing directions below. Along with the proper nouns listed in the table above, you should also always capitalize: the first word after a colon when what follows the colon is an independent clause, most nouns when they are followed by numerals or letters (e.g., Table 1, Figure 2, Panel A; see section 4.17), and. If you are referring to a group of proper nouns such as the Southern States. However, if youre referring to a general location, such as the southern winds then southern should be lowercase. North Dakota; West Virginia; Also capitalize compass points when used in denoting widely known sections. NOTE: Within certain regions it is not uncommon for many who live there to capitalize the adjective because of the special importance they attach to the regional designation. Is Southern California capitalized AP style? If you are referring to a group of proper nouns such as the Southern States. However, if youre referring to a general location, such as the southern winds then southern should be lowercase. Should compass directions (i.e., north, south, east, and west) ever be capitalized? Do you know "what is the Western Hemisphere?" If you are referring to a group of proper nouns such as the Southern States. However, if instead you reference a general location, such as the southern winds, then the word southern should be lowercase. Back East. in the southwestern part an eastward direction These words usually do get capitalized when they describe a region of the world or of a country, but there are some exceptions. I still don't see any "descriptivist argument", much less a strong one. The term "region" is a general noun, and it's usually not capitalized, as a result. When using a U.S. geographic region as an adjective, the decision to capitalize or lowercase will depend on your style guide. The first letter of someone's first, middle, and last name is always capitalized, as in John William Smith . So, noun will be always first capital letter. However, as in the case of plant names, animal names are not capitalized ("I spotted a red-tailed hawk," not "I spotted a Red-Tailed Hawk"), except when an element of the name is a proper noun, as in "Steller .