4 ms·

That's not true at all. You shouldn't capitalize a brand name like iPhone, for example. http://english.stackexchange.com/a/9065 http://english.stackexchange.co

That's not true at all. You shouldn't capitalize a brand name like iPhone, for example. http://english.stackexchange.com/a/9065 http://english.stackexchange.com/a/9065

draugadrotten 12y ago
It's a power game showing who's the boss. Submitting to rules about spelling shows obedience. You can't work on Sundays and you must spell our products with a small i. Do not take the Lord's name in vain.
- tedunangst 12y ago
  So when you spell it with a big I because somebody else's rules say so, that proves you're the boss?
  - draugadrotten 12y ago
    No, it proves you follow somebody else's rules.
keslag 12y ago
Stack exchange as a source of fact? I very much could be wrong, but the implication that "because 30 people upvoted something, makes it true" is ridiculous.
seanstickle 12y ago
At least in my communications department, we follow a style guide — like Bloomberg's — and capitalize for our own purposes, rather than to further the marketing of another company. E.g., "iPad, iPod, iTunes. Follow the company style for capitalization in text: iPad, iPod, iTunes. In headlines, capitalize because the words are nouns: IPad, IPod, ITunes." Winkler, Matthew (2011-10-14). The Bloomberg Way: A Guide for Reporters and Editors (p. 304). Wiley. Kindle Edition. And: "When a name begins with a lowercase letter, capitalize the first letter in all references: EBay, not eBay; EasyJet, not easyJet." Winkler, Matthew (2011-10-14). The Bloomberg Way: A Guide for Reporters and Editors (p. 271). Wiley. Kindle Edition.
- integraton 12y ago
  As far as I can tell, The Bloomberg Way is the only major guide that encourages that, and Bloomberg's own editorial standards are inconsistent such that they only use it half of the time: https://www.google.com/search?q=site:bloomberg.com+iphone https://www.google.com/search?q=site:bloomberg.com+iphone
- riobard 12y ago
  A quick search on www.bloomberg.com shows inconsistent application of the style guide. iPhone is universally styled as "iPhone", while both EBay/eBay and iTunes/ITunes appeared in headlines.
Doctor_Fegg 12y ago
The Observer (to take just one newspaper) disagrees with StackExchange. To quote from their style guide: "In general, where companies have resorted to unusual typography for undoubtedly innovative and exciting reasons of branding and marketing, we will follow our style,not theirs." Of course, in your newspaper, you are free to make up your own rules. If you strongly believe in the tenets of "You shouldn't" then English is probably not the right language for you.
- integraton 12y ago
  I'm not sure which Observer you are referring to, but the well-known one with a famous style guide (http://www.theguardian.com/info/series/guardian-and-observer-style-guide http://www.theguardian.com/info/series/guardian-and-observer...), the Guardian / Observer, consistently use "iPhone" https://www.google.com/search?q=site:theguardian.com+iphone https://www.google.com/search?q=site:theguardian.com+iphone See the sections "capitals" and "company names" here http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c In particular: "In general, we use the names that companies use themselves: c2c, Capgemini, easyJet, eBay, ebookers, iSoft Group, etc."
  - Doctor_Fegg 12y ago
    Ha, that's interesting. Yes, same Observer, but they've changed the style guide since I saved a copy. For reference, this is the full context I was referring to: "Adidas:  use initial cap on this and any other firms that use the lower case for their initial letter. Keep caps that break up a one-word name (cf EastEnders) as in EasyJet.  In general, where companies have resorted to unusual typography for undoubtedly innovative and exciting reasons of branding and marketing, we will follow our style, not theirs." When I was editing a consumer magazine, the - highly subjective - rule I followed was "initial cap unless it looks stupid, and don't capitalise articles". So EasyJet, C2C, but iPhone (fails "looks stupid" test) and the Times (definite article).

That's not true at all. You shouldn't capitalize a brand name like iPhone, for example. http://english.stackexchange.com/a/9065 http://english.stackexchange.com/a/9065

draugadrotten 12y ago

It's a power game showing who's the boss. Submitting to rules about spelling shows obedience. You can't work on Sundays and you must spell our products with a small i. Do not take the Lord's name in vain.

tedunangst 12y ago
So when you spell it with a big I because somebody else's rules say so, that proves you're the boss?
- draugadrotten 12y ago
  No, it proves you follow somebody else's rules.

keslag 12y ago

Stack exchange as a source of fact? I very much could be wrong, but the implication that "because 30 people upvoted something, makes it true" is ridiculous.

seanstickle 12y ago

At least in my communications department, we follow a style guide — like Bloomberg's — and capitalize for our own purposes, rather than to further the marketing of another company. E.g., "iPad, iPod, iTunes. Follow the company style for capitalization in text: iPad, iPod, iTunes. In headlines, capitalize because the words are nouns: IPad, IPod, ITunes." Winkler, Matthew (2011-10-14). The Bloomberg Way: A Guide for Reporters and Editors (p. 304). Wiley. Kindle Edition. And: "When a name begins with a lowercase letter, capitalize the first letter in all references: EBay, not eBay; EasyJet, not easyJet." Winkler, Matthew (2011-10-14). The Bloomberg Way: A Guide for Reporters and Editors (p. 271). Wiley. Kindle Edition.

integraton 12y ago
As far as I can tell, The Bloomberg Way is the only major guide that encourages that, and Bloomberg's own editorial standards are inconsistent such that they only use it half of the time: https://www.google.com/search?q=site:bloomberg.com+iphone https://www.google.com/search?q=site:bloomberg.com+iphone
riobard 12y ago
A quick search on www.bloomberg.com shows inconsistent application of the style guide. iPhone is universally styled as "iPhone", while both EBay/eBay and iTunes/ITunes appeared in headlines.

Doctor_Fegg 12y ago

The Observer (to take just one newspaper) disagrees with StackExchange. To quote from their style guide: "In general, where companies have resorted to unusual typography for undoubtedly innovative and exciting reasons of branding and marketing, we will follow our style,not theirs." Of course, in your newspaper, you are free to make up your own rules. If you strongly believe in the tenets of "You shouldn't" then English is probably not the right language for you.

integraton 12y ago
I'm not sure which Observer you are referring to, but the well-known one with a famous style guide (http://www.theguardian.com/info/series/guardian-and-observer-style-guide http://www.theguardian.com/info/series/guardian-and-observer...), the Guardian / Observer, consistently use "iPhone" https://www.google.com/search?q=site:theguardian.com+iphone https://www.google.com/search?q=site:theguardian.com+iphone See the sections "capitals" and "company names" here http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-c In particular: "In general, we use the names that companies use themselves: c2c, Capgemini, easyJet, eBay, ebookers, iSoft Group, etc."
- Doctor_Fegg 12y ago
  Ha, that's interesting. Yes, same Observer, but they've changed the style guide since I saved a copy. For reference, this is the full context I was referring to: "Adidas:  use initial cap on this and any other firms that use the lower case for their initial letter. Keep caps that break up a one-word name (cf EastEnders) as in EasyJet.  In general, where companies have resorted to unusual typography for undoubtedly innovative and exciting reasons of branding and marketing, we will follow our style, not theirs." When I was editing a consumer magazine, the - highly subjective - rule I followed was "initial cap unless it looks stupid, and don't capitalise articles". So EasyJet, C2C, but iPhone (fails "looks stupid" test) and the Times (definite article).