Curtis Honeycutt | Grammar Dude: A money notion | Columnists
I’m astonished at how typically the globe of grammar intersects the headlines.
Considering the fact that the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, I have viewed and listened to folks puzzled by equally the spelling and the capitalization (seriously, no pun intended) of the term. Let us dive in.
The words and phrases “capital” and “capitol” have exclusive origins. In truth, “capital” arrives from the Latin word “capitalis,” which indicates “head,” as nicely as “capitale,” which signifies “wealth.” Here we see why “capital” can necessarily mean “money” as well as “the state seat of government.”
We also get the indicating of “capital letters” from the Latin term indicating “head.” This makes sense, for the reason that cash letters stand at the “head” of a phrase.
When it arrives to “capitol,” we get this word from the Temple of Jupiter Capitolium, usually acknowledged as the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, found on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. This temple was a major centre of Roman religion and lifestyle and was committed in the yr 509 B.C.E., the exact same calendar year the Romans overthrew the Etruscan monarchy, setting up a new republican method of government.
It is assumed that Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., was named right after the Capitoline Hill.
When really should we capitalize the phrase “capitol”? When referring to the creating in D.C. where the two bodies of our legislative department meet up with, publish “Capitol.”
According to The Associated Press design, you ought to also refer to the properties wherever point out governments meet: The learners toured the Oklahoma Capitol throughout their class discipline excursion. These are appropriate nouns, so, they get the funds letter treatment.
So, if the buildings, as nicely as the head of our country’s governing administration, are “capitols,” what is a “capital”?
A state’s cash is the town the place the state conducts its governing administration organization. The time period “capital” refers to the metropolis, though “capitol” refers to the developing the place the government meets.
No matter what you do, do not confuse this with the capitalized Washington Capitals, an NHL hockey workforce based mostly in Washington, D.C. For a couple of a long time in the early 2000s, the Capitals even incorporated the U.S. Capitol dome in their logo. I just cannot demonstrate it, other than the team’s title is misspelled.
When some stylebooks do not capitalize the “c” in condition Capitols (the properties), the AP and The New York Situations dictate that these vital properties get the capital Capitol treatment. If you are resisting the urge to do if not, possibly it’s time to capitulate.
Curtis Honeycutt is a syndicated humor columnist. He is the creator of “Good Grammar is the Everyday living of the Occasion: Suggestions for a Wildly Profitable Everyday living.” Uncover far more at curtishoneycutt.com.