Comments on: Boycott http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/ At the Crossroads of Sound and Meaning Fri, 10 Sep 2010 04:14:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Jeff Lilly http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/#comment-270 Jeff Lilly Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:01:00 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/#comment-270 The simple answer is that names are capitalized in English, and common nouns and verbs are not (unless, of course, they're in titles or at the beginning of a sentence or something like that). If you're talking about Captain Boycott, that's using it as a name, so you capitalize it. If you're talking about boycotting someone, that's using it as a verb, so you don't capitalize it. English used to have basically random capitalization, as you can see by looking at the original Declaration of Independence. :-) Over time, we developed the rules we have today. Other languages have different rules; German, for example, capitalizes common nouns in addition to names. The simple answer is that names are capitalized in English, and common nouns and verbs are not (unless, of course, they’re in titles or at the beginning of a sentence or something like that). If you’re talking about Captain Boycott, that’s using it as a name, so you capitalize it. If you’re talking about boycotting someone, that’s using it as a verb, so you don’t capitalize it.

English used to have basically random capitalization, as you can see by looking at the original Declaration of Independence. :-) Over time, we developed the rules we have today. Other languages have different rules; German, for example, capitalizes common nouns in addition to names.

]]> By: Nio http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/#comment-268 Nio Sun, 09 Sep 2007 12:34:48 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/#comment-268 I was thinking more about the word <i>boycott</i> yesterday on my way to Everett to see the in-laws. When one writes someone else's name (bell hooks notwithstanding) one is supposed to capitalize: Jeff Lilly. Vera Brittain. Rodrigo Santoro (purrr!). But somehow <i>Boycott</i> has lost its right to be capitalized and instead is written as <i>boycott.</i> Why the demotion from capital to not? I was thinking more about the word boycott yesterday on my way to Everett to see the in-laws.

When one writes someone else’s name (bell hooks notwithstanding) one is supposed to capitalize: Jeff Lilly. Vera Brittain. Rodrigo Santoro (purrr!). But somehow Boycott has lost its right to be capitalized and instead is written as boycott. Why the demotion from capital to not?

]]> By: Jeff Lilly http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/#comment-258 Jeff Lilly Fri, 07 Sep 2007 07:35:12 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/#comment-258 <strong>Boycott</strong> is something I've known the history of for a long time, practically since I started in linguistics. It's such a classic example of an eponym that the teachers <i>always</i> use it as an example... Verbing is extremely cool, yeah. Not many other languages can do it as easily as English -- English has so little verbal morphology that it's a simple matter to just grab a handy noun and stick it in the right place to be a verb... Plus English has a very long and proud history of verbing, going right back into Middle English. Bobbit is indeed an excellent example, even though it's a rather... <i>uncomfortable</i> one. ;-) Boycott is something I’ve known the history of for a long time, practically since I started in linguistics. It’s such a classic example of an eponym that the teachers always use it as an example…

Verbing is extremely cool, yeah. Not many other languages can do it as easily as English — English has so little verbal morphology that it’s a simple matter to just grab a handy noun and stick it in the right place to be a verb… Plus English has a very long and proud history of verbing, going right back into Middle English.

Bobbit is indeed an excellent example, even though it’s a rather… uncomfortable one. ;-)

]]> By: Nio http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/#comment-245 Nio Tue, 04 Sep 2007 19:33:14 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/word-of-the-day/2007/09/04/boycott/#comment-245 I knew it was someone's name, but I didn't know it was a English landlord. And to think I took a <i>History of Ireland</i> course in college... One of my favorite things about English is how words can be turned into verbs. You know, like Bobbitt. Think Lorena Bobbitt and then say "I'll bobbitt you if you keep it up." I knew it was someone’s name, but I didn’t know it was a English landlord. And to think I took a History of Ireland course in college…

One of my favorite things about English is how words can be turned into verbs. You know, like Bobbitt. Think Lorena Bobbitt and then say “I’ll bobbitt you if you keep it up.”

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