# A Question About Upper-Case and Lower-Case **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2009, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687 "2009-02-06T09:44:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brepark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@Brepark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brepark)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/1 "2009-02-06T09:44:06Z")
Words at the beginning of a sentence are supposed to be capitalized. However, there are many abbreviations that start with a lower-case letter. For example, messenger RNA is designated as mRNA with the m always being lower-case. If the mRNA is at the beginning of a sentence, should the m be capitalized? If I write it with the m as lower-case, it looks funny because of the small m at the beginning. It looks even funnier if I capitalize it because the abbreviation is supposed to be a small m. Which one should I go with? ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/2 "2009-02-06T09:55:35Z")
My intuitive response is that the lower case initial should be written in full, in this case, “Messenger RNA…” Similar to the convention that dictates that in text the numbers 0-9 should be written as words, and ten and above should be depicted by numerals. However the sentence “45 years ago…”, would always be written “Forty five years ago…” ---
**Author:** ![Brepark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@Brepark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brepark)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/3 "2009-02-06T09:59:30Z")
Thank you. This is for a biology paper that’s due tomorrow so I’m going crazy trying to get it all polished up. One of these days I’m going to have to stop procrastinating! ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/4 "2009-02-06T10:00:34Z")
The [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRNA) article seems to suggest that you use “mRNA” even at the beginning of a sentence. > [@](#): > > Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is a molecule of RNA encoding a chemical “blueprint” for a protein product. mRNA is transcribed from a DNA template, and carries coding information to the sites of protein synthesis: the ribosomes. See also here: [http://www.biochem.uwo.ca/meds/MEDNA/mRNA.html](http://www.biochem.uwo.ca/meds/MEDNA/mRNA.html) ---
**Author:** ![Brepark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@Brepark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brepark)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/5 "2009-02-06T10:13:08Z")
Thank you Dervorin. Since I can’t recall anytime in class that the professor has actually used the term messenger when talking about mRNA, I’m going to go with that. Thanks for your help. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/6 "2009-02-06T10:30:03Z")
Advice from my SO, who’s doing a PhD in genetics: > [@](#): > > I think you try to avoid using mRNA at the beginning of a sentence because MRNA looks weird - just rearrange your sentence so it doesn’t have mRNA first. You have to do that with mutant genes as well, because knockout genes are written in lowercase, so you can’t use them at the beginning of a sentence either. > > But really, it should be avoided where possible, because then there is no problem > 😃 That might be your best bet, although it looks as if “mRNA” is acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Brepark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@Brepark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brepark)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/7 "2009-02-06T10:44:09Z")
Good advice for the next paper, but seeing as this one is due in a little over 3 hours, I simply don’t have the time to go through the entire thing and rearrange sentences. Since both of your links have mRNA at the beginning of sentences, I’m assuming that that is acceptable. I do appreciate the responses though. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/8 "2009-02-06T14:06:37Z")
Technically, you’re discouraged from starting your sentences with numerals (which don’t of course have “case”) either, for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Waffle\_Decider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Waffle\_Decider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waffle_Decider)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/9 "2009-02-06T14:24:27Z")
There’s a similar debate when writing the documentation for the source code of computer programs, because most of the variables in computer programs are in lower case. Some people say this is not a problem. Some say you should capitalize the first letter of the variable if it starts a sentence (this is very noticeable in BSD). Some say you should just rephrase your sentence so that you don’t start it with a variable. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/10 "2009-02-06T15:20:15Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > The [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRNA) article seems to suggest that you use “mRNA” even at the beginning of a sentence. It’s a data point but Wikipedia is not a worldwide authority on style. There is no style guide AFAIK and anybody can edit it with minimal oversight. I could go in there now and change the m to an M if that’s what I like better. BTW this _is_ a matter of style. You can do whatever you want as long as you’re consistent. ---
**Author:** ![Brepark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@Brepark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brepark)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/11 "2009-02-06T20:09:58Z")
Thanks for the responses everyone. When I turned in the paper this morning I asked my professor about it. He said that mRNA at the beginning of a sentence is acceptable to him. When I asked a professor from the English department about it later this morning, she said that I should try to rearrange the sentence so that the lower-case m is not first. So I guess the answer depends on who’s reading it.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/12 "2009-02-06T20:10:19Z")
> [@BACI](#): > > My intuitive response is that the lower case initial should be written in full, in this case, “Messenger RNA…” Similar to the convention that dictates that in text the numbers 0-9 should be written as words, and ten and above should be depicted by numerals. However the sentence “45 years ago…”, would always be written “Forty five years ago…” And what about “iPod”? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/13 "2009-02-06T20:29:05Z")
> [@Brepark](#): > > So I guess the answer depends on who’s reading it.:dubious: Why the eyebrow? That’s exactly the way language works, especially style points like this one. > [@panache45](#): > > And what about “iPod”? My personal preference is to capitalize these kinds of words when they start a sentence – IPod, EBay, etc. – just like any other word that starts with a lower-case letter. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/14 "2009-02-06T21:09:50Z")
> [@Brepark](#): > > Thanks for the responses everyone. When I turned in the paper this morning I asked my professor about it. He said that mRNA at the beginning of a sentence is acceptable to him. When I asked a professor from the English department about it later this morning, she said that I should try to rearrange the sentence so that the lower-case m is not first. So I guess the answer depends on who’s reading it.:dubious: Yes, precisely. As has been said, this is a matter of style, and there is no correct. What is acceptable for a paper in a science class may not be proper in a popular magazine article. Actually, I would try to avoid this kind of problem by rewriting the sentence even if it was going into a scientific journal. Standards are looser for things like class papers. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/15 "2009-02-06T21:44:54Z")
> [@Brepark](#): > > When I asked a professor from the English department about it later this morning, she said that I should try to rearrange the sentence so that the lower-case m is not first. So I guess the answer depends on who’s reading it.:dubious: I’m a professor in an English department, BTW. I guess that’s the humanities approach. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/16 "2009-02-06T22:15:03Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > It’s a data point but Wikipedia is not a worldwide authority on style. There is no style guide AFAIK and anybody can edit it with minimal oversight. I could go in there now and change the m to an M if that’s what I like better. > > BTW this _is_ a matter of style. You can do whatever you want as long as you’re consistent. That’s why I said “seems to suggest” rather than it being the final word. As you noted, there is no final word, and the best approach might be to find out the style guidelines of the journal you want to publish in, or the professor you are aiming to please. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/17 "2009-02-06T22:31:58Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > That’s why I said “seems to suggest” rather than it being the final word. As you noted, there is no final word, and the best approach might be to find out the style guidelines of the journal you want to publish in, or the professor you are aiming to please. Even this is overstating the value of one Wikipedia article to the question. Wikipedia is not a stylebook and it follows no particular stylebook and it is not written by a body of known writers who collectively adhere to any stylebook. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/18 "2009-02-06T23:14:43Z")
The problem crops up on this message board, too. Some members use lower-case names. Sometimes, I capitalize their names at the start of a sentence, and I hope they don’t mind. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/19 "2009-02-07T10:13:13Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Technically, you’re discouraged from starting your sentences with numerals (which don’t of course have “case”) either, for that reason. What do you mean numerals don’t have upper case? See, this is the lower case 1, and this is the upper case !. Same for the other numbers: 2 @ 3 # 4 $ 5 % 6 ^ 7 & 8 \* 9 ( 0 ) I don’t know what’s the big deal. Now seriously, we had a similar situation not long ago about members whose username begins with a lower case letter (such as ascenray, pseudotriton and panache on this thread). Apparently some want their names always in lower case, even at the beginning of a sentence. ETA: _sigh_ how did I miss the post above mine? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687/20 "2009-02-07T13:56:51Z")
You’re joking about the figures, but there are upper and lower-case figures. Most typefaces have just the uppercase ones, which are the same height as capital letters. However, some typefaces come with “old style” figures, which start at _x_-height and have ascenders (6, 8) and descenders (3, 4, 5, 7, 9). In “French-style” figures, the _3_ is ascending instead of descending. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-upper-case-and-lower-case/484687.md?page=2)