# An absolutely retarded question (a nitpick) on bolding of a username **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 15, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572 "2006-07-15T03:51:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/1 "2006-07-15T03:51:13Z")
Bear with me: I am not an English major. I’m a simple engineer. I pave runways and build hangars for a living. And in my spare time, I love to surf the Dope. Sometimes I feel it necessary to quote a Doper on either a cite or a quote, and can’t quite figure out just what is grammatically correct. If I quote a Doper and include the possesive ‘apostrophe and “s”’, is that supposed to be bolded too? i.e. **Tripler** ’s OP is really a nitnoid question. [Grammatically correct or incorrect?] versus **Tripler’s** OP is really a nitnoid question. [See above comment.] Is it really established? Not that it would thaw out the Cold War or anything, I’m just genuinely curious if there is an actual precedent. . . Tripler Oh, the Cold War ain’t over. Trust me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/2 "2006-07-15T04:40:10Z")
I figure it this way (it’s crossed my mind too). By custom, you bold the name of the Doper that you’re mentioning. Is the possessive a part of that name? No. Thus the 's is not bolded. Whether it’s established usage or not, I have no idea. But it keeps me happy. ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/3 "2006-07-15T05:27:43Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Sometimes I feel it necessary to quote a Doper on either a cite or a quote, and can’t quite figure out just what is grammatically correct. If I quote a Doper and include the possesive ‘apostrophe and “s”’, is that supposed to be bolded too? You’re in luck – it’s not a question of grammar at all. What is and isn’t bolded (or italicized, or underlined, etc.) is a question of style. And we’ve all got our own styles, right? If it matters, I’d do it **aldiboronti** ’s way – just bold the username. It follows from similar conventions with other formats: _Moby-Dick_’s themes are pretty obvious, even to a non-English major. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/4 "2006-07-15T05:36:22Z")
I am only posting so that I can use **Interrobang!?**'s possessive. Where else would you see _!?'s_ used? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/5 "2006-07-15T06:53:21Z")
I don’t bold at all, that solves the problem for me. But I’m lazy, you do what suits you. It’s always nice to see you Tripler my dear. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/6 "2006-07-15T07:06:41Z")
Here’s another chiming in that possessives absolutely should not be bolded. YMMV, though. My rage for you doesn’t burn with the fire of a thousand suns. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/7 "2006-07-15T07:34:43Z")
If I’m feeling lazy, I bold 'em. That’s most of the time, so … eh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/8 "2006-07-15T15:52:09Z")
Wow! The responses, so far, kind of surprised me. I was three-quarters expecting people to say that ‘since the “root” of the possessive is bold, so should be the “trailer”’. But hey, whatever works . . . works. 😃 Tripler And Jenny, thank you! It’s good to be back. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/9 "2006-07-15T16:35:38Z")
Not to hijack your thread, but are you out of harm’s way now? (Well, as close as America’s freeways and damnfools and etc let you be, anyway) I guess it’s all relative and certainly as the news of late has shown us you never see the pizza oven that has your name on it, but you’re not getting shot at regularly, right? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/10 "2006-07-15T16:49:12Z")
I always bold the 's on the grounds that it looks too silly not to. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/11 "2006-07-15T17:09:03Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > I always bold the 's on the grounds that it looks too silly not to. Except for posters whose name contain spaces, like **Exapno Mapcase** ’s, it’s _easier_ just to double click on the user name in order to select it, then click the bold button, than it is to select with mouse movement and clicks. Double clicking on a word will not select the portion after an apostrophe: **don** ’t **can** ’t **won** ’t ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/12 "2006-07-15T17:14:57Z")
Why do you need to click anything at all? I find it easier to type the bold tags. **Exapno Mapcase** , I think it looks silly to bold the possessive–the username is one “unit” with a possessive attached to it. YMMV, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/13 "2006-07-15T22:18:36Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Not to hijack your thread, but are you out of harm’s way now? I am. Been back for about three weeks now. . . No RPGs, no machine guns, and sure as hell no [Patriot Missiles](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=375709). . . unlsess you count those on the 4th of July as “Patriots”. 😃 Tripler Back, and fully enjoying the beer. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/14 "2006-07-15T23:27:38Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > **Exapno Mapcase** , I think it looks silly to bold the possessive–the username is one “unit” with a possessive attached to it. YMMV, of course. That’s why it’s a style and not a rule. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/15 "2006-07-16T06:46:50Z")
Have it your way. Be advised, though, that those who bold the possessive in my purview are in high danger of being considered silly. _You have been warned!_ _thunderbolt in the background_ ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/16 "2006-07-16T09:19:17Z")
Apart from that - in my own handbook on style, the username should only be in \*\*bold \*\* the first time it occurs in the text, highlighting the fact that a person is mentioned. To continue doing so is annoying. This from journalism school and how we were told to handle names in text. Generally - font masturbation should be at a minimum level. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/17 "2006-07-16T09:22:43Z")
Good thing I never put that Northwestern journalism app through, huh? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/18 "2006-07-16T10:04:10Z")
Since it’s a question of style, I’ll go with the assertion of **Interrobang!?** above. Grammatically, it’s the noun phrase that has the possessive, not the noun _per se_. If you can’t decide between bolding the _'s_ or not bolding it, follow my example in this post. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/19 "2006-07-16T10:12:34Z")
> [@Charlie Tan](#): > > font masturbation should be at a minimum level. Advice like this is why i joined the SDMB. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572/20 "2006-07-16T10:23:39Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Except for posters whose name contain spaces, like **Exapno Mapcase** ’s, it’s _easier_ just to double click on the user name in order to select it, then click the bold button, than it is to select with mouse movement and clicks. Ummm… what? Bold button? What am I missing? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-absolutely-retarded-question-a-nitpick-on-bolding-of-a-username/364572.md?page=2)