# Capitlization Of Nations used in words

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capitlization-of-nations-used-in-words/442966>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 27, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capitlization-of-nations-used-in-words/442966 "2008-03-27T20:49:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![utterlyuseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b3f665/32.png) [@utterlyuseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/utterlyuseless)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capitlization-of-nations-used-in-words/442966/1 "2008-03-27T20:49:28Z")

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What is the rule for capitalization when the normally capitalized word describes a noun.

For instance is it Swiss cheese or swiss cheese?

What about the sentence “I had a fifth of bourbon then added scotch also.”

Would scotch be capitalized?

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capitlization-of-nations-used-in-words/442966/2 "2008-03-27T20:58:44Z")

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There is no one covering capitalization rule that applies in all situations. “Swiss cheese” is capitalized, while “scotch” is not. “Bavarian cream” is capitalized while “french fries” is not.

EDIT: Consider, however, that the use you offer for “scotch” is not adjectivial, as “Swiss” is in “Swiss cheese”.

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**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capitlization-of-nations-used-in-words/442966/3 "2008-03-27T22:17:42Z")

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I would capitalize anything used as an adjective (Swiss cheese, French fries, Italian vinaigrette), but not as a noun or verb (china, to japan furniture).

“Scotch” is an adjective that can describe only whiskey, not people, who are Scottish; it is therefore lowercased even when used as an adjective (scotch whiskey).

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**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capitlization-of-nations-used-in-words/442966/4 "2008-03-27T22:37:34Z")

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[QUOTE=utterlyuseless]  
What is the rule for capitalization when the normally capitalized word describes a noun.

For instance is it Swiss cheese or swiss cheese?

What about the sentence “I had a fifth of bourbon then added scotch also.”

Would scotch be capitalized?  
[/QUOTE]

I would capitalize when the adjective actually is used to descibe the national origin of a more general category of food, but leave it uncapitalized when it is part of the name of the product. So “french fries” and “scotch” (mmm… 😛 ) because with french fries, there is no other type, and they aren’t from France, and with scotch, like **matt-mcl** says, it is not the current name of any country or ethnicity. I would say “swiss cheese,” too, since it is not actually made or consumed in Switzerland for the most part, but you could debate me on that one. However, I think “Italian vinaigrette” and “Canadian bacon” are proper because there are other types of bacon and vinaigrettes.

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**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capitlization-of-nations-used-in-words/442966/5 "2008-03-27T22:39:07Z")

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ETA (or it would be if Guests could edit): You picked a funny example in the OP because bourbon and scotch actually both relate to places.

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capitlization-of-nations-used-in-words/442966/6 "2008-03-28T02:40:32Z")

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Either is understandable and both are in common usage, so whichever you like.