# Style question **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 2, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038 "2003-10-02T01:36:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/1 "2003-10-02T01:36:07Z")
A lot of our members have user names that are all lower case, and I honour their style when refering to them in a post. But I’ve convinced myself that, just as with other words that are usually all lower case, I should capitalize the first letter when beginning a sentence with such a user name. What say y’all? Also, a bonus question. Looking at my use of “refering” above, I recall that as a wee Texan, I was taught to double the ending consonant when using the ‘-ing’ form of a word. That’s obviously a rule in retreat, but not completely. Many words that always got the double consonant no longer do, but many still get it. Is there a new rule, or are we just flirting with anarchy? P.S. - I hate it, but sadly I must report that “irregardless” appears to be winning the usage battle. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/2 "2003-10-02T02:44:51Z")
I’ve never seen “refering,” so I don’t think any rules have been changed. As for the style issue, maybe it’s a personal decision more than a cut-and-dry rule. That is, thems who prefer their name remain lowercase even when beginning a sentence are entitled to this distinction, whereas thems who think capitalizing it is the way to go are entitled to that opinion as well. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/3 "2003-10-02T04:30:16Z")
I find that the best solution is to always place all user names in bold face type. Even when a sentence begins with a lowercase name, the bolding makes it obvious that it is intentional. Bolding also makes it a lot easier to locate specific responses to your posts within a given thread. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/4 "2003-10-02T04:47:37Z")
Just like mathematical symbols have rules of priority (can’t remember the name of that rule) my rules have different priority levels. I find it hard to submit a sentence without capitalizing the first letter _unless_ the first word is someone’s dopername, and it’s first letter is not capitalized. With the exception of annoyingly long names containing caps like EddyTeddyFreddy I always make them bold. Is there a word to mean ‘to make bold’? ---
**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:** [October 2, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/5 "2003-10-02T05:17:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\* > Is there a word to mean ‘to make bold’? \*\* Embolden? I’m with **Zenster**. I feel as if I’m flouting all the rules and regs of grammar and style by starting a sentence with an address to a user with a lowercase name, and keeping it lowercase – but “emboldening” it works well. The English class student deep inside this wolf stands down and relaxes. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/6 "2003-10-02T05:17:10Z")
to make bold = embiggen. Don’t worry if you can’t find it in the dictionary, it’s a perfectly cromulent word. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/7 "2003-10-02T09:31:58Z")
I guess I’m the opposite. I think that how the holder of the name writes it wins out over style rules that didn’t forsee the popularity of names beginning with lowercase letters. I feel funny if I’m capitalizing the first letter of a name that isn’t supposed to be capitalized. Like when I see eBay referred to in print and paragraphs begin with “EBay.” It just looks weird. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/8 "2003-10-02T11:04:07Z")
What do we do with sentances starting “de Gaulle”? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > **Just like mathematical symbols have rules of priority (can’t remember the name of that rule) my rules have different priority levels.** Precedence? > [@](#): > > Is there a word to mean ‘to make bold’? “To bold” seems standard. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/9 "2003-10-02T11:37:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*With the exception of annoyingly long names containing caps like EddyTeddyFreddy I always make them bold. > > \*\* Now why don’t you bolden her name? That’s just discrimination! (Besides, you can do what I do and cut and paste their name. Works great for names like **dorkusmalorkusmafia** , and Lord knows if I spelled that one right.) ---
**Author:** ![Nobody\_s\_Fool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ba8739/32.png) [@Nobody\_s\_Fool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody_s_Fool)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/10 "2003-10-02T12:13:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > Is there a word to mean ‘to make bold’? \*\* **Boldface?** ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/11 "2003-10-02T19:49:27Z")
My take on it is that ordinarily, a letter in the middle of a sentence isn’t capitalized, but a capitalized name overrides that rule. Likewise, then, a letter at the beginning of a sentence is typically capitalized, but a lowercase name overrides that, as well. Besides, I work a lot with computers, and many computer programs treat capital and lowercase letters as different characters, so the name “Bibliophage”, for instance, is distinct from the name “bibliophage”. The latter is the name of a member of this board, whereas the former isn’t the name of anyone or anything in particular. So if I start a sentence with “Bibliophage”, to whom am I referring? Not to the dude who write twisted oversexed versions of classic literature and Staff Reports (adjective ambiguity intended), because that’s not his name. And **Nobody’s Fool** , everyone knows that verbing weirds language. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/12 "2003-10-02T19:56:13Z")
Then who is [this guy](http://www.teemings.com/issue08/ardor.html), **Chronos**? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/13 "2003-10-04T02:28:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\* And **Nobody’s Fool** , everyone knows that verbing weirds language. \*\* The American Heritage Dictionary (1985) **boldface** _tr.v._ **-faced, -fac-ing, fac-es 1.** To mark (copy) for printing in boldface. **2.** To print or set in boldface ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/14 "2003-10-04T02:39:55Z")
Merriam-Webster, however, doesn’t recognize **boldfacing** as a word. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/15 "2003-10-04T03:54:09Z")
**moriah** doesn’t care whether you capitalize **moriah’s** name or not. **Moriah’s** cool that way. peace. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/16 "2003-10-06T00:42:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Then who is this guy, **Chronos**? No, that guy isn’t **Chronos**. This guy is **Chronos**. That guy is Kimg Ardor. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/17 "2003-10-06T04:01:48Z")
Everyone’s a comedian. ---
**Author:** ![skyzoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@skyzoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skyzoo)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/18 "2003-10-06T04:45:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ringo \* > \*\*Also, a bonus question. Looking at my use of “refering” above, I recall that as a wee Texan, I was taught to double the ending consonant when using the ‘-ing’ form of a word. That’s obviously a rule in retreat, but not completely. Many words that always got the double consonant no longer do, but many still get it. Is there a new rule, or are we just flirting with anarchy? \*\* Here’s my attempt at the bonus question, **Ringo** … It just happennnnnnned out of nowhere:confused: One day I was a child being throttled by my grammer teacher to double the letters if endding in ‘ing’. - next thi **i** ng I know, the dictionary bible changed all the rules without as much as a footnote of an explanation.☹ so, my guess is yes! we are ‘flirt **t** ing’…😉 (:smack: OgNabbit, I hope this is propel english!) and btway, i yam not a comedianyetifnevereither! ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/19 "2003-10-06T04:55:55Z")
Good post, **skyzoo**. Yup, things just started moving around, irregardless of what we’d been taught. I haven’t seen a rule for the consonant reduction as of yet. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038/20 "2003-10-08T02:57:00Z")
You double the consonant of a two-syllable word if the previous syllable is accented, as in “occur”. Otherwise, as in “travel”, you don’t. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-question/205038.md?page=2)