# Why is I capitalised? (in 'I' and 'I'm') **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 6, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929 "2004-10-06T21:51:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 6, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/1 "2004-10-06T21:51:40Z")
Why is I, (the word, not the letter) capitalised mid-sentence, and not ‘he’ or ‘you’ or ‘a’? I’m sure I’ve been told why in the past. It escapes me now though. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/2 "2004-10-06T22:14:42Z")
It’s a proper pronoun? ---
**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:** [October 6, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/3 "2004-10-06T22:26:24Z")
It’s just a convention of English orthography. Each language using Roman letters does it differently. Most capitalize the equivalent of “You.” ---
**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 6, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/4 "2004-10-06T22:27:05Z")
I got a D in my English GCSE. I never formally learned fundemental parts of it’s usage. I assume that ‘his’ and ‘me’ are also proper pronouns (remember, I am dumb to the fundementals of the written language) If so, why is the H not capitalised? ---
**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 6, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/5 "2004-10-06T22:28:12Z")
(That was in response to **Mr. Blue Sky** ’s post) ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/6 "2004-10-06T23:41:26Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > It’s just a convention of English orthography. Each language using Roman letters does it differently. Most capitalize the equivalent of “You.” What do you mean, “most”? I can only think of the German “Sie”. Certainly, in French neither “tu” nor “vous” is capitalized. As for the original question, I found this quote: * * * The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology (Wilson, 1988, ISBN 0-8242-0745-9) says: “~I~ pron. 1137 i; later I (about 1250, in The Story of Genesis and Exodus); developed from the unstressed form of Old English (about 725) ic singular pronoun of the first person (nominative case). Modern and Middle English I developed from earlier i in the stressed position. I came to be written with a capital letter thereby making it a distinct word and avoiding misreading handwritten manuscripts. In the northern and midland dialects of England the capitalized form I appeared about 1250. In the south of England, where Old English ic early shifted in pronunciation to ich (by palatalization), the form I did not become established until the 1700’s (although it appears sporadically before that time).” * * * Ed ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/7 "2004-10-07T01:48:48Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Why is I, (the word, not the letter) capitalised mid-sentence, and not ‘he’ or ‘you’ or ‘a’? I would think it is the same rule that requires capitalization of “Father” when it is the subject. (Is that the rule? Subject?) As opposed to the lowercase version “my father”. Similarly, the subject use of “I” is captitalized, whereas the object use of “me” is not. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/8 "2004-10-07T01:52:43Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > I would think it is the same rule that requires capitalization of “Father” when it is the subject. (Is that the rule? Subject?) As opposed to the lowercase version “my father”. “father” would only be capitalized in American English if it were at the beginning of the sentence or a reference to God. Note that pronouns referring to God are generally capitalized by the reverent. ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/9 "2004-10-07T01:59:34Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > “father” would only be capitalized in American English if it were at the beginning of the sentence or a reference to God. Well, there does seem to be one other fairly common case in which "father is capitalized. For example, in this [article](http://suburban.gmnews.com/news/2003/0821/Front_Page/035.html) plucked at random from Google: > [@](#): > > The tiny beads given to her by the pastor provided Burkard comfort after her husband passed away two years ago. Now, they are a connection to her friend, **Father** Smith, who passed away Friday. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/10 "2004-10-07T02:01:15Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > “father” would only be capitalized in American English if it were at the beginning of the sentence or a reference to God. > > Note that pronouns referring to God are generally capitalized by the reverent. You’d also capitalize it if you were using “Father” to replace his name. “I spoke to Father today” as opposed to “I spoke to my father today”. ---
**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 7, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/11 "2004-10-07T02:15:02Z")
Yours truly asked this very [question](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=171695) some time ago. ---
**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 7, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/12 "2004-10-07T02:34:01Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Yours truly asked this very [question](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=171695) some time ago. The fact that _you_\*, of all people, asked this very question in the past adds much credibility to my own rendering of the question. since, in my regard at least, you are the one doper who seems to have the answer for _the_ most questions asked here. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/13 "2004-10-07T03:08:39Z")
I learned in school because I is used in place of my proper name. Exp. George, John and I watched the debate. George, John and Reepicheep watched the debate. ---
**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 7, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/14 "2004-10-07T03:15:19Z")
> [@Reepicheep](#): > > I learned in school because I is used in place of my proper name. Exp. George, John and I watched the debate. George, John and Reepicheep watched the debate. I don’t buy that. _You_, _he_ and _she_ are also–or can be–used in place of a proper name, but are not capitalized, except when beginning a sentence. I think the quote posted by **suranyi** is the most reasonable explanation put forth thus far. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/15 "2004-10-07T03:59:10Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > You’d also capitalize it if you were using “Father” to replace his name. “I spoke to Father today” as opposed to “I spoke to my father today”. That’s the rule I was referencing. I guess it doesn’t have anything to do with subjects and objects. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/16 "2004-10-07T05:43:55Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > It’s just a convention of English orthography. Each language using Roman letters does it differently. Most capitalize the equivalent of “You.” It’s a Germanic affectation. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/17 "2004-10-07T05:53:22Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > You’d also capitalize it if you were using “Father” to replace his name. “I spoke to Father today” as opposed to “I spoke to my father today”. Yep. In that case, “Father” is being used as a proper noun and, as such, requires capitalization. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/18 "2004-10-07T07:40:55Z")
> [@Reepicheep](#): > > I learned in school because I is used in place of my proper name. Exp. George, John and I watched the debate. George, John and Reepicheep watched the debate. No, I don’t buy that reason. If that were the reason, then the word me should be capitalized too. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/19 "2004-10-07T08:23:34Z")
[This](http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/faq.htm#) site gives a reason similar to that in \*\*suranyi’s \*\* earlier post: The answer is buried in a history of the English language text - Pyles and Algeo, _Origins and Development of the English Language_, 4th ed., p. 187: \*I \* came to be capitalized, not through any egotism, but only because lower-case \*i \* standing alone was likely to be overlooked, since it is the most insignificant of the letters of the alphabet. This is found in the chapter on modern English to 1800, meaning in the period from 1500 to 1800. Thus, I take this to mean that the capitalization of I for the personal pronoun was a printer’s invention during the early part of this period. I do know that in manuscripts from the Old and Middle English period, the forms were \*ic \* (OE) and \*ich \* (ME) and were never capitalized in script. discovered by Dale W. Simpson Professor of English Missouri Southern State College Joplin, Missouri ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929/20 "2004-10-07T09:36:24Z")
slight hijack… Does anyone have any idea why every time that I type or write the word “idea” I capitalise the first letter? (I even had to a few times there) It only happens with the word “idea” and I have to make a consious effort NOT to do it. I have no clue why. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-i-capitalised-in-i-and-im/267929.md?page=2)