The Magazine Style-Code

Part 2

Chapter 23,427 wordsPublic domain

Alabama Ala. Arizona Ariz. Arkansas Ark. California Cal. Colorado Colo. Connecticut Conn. Delaware Del. Florida Fla. Georgia Ga. Illinois Ill. Indiana Ind. Indian Territory I. T. Kansas Kan. Kentucky Ky. Louisiana La. Maryland Md. Massachusetts Mass. Michigan Mich. Minnesota Minn. Mississippi Miss. Missouri Mo. Montana Mont. Nebraska Neb. Nevada Nev. New Hampshire N. H. New Jersey N. J. New Mexico N. M. New York N. Y. North Carolina N. C. North Dakota N. D. Oklahoma Okla. Oregon Ore. Pennsylvania Pa. Rhode Island R. I. South Carolina S. C. South Dakota S. D. Tennessee Tenn. Texas Tex. Vermont Vt. Washington Wash. Virginia Va. West Virginia W. Va. Wisconsin Wis. Wyoming Wyo.

=30. Brackets.= Teall says that an insertion not merely disconnected, but having no effect upon the meaning of the context, should be inclosed within brackets. Examples: I swear that I was naturalized [here state name] in Missouri. My son, I must tell you all. [Some private details are here blotted out. _Editor._] You must keep these things secret. De Vinne says: “Parentheses always inclose remarks apparently made by the writer of the text. Brackets inclose remarks certainly made by the editor or reporter of that text.” See _Correct Composition_, page 279.

=31. By-laws.= De Vinne says: “By-laws are frequently printed with the side-headings Art. 1 for Article 1, Sec. 2 for Section 2, etc., but it is better practice to print the word in full in the paragraph where it first appears, and to omit the word in subsequent paragraphs, using the proper figure only, as is customary in verses of the Bible and in hymn-books.”

=32. Can not.= =Can not= is preferred to =cannot=, though there is authority for both forms. =Can not= and =shall not=, according to the usage of good writers, are treated as shown.

33. CAPITAL LETTERS IN GENERAL.

A

Arbor Day, Decoration Day, Labor Day, Black Friday.

Ascension Day, in Bible sense.

Almighty and like terms in lieu of God.

arctic ivory and all similar mercantile uses of such words as arctic in that sense. Even titanic and herculean, in some uses.

Arctic when referring to that region.

algebra, botany and all sciences. See sciences.

arabic when referring to letters of that name or to merchandise.

autumn unless the word is personified. Seasons are not capitalized. See seasons.

association, church, companies, political, and similar names are written in small letters, thus: trustee, councilman, supervisor, congressman, director, secretary, president, governor, superintendent, etc., unless the title precedes a surname, in which case it is capitalized as a title. If a title selected may be applied to two or more persons use the small letter, not the capital. Abbreviated expressions take the capital letter as an initial, as: =the= Union, =the= Club, =the= Church, =the= Senate, =the= Company, =the= Chamber, =the= State, =the= Nation, when such shortened expressions are clearly used in place of the full name of the body in question. The Union, if you mean of states, or if you mean a certain typographical union.

B

Bank Holiday, because this is its proper name as much as Wednesday is the name of a day.

Bible, and all names like Scriptures, Holy Writ.

the Board of Education, meaning a special one.

a board of education, meaning any one.

Bay of Naples.

a bay, meaning any one.

Baconian philosophy, because with direct reference to Bacon; but =herculean=, meaning strong, platonic, etc., unless referring directly to Plato.

Bills are capitalized, as: Pure Food Bill, Highway Bill, Labor Bill, Revenue Bill.

Buildings. Capitalize Chronicle Building, White House, Pressmen’s Hall, Linotype Building, Carnegie Free Library Block, etc.

C

Christmas and all synonyms, as Yule-tide.

city of New York, but New York City, its official name.

a city of Kentucky, or any city of a class, because common nouns. this City, meaning San Francisco or any other place clearly meant.

a chief-justice.

the Chief-justice of Missouri.

an aged justice, or a former chief-justice.

castile soap. See merchandise.

china goods, china silk, etc. See merchandise.

cisalpine, transatlantic, etc.

county of Holt, but Holt County, its exact name. See counties.

the County, meaning one in particular; in lieu of full name.

a county--any one.

Counties: Holt County is the name of the political division or corporation, and when =the County= is used as a shorter expression, it is clearly a synonym for the full name.

the Congress of the United States, or Congress, the Legislature.

the Congressman, meaning a special one. Several congressmen and senators were there. In this sense the nouns are common.

=Congressman= illustrates De Vinne’s rule that a title not a synonym for a specified person (one only) should not begin with a capital. See Association.

Centuries take a lower-case letter: fifteenth century, nineteenth, twentieth, etc. This is an exception to the rule concerning historical epochs, but custom has made it proper.

a club, meaning any.

the Club, meaning the Century Club.

Columbia College, Stanford University, etc.

the Constitution of the United States, of any particular state or society.

a constitution, meaning any.

the Continent, meaning of Europe, or when used as a substitute for the full name of any other continent.

coolie, negro, greaser, gringo, gipsy. See nicknames, which are never capitalized.

D

Decoration Day, like all historic names. See Historic names.

Deity, God, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Jehovah, Holy Spirit, =Saviour=, Creator, Providence, Heaven, when used for God, and all words that refer directly to Deity as a name, heaven and hell in ordinary use. Heaven, meaning God.

devil as an expletive.

Devil, if John Milton’s is meant, also Satan, Beelzebub.

Definite Titles. When definite titles or names are shortened, like the Senate, the Club, etc., meaning a particular senate or club, use capitals. Likewise where =the= State or =the= Government means one in particular, as following a reference to California, capitals should be used. The Union, =the= Nation, etc., follow the same rule.

E

the East, meaning an undefined geographical section.

an east wind blew, however, meaning mere direction.

the Ex-president.

an ex-president, ex-mayor, ex-governor, etc. When capitalized, the first letter of the compound takes the capital, as: Ex-president Cleveland. Many good writers prefer the expression _former_ president, etc.

Erie Canal.

the earth. Though the name of a definite planet, this word is not capitalized. It is a clear exception to the rule. The sun and the moon usually go in lower-case.

F

Fast Day.

the Flood of the Bible.

Fourth of July.

Father, meaning God. See Deity.

fall of the year, except when personified. See seasons.

Federal Government, meaning the Government of the United States.

G

Golden Rule, the.

Good Friday.

God in every sense, but the gods of fable. See Deity.

the General when referring to one in particular. See official titles.

a general, any one. See official titles, definite titles, etc.

grammar, same as botany, chemistry, and other sciences.

Geographical names thus: The South Side, the East Side, the West, the Northeast, Back Bay, Tenderloin District, Monterey Bay, Missouri River, Goat Island, Gold Mountain. Sherwood’s Pier, Idora Park, Ross Valley, Waverley Place.

Glacial, Triassic, etc., referring to geological uses.

the Gospels, and all like terms; Scriptures, Holy Writ, the Word.

the Governor, when in lieu of his name, or meaning one in particular.

a governor, meaning any one. See official titles.

H

Holy Spirit, but see Deity.

Historic names, thus: Civil War, Middle Ages, Commencement Day, Lord’s Day, Silurian Age, Dark Ages, the Deluge, the Victorian Era, the Renaissance.

herculean, meaning full of strength, and unless direct reference is made to Hercules and his age.

hell and heaven. See Deity.

House of Commons.

House of Lords.

heathen.

Hades and like poetical names of a future abode.

Holy Writ.

I

india ink, used as merchandise.

india rubber. Same as india ink.

italic letters, never Italic.

the Island, meaning Long Island, or any one previously named; the Islands, meaning a special group previously named or suggested. The various islands of the sea, however, but the South Sea Islands.

J

Jesus Christ.

Jehovah. See Deity.

K

a king, but the King. See association. Kaiser, Czar, and President follow this rule.

L

Labor Day. See historic names.

Lady Day. See historic names.

Lord, Deity, Jesus Christ, God, etc.

the Levant.

A lord and a lady, but =the= Lord.

M

a mayor, president, lord, governor, czar, etc. See association, governor, official titles.

the Mayor, King, President, Czar, Governor, etc.

morocco goods. See merchandise.

the Manager. See official titles.

a manager. See official titles.

Merchandise. Arctic, Tropics, Levant, Orient, and all geographical names used as proper nouns go up; but nouns used to specify merchandise go down, as: arctic ivory, india ink, russia leather, morocco, turkey red, port wine, chinese blue. When words derived from proper nouns have thus lost the direct connection or literal sense of the name there is no need of capitals. Consult De Vinne’s _Correct Composition_, page 119.

N

Names. White House, Gillis Opera House, Handel Hall, etc.

New Year’s.

the North, meaning an undefined geographical section.

a north wind.

Northeast, Northwest, etc., follow same rule. Do not compound such words.

Nicknames: Creole, negro, mulatto, gipsy, quadroon, greaser, coolie, peon, and like nicknames do not begin with a capital. See De Vinne.

Nation, when in lieu of the United States or of any other particular government. See state, etc.

a nation of workers, however.

nature ordinarily, except when in lieu of God. See Deity.

negro. See nicknames.

Nature when used for God. See Deity.

O

oriental silk. See merchandise.

the Orient.

the Occident.

Official titles: Mayor, judge, justice, king, governor, and the like follow one rule, as do the terms treasurer, secretary of state, etc. If they precede the name of one person (not of two or more) they take the capital initial. If they follow a name or are preceded by =the indefinite article a=, they need no capital. The name of the office is never written with a capital in this sense: He ran for the office of justice of the peace, president, governor, mayor, etc. See association.

P

a president. See official titles.

the President, Czar, King, Governor, Mayor, etc. See official titles and association.

prussian blue. See merchandise.

purgatory.

paradise, except the Paradise of John Milton.

Parliament. Same as Congress. See association.

platonic follows herculean and Baconian. If meaning direct reference to Plato or his system, capitalize; if meaning merely philosophical, write =platonic=. See herculean.

Political parties: Antis, Nationalist, Populist, Radical, Tory, Democrat, Prohibitionist. Adjectives of the same, same rule.

Personification: Anything may be personified, and all personified words should be capitalized, as: The spirit of Fire; the voice of Crime; the call of Duty; the ghost of Want.

Pronouns standing for Deity go thus: his wisdom; him we fear; thou God; thy Word; thee we adore. This is Biblical use. Capitalizing was an error of hymn-books of the long ago.

Q

Queen. See king, president, governor, official titles, etc.

R

russia leather. See merchandise.

Religious denominations: Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Mohammedans--but pagan and heathen, for these terms are too indefinite to take the capital.

Republican. See political parties.

rhetoric. See sciences.

S

Saviour is the approved spelling when referring to Jesus Christ.

a senate.

the Senate of Illinois.

the Society for the Prevention of Vice, and like names.

a society for prevention of vice.

the Southern Railroad.

a southern railroad.

a state of the United States.

the State, meaning California; but the state of California. See states.

the South, an undefined geographical location.

the Southeast. Same as South.

a south wind.

States: The state of New York, the empire of Germany; but New York State, the German Empire, because the official names. The Southern States, the Northern States, but the states and territories of the United States.

Sciences: All references to algebra, botany, geometry, chemistry, and like names of science are written without the capital initial.

Streets: First Street, Sixty-first Avenue, etc.

Second Corps.

Seasons: The seasons are not capitalized, unless in personification.

spring is here.

summer has departed.

the Scriptures. See Bible and Gospels.

T

=the= preceding the name of a newspaper or magazine is not capitalized: =the= Herald, =the= Century, but in books it goes in capital initial; as, “The Life of Emerson.”

the Tropics.

tropical plants, tropical weather, etc.

turkey red. See merchandise.

Titles: It is as proper to say Scavenger Smith or Barber Brown as to say Judge Jones and President Roosevelt. All such titles as director, manager, weigher, inspector, and like names follow the general rule. See association and official titles.

a township. See county, association, etc.

transatlantic, transpacific, transmissouri.

U

universe.

=the= Union, meaning the United States; the Nation, Republic, Federal Government, etc.

the Union, meaning one organization in particular, or when used in lieu of the full name. See definite titles.

W

Whitsunday.

Whitsuntide.

the West, meaning an undefined geographical section.

a west wind.

a ward meeting.

the Sixth Ward politicians.

the wards of the city.

winter. See seasons.

Y

Your Grace.

Your Honor.

Your Majesty.

Your Reverence.

Your Royal Highness.

Yule-tide. See Christmas.

Z

zoology. See sciences.

the zodiac.

the zenith.

Zeus, the Greek god.

=34. Illustrations of the Code.= The following sentences illustrate the rules herein expounded. See section 49:

Saloon-keepers of the Reservation are in session at the Log Cabin Saloon in this City, and Government officials of Federal and State power will be asked to do nothing until the Supreme Court passes on the decisions of other courts. If no satisfaction is obtained, the State will be asked to refund sums expended in the two Kansas Citys--Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan. Notice that _the two Kansas cities_ would convey the idea of two cities in Kansas, and _the two Kansas Cities_ would not be an improvement.

A NIGHT OF HORRORS.

It was Labor Day, but there was a celebration equal to that of the Fourth of July. No pagan holiday ever surpassed some of the heathenish performances there enacted. According to the New York Herald Ex-president Cleveland was there, accompanied by Colonel Hay, secretary of state. The President of the United States was there, and various ex-presidents’ memories were honored. There were senators, assemblymen, judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, and judges from other supreme courts in the throng--but not one from the Supreme Court of the state of Georgia, or from New York State. David Bennett Hill wore an arctic coat from the Arctic. During the evening a German sang, and a gipsy danced a jig. The Orient, the Arctic, the Tropics, and the Levant contributed to the decorations. The dances were on a brussels carpet direct from Brussels, according to the word of two doctors of divinity who sat near six masters of art. The titled gentlemen laughed until they shook down a bowl of paris green, and a shelf containing chinaware. The Government (or Nation or Union, meaning the United States) was honored by Alexis, grand duke and envoy extraordinary, who presented every senator and every judge a morocco badge--two badges to the Chief Justice of the highest court. A governor took umbrage, but the Governor of California took native claret; and as he sipped it an old greaser with a nose of turkey-red color, who looked like a ward politician from the Fourth Ward of San Francisco, disgraced the South. Later a breeze sprang from the east side of the Bay of Fundy and cooled off the representative of the empire of Germany greatly to the relief of the German Empire itself. Every man present hunted for his bowie-knife, except a Methodist member of the Salvation Army, who quoted the Gospels, speaking often of God and his Word, the Holy Writ. The Middle Ages would have been disgraced if such italic head-lines as our papers contained had ever disturbed their quiet life. It was a wonderful demonstration, even for a night of the nineteenth century. Let us hope that foot-, side-, and end-notes in small volumes of history may tell the story to coming generations.--_Maritime World Code_, January, 1899.

=35. Chemical Terms.= In many chemical terms the final =e= is dropped, as: Oxid, chlorid, quinin, chlorin, fibrin.

CITATIONS IN GENERAL.

=36. Books.= See paragraphs 22, 27, 52. Here is a standard form: Macaulay’s 2 History, iv, 14. This means the second volume of the work, the fourth chapter, the fourteenth page. The iv should be set in lower-case.

Law Books. In citing law books abbreviate as follows: Briggs vs. Ewart, 51 Ala., 576; 78 Fed. Rep., 398, etc.

=37. Paragraphs.= Paragraphs, pages, verses, and sections of books are marked in arabic, but cantos of poetry should be set in lower-case roman.

=38. Pages.= Pages 145, 168, 172, and never p 145 or pp 145, 168, 172. Spell out all such references.

=39. Publications.= In citing such publications as periodicals and newspapers it is not necessary to use a capital for _the_ in _the New York Herald_. In _The Life of Christ_ or the title of any other book capitalize _The_. See paragraph 52.

=40. Scriptural Citations.= Unless many citations are made it is best to spell out the names of books of Scripture, but when the references are numerous they should be as follows:

Old Testament.

Gen. xi, 17 Ex. Lev. Num. Deut. Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Sam. 2 Sam. 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chron. 2 Chron. Ezra Neh. Esther Job Ps. Prov. Eccles. Cant. or Song of Sol. Isa. Jer. Lam. Ezek. Dan. Hos. Joel Amos Obad. Jonah Mic. Nahum. Hab. Zeph. Hag. Zech. Mal.

New Testament.

Matt. Mark Luke John Acts Rom. 1 Cor. 2 Cor. Gal. Eph. Phil. Col. 1 Thess. 2 Thess. 1 Tim. 2 Tim. Titus Philem. Heb. Jas. 1 Pet. 2 Pet. 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Rev.

The Apocrypha.

1 Esdras 2 Esdras Tobit Judith Rest of Esth. Wisd. of Sol. Ecclus. Baruch Song of Three Childr. Susanna Bel and Dragon Pr. of Manasses 1 Macc. 2 Macc.

=Scriptural Citations.= Scriptural citations of chapter and verse should be thus: Chapter in lower-case roman numerals, and verse in figures, as: Acts vii, 16.

=41. Compounds.= See also paragraphs 10 and 27. As stated in the introduction, the _Standard Dictionary_ seems to be the only one that gives the compounding of words. By its system both solidified and hyphenated words of the compound type are shown. Teall’s book on this subject is really a codification of the compounds appearing in the _Standard Dictionary_. Since Teall’s list was made there have been some changes in the system preferred by good writers. Every change has been in the direction of solidifying. Teall gives bookkeeper as one word, but make proof-reader two. He makes postmaster one word, post-office a compound. The Chicago Proofreaders’ Association is more consistent in such cases, printing all words of this type in the solidified form.

The following list is believed to be more consistent than the Standard-Teall handling of the same words, and is therefore preferred:

=42. Some Examples.= (a) Words denoting an occupation or calling, as baggagemaster, bagmaker, watchmaker, proofreader, bricklayer.

(b) Words denoting a connecting use, as barnyard, crosshead, carwheel, footboard, gaspipe.

(c) Words denoting a state of being, as motherhood, fatherhood, widowhood.

(d) Words that are pronounced as one word and usually printed as such, as claptrap, crackerjack, daredevil, haphazard.

=43. Approved Consolidations.= Words like steamboat, railroad, fishline, firearms, pineapple, catfish, bluebird, blackboard, quartermaster are best as here printed. It is proper to consolidate all words denoting a species, kind or class of birds, animals or plants, as kingfisher, meadowlark, bulldog, bloodhound, wildcat, goldenseal.

(a) Anybody, anything, anywhere, evermore, everybody, everything, everywhere, forevermore, somewhere, nobody, something, nowhere, nothing, afterpiece, crossexamine, crossquestion, countermarch, antislavery, antedate, schoolboy, schoolmate, schoolmistress, but school teacher, school children and school teaching.

(b) Other approved solidifications are words denoting tools, materials, and implements, as: Strawboard, halftone, guidebook, screwdriver, rosewater, typewriter, handbook.

=44. Compounds and Solids.= The following list of compound words should be used with hyphens or in the solidified form, as indicated:

afterthought after-years agateware aide-de-camp air-brake air-castle air-cushion air-faucet air-filter air-dried alarm-clock alcohol-engine ale-bench ale-brewer ale-drinker ale-drinking alepot alevat alleyway apple-moth apple-seed apple-peel alehouse almshouse anglebar angleworm antechamber

baggagemaster bakeshop ballroom barn-yard bartender baseball bath-house bathroom bearskin bedchamber billboard billposter birdhouse birdseye blackboard blackmail blacktail blockhouse bloodroot bluebird bluefish bluestone bluewing bobtail boilermaker bondholder bookbindery bookkeeper-ing bookmaker bookmaking bookman bookmark bookroom bookstore brakebeam brakeshoe brassfounder brickyard brownstone bulldog bullseye

cakewalk candlelight cardboard carwheel casehardened cashbook catbird catchline catchword catfish churchyard clambake claptrap clingstone clockmaker clockwork clubhouse clubroom coalhod coalmine coalyard coonskin copperplate cornerstone cornfield cornmeal cornstalk cottontail cottonwood countershaft countersunk countinghouse countingroom courthouse courtyard cowbell cowboy crackerjack crosshatch crosshead crosspiece cutthroat

daredevil darkroom daybook deathbed deerhound dewdrop dockyard doorkeeper doormat downpour drawbar dreamland drugstore drumfish dugout dustproof dyewood

earmark eggcase electroplate eyebolt eyepiece