The Style Book of The Detroit News

Part 8

Chapter 81,775 wordsPublic domain

_lessen_ confused with _lesson_, 52

Libel laws, 3, 64-71

_liable_ misused for _likely_, 33

Liberal, capitalization of, 18

_lie_, use of, 29-30

_lieutenant-governor_, capitalization of, 17

_like_ misused as conjunction, 28

_likely_ preferred to _liable_, 33

_live at hotel_ preferred to _stop at hotel_, 30

_lives_ preferred to _reside_, 30

_livid_, use of, 35

_loan_, prefer _lend_ to, 30

_localities_, capitalization of names of, 18

_long_ preferred to _lengthy_, 34

Longfellow, Henry W., quoted, 11

_longitude_, use figures with, 38

_long way_, spelling of, 52

_look_, use of, intransitively, 29

_lurid_, use of, 35

M

_M_ in heads, 9

_macadam_, capitalization of, 20

Macaulay, Thomas Babington, quoted, 51

_maize_ confused with _maze_, 52

_majority_, meaning of, 24

_man_ preferred to _gentleman_, 25

_maneuver_, spelling of, 51

_many_ preferred to _a number of_, 34

Margins, 7

_marriage_ confused with _wedding_, 50

_master_ to be avoided, 45

_may_ in heads, 10

_mayor_, capitalization of, 17

_maze_ confused with _maize_, 52

_medieval_, spelling of, 51

_memoranda_, number of, 24

Metric system, 40-41

Metier, learning the, 6

_Mich._, use of, 43

Michigan Institutions, 59

_middle west_, capitalization of, 18

Military titles, punctuation of, 19 capitalization of, 19 abbreviation of, 44

_minister_, diplomatic, 24 of gospel, 48

_miraculous escape_, avoid use of, 56

Misspelled names, 45

_Mohammed_, spelling of, 51

Money, sums of, 24 how written, 38 English, abbreviation of, 44

_months_, abbreviation of, 44

_more certain_ to be avoided, 55

_most_ misused for _almost_, 54

_Most Rev._, use of, 48

_motor car_ preferred to _auto_, 25

_motorist_ preferred to _autoist_, 24

_mount_, abbreviation of, 42

_murder_ not always barred, 54

_Mrs. Judge_, use of, barred, 45

N

Names, abbreviation of, 43 connected, capitalization of, 20 holy, capitalization of, 19 of railroads, 52 rules governing use of, 45 rules governing capitalization of, 17

_nationalities_, capitalization of, 19

_navy_, abbreviation of titles of, 44 capitalization of, 19 organization of, 60

_nearby_, spelling of, 51

_nee_, use of, 34

Negatives in heads, 10

_neither_, use of, 27

_Newburgh_, spelling of, 52

_new recruit_ to be avoided, 49

News, aim of, The, 1 capitalization of The, 19

Newspapers, capitalization, of names of, 19

_New Year's_, capitalization of, 18

New York Sun, words barred by the, 31

_nice_, prefer _agreeable_ to, 34

Nicknames, use of, 45 capitalization of, 19

_No._, use of, 43

_nobody_ preferred to _not anybody_, 27

_no one_ preferred to _not any one_, 27

_nom de guerre_ in good usage, 54

_nom de plume_ to be avoided, 54

_north_, _-ern_, _-erner_, capitalization of, 18

Nouns, rules governing, 24

_novice_, meaning of, 55

Numbers, rules governing, 38 punctuation of, 22 street, 22, 38

O

_O_, use of, 55

_obsequies_ to be avoided, 50

Observation, 23

_obtain_ preferred to _secure_, 30

_occasionally_, use of, 33

_occur_, use of, 30

_occurrence_, meaning of, 24

_ocean_, capitalization of, 18

_off from_, prefer _off_ to, 37

_off of_, prefer _off_ to, 37

_off_, use of, 37

_of_ when used with diseases, 37

_oh_, use of, 55

_O. K._, use of, 20

_old adage_ to be avoided, 49

_Old Glory_, capitalization of, 19

_old veterans_ to be avoided, 49

_on a street_ preferred to _in a street_, 37

_on the part of_ to be avoided, 37

_only_, beware of, 33

Ordinals, 38

_orient_, capitalization of, 17

_oriental_, capitalization of, 20

Originality, 61

Oslerian theory, 55

_over a signature_ to be avoided, 37

Overscore _n_, 7

P

_pajamas_, spelling of, 51

_Panamans_, spelling of, 52

_pants_, prefer _trousers_ to, 55

_painfully_, when to avoid, 33

_paraphernalia_, number of, 24

_parcel post_, spelling of, 51

_paris green_, capitalization of, 20

_park_, capitalization of, 18

_parliament_, capitalization of, 18

_parlor_, capitalization of, 18

_parlous_, prefer _perilous_ to, 35

Participial construction, 24

Participle, dangling, 11

Particles, capitalization of, in foreign names, 20

_parties_, _political_, capitalization of, 18 _political_, abbreviation of, 44

_partly completed_ to be avoided, 49

_party_ misused for _person_, 24

Paste sheets, do not, 7

_pasteurize_, capitalization of, 20

_pen name_ preferred to _nom de plume_, 54

_people_ misused for _persons_, 24

_per_, use of, 54

_per cent_, use of, 38, 54

_per day_, prefer _a day_ to, 54

_perilous_ preferred to _parlous_, 35

Period, use of, 22 ring, 7

_periodicals_, capitalization, of names of, 19

_person_ preferred to _party_, 24

_phenomena_, number of, 24

_philistine_, capitalization of, 20

_philippic_, capitalization of, 20

_phone_, prefer _telephone_ to, 25

Phrases, holy, capitalization of, 19

_pianist_, avoid feminine form of, 24

Pictorial power of words, 16

_pistol_ confused with _revolver_, 55

_Pittsburgh_, spelling of, 52

_place_, capitalization of, 20

_platonic_, capitalization of, 20

_plead_, past tense of, 31

_pleaded_ preferred to _pled_, 31

_pled_, prefer _pleaded_ to, 31

_plow_, spelling of, 51

_plurality_, meaning of, 24

_p. m._, use of, 38, 44 capitalization of, 20

_poet_, avoid feminine form of, 24

Poisons, use of names of, 54

_pole_, capitalization of, 18

_police court_, capitalization of, 20

_policeman_ preferred to _cop_, 54

_poorhouse_, capitalization of, 20

_port_, abbreviation of, 42

_Porto Rico_, spelling of, 51

_possibly_, redundant with _may_, 49

Post, New York Evening, quoted, 58

_postoffice_, capitalization of, 20

_preachers_, use of, 48

_precinct_, capitalization of, 18

Precision, 71

Preparing copy, 7

Prepositions in heads, 8 rules governing, 37

_present incumbent_ to be avoided, 49

_present tense_, heads in, 8, 10

president, abbreviation of, 8 capitalization of, 17

_preventative_, prefer _preventive_ to, 24

_previously to_ preferred to _previous to_, 33

Prices written in figures, 38

_priest_, use of, 48

_princes_, capitalization of, 17

_principal_ confused with _principle_, 52

Prison record, do not print, 59

_procure_ preferred to _secure_, 30

Profanity, use of, 3

_professor_, use of, 45

_program_, spelling of, 52

_progressive_, capitalization of, 18

_prone_, meaning of, 54

Pronouns, rules governing, 27

Proper nouns and derivatives, capitalization of, 20

_prophecy_ confused with _prophesy_, 52

_proportion_ preferred to _per cent_, 24

_proven_, prefer _proved_ to, 30

_pseudonym_ preferred to _nom de plume_, 54

Punctuation, in heads, 10 inside quotation marks, 23 rules governing, 22

_purchased_, prefer _bought_ to, 30

Q

Question mark, use of, 2

Quotation marks, in heads, 10 use of, 23

Quotations misapplied, 55 verify, 56

R

_rabbi_, use of, 48

_racing_ time written in figures, 38

_races_, capitalization of, 19

_raise_, use of, 29, 30

Reading copy, 6

_recorder_, definition of, 55

_reformation_, capitalization of, 18

_regular monthly meeting_ to be avoided, 49

_reichstag_, capitalization of, 18

_relieved of_, prefer _robbed of_ to, 30

_religious denominations_, capitalization of, 18

_remains_, prefer _body_ to, 18

_render_ to be avoided, 55

_repertory_, spelling of, 51

Reporters, instructions to, 4 kept out of story, 54

_republican_, capitalization of, 18

Reputation, woman's, 3

_residence_, prefer _home_ to, 25

_rest_ preferred to _balance_, 25

_resides_, prefer _lives_ to, 30

_Rev._, use of, 48

_revolution_, capitalization of, 18

_revolver_ misused for _pistol_, 55

_rise_, use of, 29, 30

_river_, capitalization of, 18

_road_, capitalization of, 20

_robbed of_ preferred to _relieved of_, 20

Roman numerals, use of, 38 table of, 39

_room_, capitalization of, 18

Ross, Charles G., quoted, 6, 8

S

_sable hearse_ to be avoided, 50

_sad rites_ to be avoided, 50

_saint_, abbreviation of, 44

_same, the_, use of, 27

_Savior_, spelling of, 52

Scores written in figures, 38

_Scriptural texts_, how to write, 44

_sear_ confused with _sere_, 52

_seasons_, capitalization of, 20

_sections of states_, etc., capitalization of, 18

_secure_, prefer _obtain_ to, 30

_seer_ confused with _sear_, 52

Semicolons, use of, 22

_senate_, capitalization of, 18

_senior_, abbreviation of, 43 capitalization of, 18

_sere_ confused with _seer_, 52

_set_, use of, 29, 30

_several_ preferred to _a number of_, 34

_sewage_, meaning of, 24

_sewer_, meaning of, 24

_sewerage_, meaning of, 24

_Shakespeare_, spelling of, 51

_Shakespearean_, spelling of, 51

_shape_, prefer _condition_ to, 55

_ship body_ to be avoided, 50

_sight_ confused with _site_, 52

_signature_, write _under a_, 37

_sine qua non_ to be avoided, 54

_sit_, use of, 29, 30

_site_ confused with _sight_, 52

_skilful_, spelling of, 51

Simplicity, 2, 4, 5, 11, 71

Sincerity, 5

Slang, use of, 55 punctuation of, 23

_smell_, use of, intransitively, 29

_socialist_, _-ic_, capitalization of, 18

_societies_, capitalization of, 17

_socratic_, capitalization of, 20

_so far as_ to be avoided, 33

_so_ followed by negative, 33

_solemn black_ to be avoided, 50

_so long as_, use of, 33

_some_, barred as adverb, 33 prefer _somewhat_ to, 33

_somebody_, use masculine pronoun with, 27

_somewhat_ preferred to _some_, 33

_sort of_, omit article after, 38

_S O S_, punctuation of, 43

_so that_ to be avoided, 49

_sound_, use of, intransitively, 29

Sources of information, 4

_south_, _-ern_, _-erner_, capitalization of, 18

Space, triple, 7

_spectators_, meaning of, 55

Spelling, 51

Split infinitives, 29

_square_, capitalization of, 18

_Stars and Bars_, capitalization of, 19

_Stars and Stripes_, capitalization of, 19

States, abbreviations of, 42

_station_, preferred to _depot_, 25 capitalization of, 20

Statistics, use figures in, 38 vital, 50

Stevenson, Robert Louis, quoted, 6

_stocks_, capitalization of names of, 19

_stop at hotel_ to be avoided, 30

_stork_, avoid reference to, 50

_story_, prefer _item_ to, 55

_street_, capitalization of, 20

_strata_, number of, 24

_street numbers_, writing of, 38 punctuation of, 22

_sturm und drang_ to be avoided, 54

_subpena_, spelling of, 51

Subjunctive, use of, 29

_such_, use of, as pronoun, 27

_suffraget_, spelling of, 52

_suicide_, when to use, 54

_sultan_, capitalization of, 17

Sun, the New York, words barred by, 31

Superfluous words, 49

Superlatives to be avoided, 34

_supine_, meaning of, 54

_supreme court_, capitalization of, 17

Synonyms, search for, 16 in heads, 8 misuse of, 14

T

_take place_, use of, 30

_technic_, spelling of, 51

_telephone_ preferred to _phone_, 25

_temperature_, how to write, 38

_terrace_, capitalization of, 20

_terrible_, meaning of, 35

_testimony_, punctuation of, 23

_Thanksgiving Day_, capitalization of, 18

_that_, barred as adverb, 33 preferred to _as_, 28 use of, 28

_the_, capitalization of, 17

_theater_, capitalization of, 17 spelling of, 52

Thesaurus, use of, 58

_these sort_ misused, 27

_things_, names of notable, capitalization of, 18

_this_ barred as adverb, 33

_thither_ to be avoided, 55

Three rules, 22

_Tibet_, spelling of, 51

_timber_, spelling of, 52

Time, how to write, 38

_tires_, spelling of, 51

Titles, capitalization of, 17 church, 49 punctuation of, 19 rules governing, 45

_to_, different, barred, 37 in infinitives, 29 things compared, 30

_today_, spelling of, 51

_toga_, misuse of, 55

_Tolstoy_, spelling of, 51

_tomorrow_, spelling of, 51

_tory_, capitalization of, 18

_totally destroyed_ to be avoided, 49

_tots_ to be avoided, 54

_toward_, spelling of, 52

_trade unions_, plural of, 51

_transpire_, meaning of, 30

_treaties_, capitalization of, 19

_triple entente_, etc., capitalization of, 19

Trite phrases, 58

_trousers_ preferred to _pants_, 55

_true facts_ to be avoided, 49

Truth, 2, 5, 14

_Turgenieff_, spelling of, 51

_turn over_ preferred to _turn turtle_, 30

Twain, Mark, quoted, 31

_tying_, spelling of, 51

U

_under a signature_ preferred, 37

Underscore _u_, 7

_union_, _-ist_, capitalization of, 18

_Union Jack_, capitalization of, 19

Unit lines in heads, 9

_university_, capitalization of, 19

_unless_ preferred to _without_, 28

_unmoral_ confused with _immoral_ 52

_unsanitary_ confused with _insanitary_, 52

Untruth, 2

_upper peninsula_, etc., capitalization of, 18

_utopia_, capitalization of, 20

V

_varsity_, punctuation of, 52

Verbs, in heads, 9 rules governing, 29

_very_, eschew the word, 34

_Very Rev._, use of, 48

_vice-president_, capitalization of, 17

_viceroy_, capitalization of, 17

_violinist_, avoid feminine form of, 24

Vital statistics, 50

_viz._, use of, 44

Vocabulary, broaden the, 16

_votes_, use figures for, 38

_vilify_, spelling of, 51

_vying_, spelling of, 51

W

_want_ preferred to _wish_, 30

War, first three years of, 72-74

_ward_, capitalization of, 18

_war_, capitalization of, 18

_W_ in heads, 9

_wages_, number of, 55

_way_, capitalization of, 20

Way to become original, 61

_we_, _editorial_, use of, 55

Webster, Edward Harlan, quoted, 16

Webster's dictionary, 48

_wedding_ confused with _marriage_, 50

Weights and measures, 40

_weird_, use of, 35

well known, use of, 49

_west_, _-ern_, _-erner_, capitalization of, 18

_whether, or not_, 49 preferred to _if_, 28

_while_ misused for _although_, 28 preferred to _whilst_, 55

_whilst_ to be avoided, 55

_whisky_, spelling of, 51

_White House_, capitalization of, 20

_whither_ to be avoided, 55

Whitman, Walt, quoted, 4

_wholesome_ preferred to _healthful_, 35

_who_, use of, 28

_whom_, use of, 27

_widow_, use of, 50

_widow woman_ to be avoided, 49

_wife_, use of, 50, 55

_Wilkes-Barre_, spelling of, 51

Williams, Walter, quoted, 25

_wish_ preferred to _want_, 30

_with_, book illustrated, sketches, 37 things compared, 30

_without_ misused for _unless_, 28

_woman_ preferred to _lady_, 25

Women, protection of good name of, 54

Words, pictorial power of, 16 superfluous, 49

_woolly_, spelling of, 51

_world series_, spelling of, 51

X

_Xmas_, prefer Christmas to, 44

Y

_years_, punctuation of, 22

Your audience, 35

Transcriber's Note:

Spelling, grammar and punctuation have been preserved as they appear in the original publication except as follows:

Page 22

cartridges and bandages_, _changed to_ cartridges and bandages_.

Page 34

thay are saying _changed to_ they are saying

Page 35

care is needed is using _changed to_ care is needed in using

anything else. Lurid means a _changed to_ anything else. _Lurid_ means a

Page 49

general concensus of opinion _changed to_ general consensus of opinion

Page 52

Pittsburg, Cleveland, Chicago _changed to_ Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago

Page 54

_de rigueur_ _changed to_ _de riguer_

Page 55

call a _revolver a gun_ _changed to_ call _a revolver a gun_

Page 61

one adjective to quality it _changed to_ one adjective to qualify it

Page 78

avoid euphuisms regarding _changed to_ avoid euphemisms regarding

Page 80

lines, punctuatuon and capitalization _changed to_ lines, punctuation and capitalization

_democrat_, _-ic._, capitalization _changed to_ _democrat_, _-ic_, capitalization

Page 101

_repertory_, spelling of, 51 In the original this entry appeared between "room" and Ross. For this ebook it has been placed in alphabetical order between render and reporters