Hi, I'm wondering about titles like 'your highness', 'crown prince' and terms like 'imperial family', 'royal capital' and the like.
When do you have to capitalize them, if not always (or never)?
I only know the Dutch rules, where you only capitalize titles to show utmost respect in letters and such, but when I look on the internet for the English rules I see varying results.
Titles in English
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- Dohma
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Re: Titles in English
Well I'd guess some of the translators who deal with these terms in their projects might know better than me, but I'll give my perspective as a native (American) English speaker. Your project is using BE as the standard, so hopefully there aren't differences that I'm not aware of.
I grabbed two different books from my shelf, and they each used a different standard for capitalizing. In the example, I'm going to use the one that feels more natural to me, but there's obviously different opinions on how it's done. That may be why you found conflicting standards in your internet search.
Spoiler for length
Well I tried to point out where I was least certain. And if I got anything wrong, maybe that will motivate those who know more than me to correct it.
I grabbed two different books from my shelf, and they each used a different standard for capitalizing. In the example, I'm going to use the one that feels more natural to me, but there's obviously different opinions on how it's done. That may be why you found conflicting standards in your internet search.
Spoiler for length
Spoiler! :
- Dohma
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Re: Titles in English
The examples of your 'first book' feel most natural to me too. If I got it right it can be summarized like this:
Basically, when it's used to address a person or use the title in front of a name you capitalize the term (and you don't use an article either), but otherwise it's not necessary (and then it's usually when preceded with an article).
Thanks for looking this up for me! I'll probably copy some of your instructions into the project guidelines if you don't mind.
Basically, when it's used to address a person or use the title in front of a name you capitalize the term (and you don't use an article either), but otherwise it's not necessary (and then it's usually when preceded with an article).
Thanks for looking this up for me! I'll probably copy some of your instructions into the project guidelines if you don't mind.
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Re: Titles in English
That is an accurate summary.
Though as I mentioned, my 'first book' might not capitalize (5). The line in that book that made me say that was "My princess, ..." (I forgot the rest of the sentence, but it was used to directly address the character). Capitalizing (5) was just something felt natural to me (and I was making up those examples, so they're not direct out-of-the-book examples).
Though as I mentioned, my 'first book' might not capitalize (5). The line in that book that made me say that was "My princess, ..." (I forgot the rest of the sentence, but it was used to directly address the character). Capitalizing (5) was just something felt natural to me (and I was making up those examples, so they're not direct out-of-the-book examples).