Okay, so, I have this problem I like to think of as capitalization dyslexia. I'm happily writing away, misspelling a word every three sentences, but doing fine until I come to the title, words in parenthesis, or book title. I freeze up.
I love capitalizing words, but I know that words like 'and', 'the' and 'is' don't get the privilege except in Special Circumstances. However, when it comes to grammar, I'm bad at detected Special Circumstances. So I panic and tend to capitalize everything.
I admit it, when there are two words together like Briarwood or Greenstar, I write it BriarWood and GreenStar whether it's supposed to be that way or not.
In fact, recently I read a book in which a girl capitalized everything however she pleased, saying how capitalization is arbitrary. I felt understanding well up in me when I read that.
I've attributed my problem with detecting Special Circumstances and grammar in general to how I learned to read and write: at the unpredictable pace of a three-legged galloping giraffe. It's like I learned in what situations something was supposed to be written a certain way, but not the underlying rule for that something. I tend to understand when sentences are incorrect, but not the why.
I also have that problem with pronunciation. I love words, and I read a lot, but it's like the rules of pronunciation are written in a special language that only I don't know.
All that being said, I pride myself on my ability to combat these various issues and take grammar seriously.
otherwise I would Capitalize words for Emphasis or Importance and look like a Complete Idiot.
You could be like e e cummings and leave EVERYTHING uncapitalized. I'd like to be that daring.
ReplyDeleteThat would be really daring! Though I think I'd have to be prestigious, like some kind of great novelist or fearsome feral cat-wrangler to get a away with that.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have myself a three-legged galloping giraffe.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're still hilarious, love.
Thanks Joyce! I love your Elements of Elegance blog!
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