Capitalization & Compound Words: Difference between revisions
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The terms and phrases below '''should not be capitalized''' '''unless they are part of a proper noun''' (even if they will be referred to as an acronym): | |||
*working group | *working group | ||
*block, lot, or parcel | |||
*transit-oriented development (TOD) | *transit-oriented development (TOD) | ||
*level of service (LOS) | *level of service (LOS) | ||
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*building restriction line (BRL) | *building restriction line (BRL) | ||
*critical lane volume (CLV) | *critical lane volume (CLV) | ||
* | '''When referring to Prince George's County:''' | ||
* capitalize "County" on second reference. If "county" refers to a different county, keep it lowercase until it is a proper noun (Montgomery County): | |||
*# The County is going to give all employees new cars. | |||
*# Anne Arundel County employees would also like new cars. | |||
*# Annapolis residents are petitioning the county to give them new cars as well. | |||
* <u>'''Prince George's County is always spelled out.'''</u> Do not abbreviate it as PG, PG County, or PG Co. | |||
== Compound Words == | == Compound Words == | ||
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|post | |post | ||
|semi | |semi | ||
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Revision as of 16:06, 18 March 2024
Capitalization
Excessive capitalization slows down the reader and can affect their comprehension of the material. The following words and phrases should be capitalized:
- titles and headings
- proper nouns
- the first word of a sentence (including a direct quote if it is a complete sentence)
- months and days (seasons are not capitalized - "fall of 2020")
- geographical terms (except for directional words that are not part of proper nouns (east, west, north, south) and recognized regions (Southern Maryland, the West)
- historical periods and events
- brand names
The terms and phrases below should not be capitalized unless they are part of a proper noun (even if they will be referred to as an acronym):
- working group
- block, lot, or parcel
- transit-oriented development (TOD)
- level of service (LOS)
- public participation process (PPP)
- building restriction line (BRL)
- critical lane volume (CLV)
When referring to Prince George's County:
- capitalize "County" on second reference. If "county" refers to a different county, keep it lowercase until it is a proper noun (Montgomery County):
- The County is going to give all employees new cars.
- Anne Arundel County employees would also like new cars.
- Annapolis residents are petitioning the county to give them new cars as well.
- Prince George's County is always spelled out. Do not abbreviate it as PG, PG County, or PG Co.
Compound Words
Compound words formed from the prefixed below are to be used as single words without hyphens:
| ante | counter | macro | multi | pre | socio | ultra |
| anti | extra | meta | neo | pro | sub | un |
| bi | infra | micro | non | proto | super | under |
| bio | inter | mid | over | pseudo | supra | |
| co | intra | mini | post | semi |
| Exceptions | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| base word begins with the same letter that ends the prefix | use a hyphen | anti-inflammatory, semi-independent |
| prefix ends with "e" or "o" and the base word begins with the same letter | hyphen is generally omitted | coordinate, reexamine, preexisting |
| hyphen is needed to eliminate confusion between words | use a hyphen | co-op, re-create, re-cover |
| base word is normally capitalized | use a hyphen | mid-August, pseudo-Victorian, trans-Atlantic |
See the Planning Department's list of commonly used words and phrases.