Category: Formatting Tips

To Cap or Not to Cap: Honorifics

To Cap or Not to Cap: Honorifics

Revised as of 28 May 2021 It’s a question of capitalization — and the number of Sirs I see capped in text drives me up the wall, scratching and clawing, snarling and biting. And, no, the capped Sir is not the only problem child. To be honest, it makes sense for the most part that most authors confuse some of them, but there are too many others that just make me want to tear my hair out!! So, a bit of background first. An Honorific is . . . First, an honorific is how people address one another. It’s the generic title, the title of a profession, of military rank, of inherited nobility or a ruler, a civil title, one of endearment, of a personal title. Adjective: (of an office or position) given as a mark of respect, but having few or no duties. Denoting a form of address showing high status, politeness, or respect An honorific title for addressing women Noun: a title or word implying or expressing high status, politeness, or respect And my explanation still hasn’t helped, has it? Not to worry, the table below should take away the mystery. While there are always exceptions, a good […]