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Stu W
Stu W
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Azor's answer is thorough. I'll just add a few things:

  1. There may be differences regionally. Saying "the Deep South" is a relatively obvious proper noun to an American and thus capitalized, but perhaps not other native English speakers would know this. There may also be differences within categories such as a pope pope versus the Pope. Pope. And yet some would capitalize Pope under any circumstances. Because of these variations, capitalization rules can be considered a function of style. A good style guide such asThe Chicago Manual of Style can be used to give the writer a consistent set of rules.

  2. There are languages without case, such as Hebrew, that make no effort to distinguish the difference. To make it even more ambiguous, Hebrew lacks the articles a and an.

Having said that, my answer is: there is no consensus. The distinction between proper and common nouns is dependent upon the language, regional and cultural factors, and stylistic concerns. A style guide consistent within the language and region you are publishing in can direct you in a consistent way.

Azor's answer is thorough. I'll just add a few things:

  1. There may be differences regionally. Saying "the Deep South" is a relatively obvious proper noun to an American and thus capitalized, but perhaps not other native English speakers would know this. There may also be differences within categories such as a pope versus the Pope. And yet some would capitalize Pope under any circumstances. Because of these variations, capitalization rules can be considered a function of style. A good style guide such asThe Chicago Manual of Style can be used to give the writer a consistent set of rules.

  2. There are languages without case, such as Hebrew, that make no effort to distinguish the difference. To make it even more ambiguous, Hebrew lacks the articles a and an.

Having said that, my answer is: there is no consensus. The distinction between proper and common nouns is dependent upon the language, regional and cultural factors, and stylistic concerns. A style guide consistent within the language and region you are publishing in can direct you in a consistent way.

Azor's answer is thorough. I'll just add a few things:

  1. There may be differences regionally. Saying "the Deep South" is a relatively obvious proper noun to an American and thus capitalized, but perhaps not other native English speakers would know this. There may also be differences within categories such as a pope versus the Pope. And yet some would capitalize Pope under any circumstances. Because of these variations, capitalization rules can be considered a function of style. A good style guide such asThe Chicago Manual of Style can be used to give the writer a consistent set of rules.

  2. There are languages without case, such as Hebrew, that make no effort to distinguish the difference. To make it even more ambiguous, Hebrew lacks the articles a and an.

Having said that, my answer is: there is no consensus. The distinction between proper and common nouns is dependent upon the language, regional and cultural factors, and stylistic concerns. A style guide within the language and region you are publishing in can direct you in a consistent way.

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Stu W
Stu W
  • 7.2k
  • 5
  • 25
  • 40

Azor's answer is thorough. I'll just add a few things:

  1. There may be differences regionally. Saying "the Deep South" is a relatively obvious proper noun to an American and thus capitalized, but perhaps not other native English speakers would know this. There may also be differences within categories such as a pope versus the Pope. And yet some would capitalize Pope under any circumstances. Because of these variations, capitalization rules can be considered a function of style. A good style guide such asThe Chicago Manual of Style can be used to give the writer a consistent set of rules.

  2. There are languages without case, such as Hebrew, that make no effort to distinguish the difference. To make it even more ambiguous, Hebrew lacks the articles a and an.

Having said that, my answer is: there is no consensus. The distinction between proper and common nouns is dependent upon the language, regional and cultural factors, and stylistic concerns. A style guide consistent within the language and region you are publishing in can direct you in a consistent way.