Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related Grammar: Capitalization of terms of endearment

Hi Grammar-FoLCs

Here's a question I haven't been able to solve using the various grammar-sites out there.

When you're using a term of endearment in direct speech, is it upper case or lower case. Some sources claim it should be lowercase unless it's an actual nickname, others... don't.

So, does anyone know the hard facts and rules behind this conundrum?

Many thanks, Michael

Technically, I think it's supposed to be upper case and that was certainly the norm several years back.

Nowadays, the convention seems to have changed to lower case and certainly that's what most authors use these days, I think. To the extent that if I now see a capital it looks odd to me - whether it's grammatically correct or not. Just because it's now a rarity and something I don't often see.

As far as Archive policy goes - regardless of the technical correctness of either form, whichever that might be - we'll accept either and leave it to the author to choose. All we'd ask is consistency - use one of the other throughout your story and don't switch between the two.

LabRat

The way I usually do it is lower-case for indirect address ("He's my honey."), and upper-case for direct address ("Come here, Honey.").

Unless it's a name - or nickname - it should be lower-case. You wouldn't write Love or Dear or Sweetheart, so equally you wouldn't write Honey - unless it's actually someone's name.

Mum/Mom, Dad, Uncle, Grandma... all capitalised because they stand in place of names. Endearments not; it's as straightforward as that

Wendy

So... is this right?

"Come over here and look at this, honey," Clark called.

"You know better than to ask for a raise, darlin'," Perry told Lois.

I'm trying to think of the context... Perry was talking to Alice...

"Let me get that for you, Sugar," he said taking the plate from her.

What we had talked about - dunno if it's right or wrong - was that this is a specific nickname in this sense not a term of endearment - she's the only he calls that and he uses it like you'd call James Olsen Jimmy or Jim.

Does that make sense? And is it right?

Carol

I'd still keep 'sugar' in lower-case, because to me it's not a nickname but an endearment. Contrast it with Farmboy or Spaceman, both of which are obvious nicknames.

- Wendy

I think specific nicknames should be capitalized and endearments should not be. But I also think that while an endearment may be common (like sugar) it can also be a specific nickname. For instances, my Dad called me "Baby Girl" (he didn't call anyone else "Baby Girl") till the day before he died. I consider that a specific nickname, but other people could use it as an endearment only.

Thanks, every one FoLCs are great

So, basically, that's the way it's nowadays?

Nigel to Luthor: Very well, Sir.
Lois to Perry: Sure, Chief.
Perry to Lois: Be careful, darlin'.
Clark to Lois: I love you, honey.
Lois to Clark: I, too, Farm Boy.
Jonathan to Clark: Welcome home, Son.

Michael

I wouldn't capitalise either 'sir' or 'son'. They're not names or nicknames. Oddly enough, 'sir' is a title, of sorts, but it's not treated in the same way as, say, Doctor or Captain when used as forms of address.


- Wendy