A matter of gramatical correctness

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:13 pm

Okay, here's something I've been wondering about. Why do we capitalise the names of the species in Trek? We don't capitalise the names of any real life species when written, so why do we capitalise klingon and romulan and jem'hadar? We don't capitalise humans or dogs or sharks, so why the aliens?

mlsnoopy · Post by **mlsnoopy** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:29 pm

Do you capitalise diffrent nations.

Reliant121 · Post by **Reliant121** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:41 pm

Because the Romulans (note capitalization) are sentient species. monkeys are not.

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:52 pm

Do you capitalise diffrent nations.

Of course, and that would be fine when refering to citizens of, say, the Romulan Empire. In that case they would indeed be Romulans (with capital letter). However, when talking of a race that does not have it's own country, or when simply talking of the species itself, there should be no capitalisation. Eg, it should be 'andorians', not 'Andorians'.

Because the Romulans (note capitalization) are sentient species. monkeys are not.

No one capitalises 'humans', even though they're sentient.

mlsnoopy · Post by **mlsnoopy** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:59 pm

However, when talking of a race that does not have it's own country, or when simply talking of the species itself, there should be no capitalisation. Eg, it should be 'andorians', not 'Andorians'.

You know that gramatic changes. And at some point Andorians had their own "country".

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:03 pm

You know that gramatic changes.

So? I'm not talking about Trek people capitalising them (though I don't think I've ever seen them do so), it's about us, the members of the board, capitalising them.

And at some point Andorians had their own country.

Irrelevent. I'm talking about the species, which should not have a capital letter any more than human should have a capital letter.

Blackstar the Chakat · Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:08 pm

Rochey wrote:
Because the Romulans (note capitalization) are sentient species. monkeys are not.
No one capitalises 'humans', even though they're sentient.

Some might question that

Post by **Captain Seafort** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:16 pm

Rochey wrote:
And at some point Andorians had their own country.
Irrelevent. I'm talking about the species, which should not have a capital letter any more than human should have a capital letter.

It depends how you look at it - when you discuss Romulans, for example, are you talking about them as a species, or as nationals of the Romulan Star Empire? Most species are refered to not by a specific species name, but by reference to their planet of origin, and planets are generally spelt with a cpaital letter.

mlsnoopy · Post by **mlsnoopy** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:20 pm

Irrelevent. I'm talking about the species, which should not have a capital letter any more than human should have a capital letter.

it must be do becuse We think abnaut tahm as a natione.

sunnyside · Post by **sunnyside** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:30 pm

We capitalize human races.

I.e Serbs, Albanians, Han, Inuit

So it seems to make sense we'd capitalize alien races even if we aren't refering to them as citizens of a racial nation.

Reliant121 · Post by **Reliant121** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:30 pm

And i capitalize Human.

Post by **Mikey** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:52 pm

I capitalize "Elbow." But I suppose that's not relevant.

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:24 pm

I know that they warrent a capital letter if you're talking about the citizens of the nations themselves.
My point is about the species themselves. For example:
"We know that klingons are stronger than humans."
Neither refers to a nation, or the citizens of said nations. What it refers to is the creature itself, and so should not gain a capital letter. Correct?

sunnyside · Post by **sunnyside** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:48 pm

Well like I said I think it comes from the current practice of capitalizing race and ethnicities. This is separate from nationalities.

For example a Han has a different eye structure from a Slav in the same way a Vulcan has a different ear structure compared to a Klingon. Similar use of caps.

Post by **Mikey** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:30 am

That makes sense. What doesn't fit by Rochey's estimation is that we don't currently capitalize "human." However, that may be attributed to the fact that right now, we don't really have any other sentient species from which to distinguish ourselves. If that is a reason we accept in 'Trek, however, than he is right in assuming that "Human" should be capitalized along with "Klingon," "Vulcan," et. al.