• FavouriteShapes@sh.itjust.works
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    5 hours ago

    checks definition of a proper noun

    A proper noun is a specific (i.e., not generic) name for a particular person, place, or thing.

    😯 Tumblr user is right!

    also kind of embarrassed that I had to Google the definition to double check, because:

    I’ve been doing a course on “Foundations of Writing”, inspired by the historical school syllabus The Trivium once used across Europe.

    It explores the rigid - but generally unwritten - rules of how the English language works, so among them was that definition of when to capitalise words. I found that particular fascinating because when I learned it at school it was just explained as “names of places people or things” which isn’t significantly more simple than the afforementioned, correct definition.

    So by that modern-school rule, one would perhaps assume the name of species names (or nationality names) falls under the capitalisation rule - but alas, no!