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I would not capitalize it, but if your feeling of reverence gets the best of you, make sure you're at least consistent in your choice!
(Seriously though, the capital would really irritate me. I'd purge 'em.)
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+vincent -dot- latella=saic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+vincent -dot- latella=saic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Gene Kim-Eng
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 3:12 PM
To: Technical Writing
Subject: Re: The Instrument? The instrument?
This is a common and rather bad habit of engineers
who write documents. Engineers universally overuse
capitalization. I think it's the result of having to use
all-caps in the notes in engineering drawings and
titles.
Gene Kim-Eng
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Allison" <maker -at- verizon -dot- net>
> If youâ?Tve worked on anything that refers to a hardware thingy by
> both
> its clunky formal name and by the phrase â?othe instrument,â?? do you
> capitalize â?oinstrumentâ???
>
> The manual I've inherited does. The phrase has a homey, old-timey,
> reverential feel. Seems as if maybe I should bow my head every time I
> read it.
>
> Does it strike you as an outdated convention? Would you capitalize
> it?
> Iâ?Tm dying to knock down the caps but want a to hear others'
> opinions.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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