Capitalization

To Capitalise or Not – That Is the Question

Is it Sir or is it sir? Is it Professor or is it professor? Potions or potions? There seems to be some confusion when something demands capitalisation and when it doesn’t.

A few examples of correct capitalisation of these words are shown in the following example:

Dear Sir,

I am ecstatic to find you alive, and I am very pleased to see you have entered the publishing business.

I have spent the last two years writing my account of the aftermath of the last war in the hope to share it with the wizarding world. Please find below an excerpt for your consideration.

Harry had never felt so devastated. “No, sir!” he shouted. “I never intended the Horcrux to come to life! Hermione was in the process of destroying it, and when she ran into problems, I joined her, intending to action our plan.”

The professor looked at him with an entirely unimpressed expression. “Are you saying you were not aware this was a particularly Spelled Horcrux? And are you saying Sir Lucius had no part in this?”

Harry gasped. “Sir Lucius?”

“Yes, Potter. Lucius has been knighted by the Queen of England for—” Snape’s voice turned to a sneer—”services rendered for the benefit of humankind.”

I hope you will consider reading the enclosed manuscript and thank you for consideration.

Yours faithfully, Hermione J Granger

Let’s start with the word “sir”. Sir is capitalised when used as address in a letter, as shown above with the opening of Dear Sir. When it’s used in dialogue, e.g. “No, sir!” it is not capitalised. The exception to this is the honorary title, such as a knighthood bequeathed upon someone by the Queen of England, then Sir as well as Lady are capitalised. If sir (or madam or miss) simply reflects respectful manners (“Yes, miss.”), treat it like you would pet names (“sweetheart”, “honey”, “love”), which are never capitalised.

Similar rules apply to titles in general, such as “Professor”. If used as a title, honorary or earned, it is capitalised: “Yes, Professor.” However, if the term refers to the profession, it is not capitalised: “Professor Snape is a Potions professor, in case you’ve forgotten, sir.”

Examples

I went to the professor’s class.
--professor not capitalized b/c it’s just a common noun (the teacher’s class, the student’s desk)

I went to Professor Snape’s class.
--capped here because it’s part of his name now

I went to the Potions master’s class.
--not capped because master is just another name for teacher / professor. The class title only is capped.

“Come here, miss,” the elf said.
--not capped because it’s only polite address

“Come here, Miss Granger,” Snape said.
--capped because it’s part of her name now

“Come here, honey,” Snape said.
--terms of endearment are not capped

“Yes, Professor,” said Hermione.
--capped because it’s in direct address

“Go to the hospital wing with Ferret Boy to see if all’s well.”
--we would captialize Ferret Boy here because it’s being used as a proper name (nickname)

“Go see what that ferret is up to.”
--not capped here, not being used as a proper name

Written by ladyinthecloak for The Petulant Poetess 8 April 2008.