Which Words Should Start With Capitals? ....

[The Builder]

Discussion in the pub last night.

Which words in this sentence should begin with a capital letter ...........

"The commanding officer asked the flying officer if he had seen the commander."

Not a trick question. The chap would really like to know, but there were varying opinions.

[Quizmonster]

The Builder, thanks for your kind words. Even now, TV programmes, books and films with military settings constantly surprise me with the silly inaccuracies of their presentation of relevant situations.
For instance, the writer, director etc often seem utterly unaware of just who addresses whom as ‘Sir’ and who doesn’t. Saluting procedure is pretty-well set down in real military life, but they appear to know nothing about it. These are just two of many silly little instances where - rather than counting on an editor who may have no relevant experience either - paying an ex-squaddie a few quid to advise them would avoid such errors.
I mention this simply as a bit of advice for your writer friend…if he has no military experience himself but his novel involves a military setting at some point, get him to ask someone who does have such experience to vet what he has written.
Of course, 90-odd percent of viewers/readers have no idea mistakes have been made anyway, so perhaps it doesn’t matter, but they do annoy people who do know! Cheers

[The Builder]

I do take QM's point on informed opinion as opposed to simply opinion. Because of the common usage element, we could have a separate discussion as to just what constitutes "informed" opinion.

But let's not. (It's Ok. Oliver Kamm in his "pedantry" column in The Times, says it's kosher to start a sentence with a conjunction.) ;o)

Interesting subject. All possible views between those of QM and Khandro.

Bednobs, He's not self-publishing, so that's a good point about an editor. I look forward to seeing what the editor thinks.

[The Builder]

^^^ cross-posted, QM.

I think he may well have military experience, just in the rank and file I think.
Thanks again.

[237SJ]

I would say that the Flying Officer are the only words which should start with capitols as FO is a title.

[237SJ]

*capital*

[Khandro]

It doesn't matter a damn what the military thinks of themselves, we are talking about the English language.
I get also *** off with people with some piddling MA, who think because of it, they should be referred to by everyone as 'Doctor'.

[Quizmonster]

Giving capital letters to military and police ranks and appointments IS a standard convention of the English language as a whole and not just when the language is used such people themselves. It applies to other professions, too. Consequently, it has nothing whatsoever to do with what any such professionals "think of themselves".
Consider:
"Earlier today, detective chief superintendent Smithers said at the news conference that..."
Have you ever, anywhere, read such a sentence; namely, one where the third, fourth and fifth words were in lower case?

As regards people with ideas above their station, I have to say that I know many people with an MA degree...I even have one myself!...and I have never in my life heard a single one of them claim the title of 'Doctor'.

[Peter Pedant]

depends on the 'house style'

that is the habits of the printer printing the document and the public readership.

Flying Officer News - definitely
Pongos go to War Quarterly - perhaps not

The MoH ( DHSS ) fell out of love with the Royal Colleges and they became royal colleges ( altho one, such as Physicians WOULD be in caps ) and then when they needed them, capitals were restored.
voila

I referred to ministries such as health and employment
Mandarins didnt like it much

The GMC refers to itself as the Regulator but we all used to refer to it as .....

[Peter Pedant]

// and I have never in my life heard a single one of them claim the title of 'Doctor'.//

bit confused there: I have never ever seen anyhone refer to themselves or someone else as

doctor Quizmaster

that is small d for Doctor and capital q for the surname

In Law reports the judges are always referred to as Judges
and yes indeed they are aware of their fall in status

[Khandro]

QM; I think you are correct and my earlier post was wrong - though not about people calling themselves "Dr".
I just looked at my maternal grandfather's WW1 medals and the issue was avoided by using only upper case letters; stamped on the edge it reads, CPR. H. LAWRENCE. MANCH. R.

[zebo]

Away from the military though, in a school one refers to the Head and Deputy Head, s they are specific people.

[Peter Pedant]

kh - MAs shouldnt call themselves 'Dr'
Ph D's can and do because erm they are ( doctors, of philosophy )

This is a different subject of "protected names"

Doctors of knitting technology can say they have a doctorate
but should not say they are a doctor as that is taken to be saying they are a medical practitioner when they arent

This was MUCH clearer until a few years ago when the GMC clarified things by calling medical practitioners, doctors in its own pubiications altho clearly PhDs are excluded ( altho they are doctors of philosophy ) .

'midwife' is a protected term and should not be used for anyone who gets their hands dirty during a birth but for someone who has done recognised obs training, but paediatrician, anaesthetist is not.

veterinary surgeon definitely is, but I am not sure if surgeon is.

but you're right - Dr Paisley - demagogue and Irish Patriot awarded himself his own doctorate in Theology didnt he ? ( bless ! )

[waterboatman]

Commanding, Officer, Flying, Commander, as they are all ranks, so the initial letter should be capitalised. As well, of course, the first word of a sentence.

[waterboatman]

Also proper names.

[dannyk13]

IMO Commanding officer is not a rank per se, the rank of a CO can vary from a captain to a colonel.

[Quizmonster]

I'm not sure why you're confused, PP. I simply said that I had never in my life heard anyone I knew to have a Master's degree referring to him/herself as 'Doctor'. Khandro's experience clearly differs.
On the other hand, anyone with a degree including the single letter 'D' at the start or end of it is entitled to be called 'Doctor'...thus PhD, DLitt and so forth...for the simple reason that the D stands for Doctor!

[Khandro]

Here in Germany "Doctors" abound. I've even come across a Dr (Something) von Hohenzollern, I mean you would think a name like that would have sufficient gloss on its own.
Incidentally, as you probably know, all nouns must have a capital.

[Khandro]

^ in German.

[Prudie]

I have also never heard anyone with a masters calling themselves Doctor. As for what the military thinks of itself and the English language, these words are in the language solely because of the military not the other way round.
I thought most of us have agreed on this thread that the answer is based on common usage rather what you find in a grammar textbook.