Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 12th Jan 2010 13:31 UTC
Every now and then on OSNews, we discuss typography and language. Despite the fact that many think it's not relevant for computing - it most certainly is. Whether you're browsing the web, reading email, or chatting over IM - the most common element on your computer screen is typography. Today, I want to discuss something we barely have in my native language: small capitals.
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Member since:2009-10-04
I agree, and I do think it's usage in early US prints (of all sorts) has made it a part of 'traditional' American English. From elementary to high school, every US history course has images with small caps - so it doesn't really strike us as jarring or foreign because we've always seen small caps (most of the time without even realizing it).
Most official US seals have small caps in some form as well (President's Seal, every State Seal, most govt. departments, academia, etc.) in places where regular lower-case just doesn't look right. "of the" just doesn't look as formal as a small "OF THE" because lower-case is puny, weak, and boring.
Most official US seals have small caps in some form as well (President's Seal, every State Seal, most govt. departments, academia, etc.) in places where regular lower-case just doesn't look right. "of the" just doesn't look as formal as a small "OF THE" because lower-case is puny, weak, and boring.
I live in the US and I haver almost never seen small caps. Admittedly, I haven't been looking out for it. But when I do notice it, it definitely does distract and annoy me.
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I agree, and I do think it's usage in early US prints (of all sorts) has made it a part of 'traditional' American English. From elementary to high school, every US history course has images with small caps - so it doesn't really strike us as jarring or foreign because we've always seen small caps (most of the time without even realizing it).
Most official US seals have small caps in some form as well (President's Seal, every State Seal, most govt. departments, academia, etc.) in places where regular lower-case just doesn't look right. "of the" just doesn't look as formal as a small "OF THE" because lower-case is puny, weak, and boring.
I do admit that when I use small caps I often find that I need to adjust the font size for it to look right sometimes, but I don't use them often enough or have such problems that I gripe and complain about it.
Edited 2010-01-12 16:45 UTC