Why Are So Many Thread Titles Capitalised Like This?

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SonicWaffle

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smeghead25 said:
This Post Is Your Answer

It's becuase they're thread titles. Plus it looks better and more professional than a title like this:

This post is your answer

If it's not capitalised I generally steer clear unless I'm reeeeeally interested in the topic because otherwise I know the opening post will be awfully constructed and the spelling will be so irritating that Hitlol of the Spelling & Grammar Nazi's will fight his way out and into the forums to eliminate the Jews-y spelling and grammar errors.
I take the opposite view. Generally, if someone has bothered to capitalize every word of a thread title, I get a sinking feeling that their posts will be lacking in punctuation, overburdened with random capitals, and often laid out so poorly I'm not sure what they're trying to say. Too many people do it to attract attention or because throwing in random capitals is "their style".

So, with regards to your example up the top there, i'd be more likely to click on the second thread title, because I feel that looks more professional. Yes, with a book or whatever the capitals looks slightly more professional, but capitalizing every letter of a thread title looks like it's been written by someone Who Wants To Place Odd Emphasis Everywhere Instead Of On Important Words. Plus, it's just harder to read, considering that a thread title (as opposed to a book etc) is often simply a sentence, which traditonally only had a capital at the start.

Though I am intrigued by your ideas about Hitlol. Do you have any pamphlets or further reading materials available?
 

Hawgh

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In English, titles have all words except adverbs (I think) capitalised. That's just how it rolls. In some languages, e.g. Danish, only the initial word is capitalised.
 

smeghead25

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SonicWaffle said:
Though I am intrigued by your ideas about Hitlol. Do you have any pamphlets or further reading materials available?
Sadly not. He's just an alter-ego I pull out of [redacted] whenever I cross the line from irritation to agonising mental pain.

A few missteaks every now and then is fine. but ryting n txt spk or splling things rong and not using punctuation at least a little bit well thats just plain annoys me its like there not paying ne attention 2 wot their trying to say and completing ignoring the fact tht sum ppl mite have trble understanding what ther sayin

Gah, after writing that I feel somewhat soiled...
 

SonicWaffle

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smeghead25 said:
A few missteaks every now and then is fine. but ryting n txt spk or splling things rong and not using punctuation at least a little bit well thats just plain annoys me its like there not paying ne attention 2 wot their trying to say and completing ignoring the fact tht sum ppl mite have trble understanding what ther sayin

Gah, after writing that I feel somewhat soiled...
YOU feel soiled? I think my eyes are bleeding...
 

Exia91

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SonicWaffle said:
I keep seeing this, and it strikes me as odd. Capitals go at the start of a sentence, or can be used for ANGRY ALL CAPS RAAARGH but starting every word with a capital is...strange. I don't know why it bugs me, it just does. That is pretty much all. There's really no discussion value there, so let's have something totally ridiculous;

Can you get your legs behind your head? And if so, how did you discover this and why, you sick pervert? I bet it was something weird.

Also, and totally unrelated to me making this topic, I registered on the forums one year ago today. Happy birthday to me!
Hm, I know the "Contributers" to The Escapist capitalize there Nouns. That is how I recognize their work.
Now what you did strikes me as odd, also capitalizing the 'grammatical' words - the words that keep the sentence understandable - like: so, and, the, one, he/she it.
Now I do not mind people doing that, but there is no use or logical explanation; why they should do so?. Just a way of preferred writing that adds nothing what so ever.
Now what BOTHERS me most about using caps is the fact that I often see people, here on the Escapist, making entire threads or comments with each word capitalized. Now that is a waste of my time and Often I cannot be bothered to even read it. Learn to type properly :)
 

nondescript

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You see it on book titles (e.g "Curious George Visits The Web Forum") and song titles. ("You're So Vain [You Probably Think This Blog Is About You"]) So it happens in good english, and it happens here. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe they hope they're forum posting will be a hit single.





I spek engrish rely gud
 

strobe

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I think countries of origin matter to this argument as perhaps it is an american or non-language-inventing countries thing. I have never been told to capitalise titles in such a way. The way people are spelling "capitalise" could maybe tell you something.

I'm British from Britain and I was taught to only use capital letters for the first letters of proper nouns, the first letters of the first word in a sentence and acronyms. I agree with this although I sometimes use One capital letter for emphasis (as shown).

What's really important is efficient communication and the capitalisation of a title doesn't really affect this.

PS American is an adjective therefore no capital. That's right, I think.
 

John the Gamer

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It's Obviously To Draw Your Attention To The Thread. You See, Because It Isn't How Proper English Sentences Are Supposed To Be You Will Notice It Sooner. It's An Sort Of Clever Marketing Sceme Or Something. O, and no, I can't put my legs behind my head. And I don't see any use in it either.
 

ajemas

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It is just how titles work. If you read any movie or book title, you will see the same thing. Also, the official Escapist news stories capitalize it in the same way, so many are just going with the flow.
I can actually put both legs behind my head and walk on my hands. It's nothing perverted, I was just watching TV and saw somebody else to it. I said to myself "Hey, that doesn't look so hard" and discovered this talent. It's a cool party trick.
 

SalamanderJoe

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Well its a title, like a film or game. I mean Call of duty: modern warfare looks wrong without capital letters. It's basic puncuation.
 

DustyDrB

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I title my threads like that because that's how titles are supposed to be done.

And I can put both my legs behind my head. I try not to let people know this in real life (unless I'm being stupid or drunk or stupid drunk), because then they want a demonstration. But once you get that second leg up, you have nothing holding your body up and you just fall over and look silly.

Also, I'm coming out with a fiction book which is based on myself. It will be titled The Gumby Man Fell Over.
 

Duruznik

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What? What does correct grammar have to do with self-importance? It's just that some people like to write titles correctly. It's not like if you don't capitalise your titles, you'll get mocked or anything. It's just a matter of preference.
 

Queen Michael

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I can get my leg behind my head, but it's unpleasant, so I don't do it unless I have to.