Chapter+7+Spelling+and+Unique+Treatment+of+Words

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Chapter 7: Spelling and Unique Treatment of Words
TABLE OF CONTENTS

7.1 The Chicago Manual of Style 7.2 Converting Capital Letters, Abbreviations and Numerals Used as Nouns into Plurals. 7.3Hyphenating Initials 7.4Capitalizing Professional Titles 7.5Capitalizing Regional Terms


 * INTRODUCTION**

This chapter will illustrate why __The Chicago Manual of Style__ is a comprehensive tool for researching the complex topic of Spelling and Unique Treatment of Words. Some examples will be given of spelling, capitalization, and hyphenation issues posted by students during the course of their work in the PTC 624 seminar.

**7.1** **__The Chicago Manual of Style__** Chicago recommends using Webster’s Third New International Dictionary and its chief abridgment, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. The Manual also recommends that if more than one spelling or form of plural is given, writers should opt for the first form listed for consistency. “If, the Collegiate disagrees with the Third International, the Collegiate should be followed, since it represents the latest lexical research” ( Chicago 7.1).

Chicago also recommends that the writer should first consult a dictionary to determine if compound terms should be hyphenated, spelled as out as multiple words, or closed up into single words (7.90). The Manual notes, though, that “writers and editors are bound to make their own exceptions according to context or personal taste” (7.90).

Sections 7.82 – 7.90 of Chicago offers an extensive treatment of issues such as spelling, foreign words, compound terms, and hyphenation. Section 7.90, “Hyphenation Guide for Compounds, Combining Formsand Prefixes” is a quick, clear, and useful reference tool.

**7.2** **Converting Capital Letters, Abbreviations and Numerals Used as Nouns into Plurals** “Capital letters used as words, abbreviations that contain no interior periods, and numerals used as nouns form the plural by adding the letter ‘s’” (Chicago 7.15).


 * ** Before Editing ** || ** After Editing ** ||
 * The most common misconception is that editors are merely proofreaders there to ensure that all the i's are dotted, t's are crossed, and commas in the correct place (Emila Serna). || The most common misconception is that editors are merely proofreaders there to ensure that all the Is are dotted, Ts are crossed, and commas in the correct place (Emily Serna). ||
 * We lived in New York during the 1980’s. || We lived in New York during the 1980s. ||
 * Please include the URL’s in your citations. || Please include the URLs in your citations ||

**7.3 Hyphenating Initials** “Initials standing for a hyphenated French name should. . . be hyphenated” (Chicago 8.11).


 * ** Before Editing ** || ** After Editing ** ||
 * Jean-Paul Sartre was a leading 20th century French philosopher, screenwriter, novelist, and critic (Orna). || J.-P. Sartre was a leading 20th century French philosopher, screenwriter, novelist, and critic (Orna). ||

**7.4** **Capitalizing Professional Titles** “Civil, military, religious, and professional titles are capitalized when they immediately precede a personal name and are. . . used as part of the name (usually replacing the title holder’s first name). Titles are normally lowercased when following a name or used in place of a name” (Chicago 8.21).


 * ** Before Editing ** || ** After Editing ** ||
 * Please email your query about the Punctuation topic in the MSPTC Editing Guide to Professor Elliot. The Professor, whose students originally created the guide for PTC-624, will be glad to elaborate on this subject (Orna). || Please email your query about the Punctuation topic in the MSPTC Editing Guide to Professor Elliot. The professor, whose students originally created the guide for PTC-624, will be glad to elaborate on the subject (Orna). ||

**7.5 Capitalizing Regional Terms** “Regional terms (often based on points of the compass) that are accepted as proper names but do not normally appear on maps are usually capitalized. Adjectives and nouns derived from such terms, however, are usually lowercased” (Chicago 8.49).


 * ** Before Editing ** || ** After Editing ** ||
 * The midwest chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association Inc. has created a respite program (Michele Seugling). || The Midwest chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association Inc. has created a respite program (Michele Seugling). ||

Source: __The Chicago Manual Online__, Chapter 7, Spelling, Distinctive Treatment of Words, and Compounds

For more information: See Joseph Gibaldi’s __MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers__ for brief and useful guidelines for spelling (consistency, word division, plurals and foreign words) (3.11 – 3.1.4).

Gibaldi, Joseph. __MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers__. 6th ed. New York: MLA, 2003.
 * Works Cited **

__ The Chicago Manual of Style Online __. 15th Ed. Chicago: U Chicago P, 2007. January 28-31, 2008 [|http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/ home.html].