USING CAPS TO REPRESENT SHOUTING

mr ploppy · 03-20-2012, 03:05 PM

I always assumed this was a fairily recent convention due to common internet use, but I've been re-reading a 1970s book that used it for that purpose. Has it been around longer than that?

anamardoll · 03-20-2012, 04:21 PM

Yech. As a reader, I hate caps shouting. A 1970s book surprises me, though -- I would have thought it was much newer than that. "Older Than They Think" trope strikes again.

gmw · 03-20-2012, 08:55 PM

Caps have been used for emphasis of one form or another for a very long time ... though I don't recall specific examples of older texts using it specifically for shouting.

I do remember John Irving using caps in "A Prayer for Owen Meany" (1989), not to indicate shouting so much as to highlight the distinctive voice of the title character (described early on as a "strangled, emphatic falsetto"). A wonderful book and the caps emphasis, I think, really worked well.

teh603 · 03-20-2012, 10:30 PM

I always use ALL CAPS for text on signs and labels, such as INSTANT DEATH PILLS - DO NOT TAKE EXTERNALLY and stuff like that. I don't use them for anything else. I don't want to be seen as shouting at the reader.

Kemp · 03-21-2012, 09:51 AM

I seem to recall a lot of all-caps shouting in the Harry Potter series, and I don't think I was particularly fond of it.

There are other ways to imply shouting or emphasis without the capitalization, such as italics, sentence tags (WITH NO ADVERBS), and other things like that. This might just be me, but I seem to think all caps is an extreme of loud shouting, as opposed to just raising one's voice.

I'd say all caps for talking are appropriate when it's, say, a chanting mob or a person trying to shout over a nearby jet engine. Otherwise it just seems a bit too apoplectic for individuals, even if they're really, really mad.

mr ploppy · 03-21-2012, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kemp

I seem to recall a lot of all-caps shouting in the Harry Potter series, and I don't think I was particularly fond of it.

There are other ways to imply shouting or emphasis without the capitalization, such as italics, sentence tags (WITH NO ADVERBS), and other things like that. This might just be me, but I seem to think all caps is an extreme of loud shouting, as opposed to just raising one's voice.

I'd say all caps for talking are appropriate when it's, say, a chanting mob or a person trying to shout over a nearby jet engine. Otherwise it just seems a bit too apoplectic for individuals, even if they're really, really mad.

I tend to agree, but I was surprised its use dated back to the late 70s (or maybe even earlier).

Penforhire · 03-21-2012, 05:31 PM

Good question. I'm thinking I saw it in comic books even before the 70's but I'm not certain. Anyone have an a 1938 Action Comics #1 (Superman) on the shelf to check?

mr ploppy · 03-21-2012, 07:09 PM

Not many comics ever used lowercase. For shouting they usually just make it bigger.

ScalyFreak · 03-21-2012, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

I do remember John Irving using caps in "A Prayer for Owen Meany" (1989), not to indicate shouting so much as to highlight the distinctive voice of the title character (described early on as a "strangled, emphatic falsetto"). A wonderful book and the caps emphasis, I think, really worked well.

Terry Pratchett has always used CAPS for whenever Death speaks in his books.

carpetmojo · 03-22-2012, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Not many comics ever used lowercase. For shouting they usually just make it bigger.

ZAP !*!
POW !!#!**!!

OUCH !??

mr ploppy · 03-22-2012, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

ZAP !*!
POW !!#!**!!

OUCH !??

I don't think they've said things like that since the 60s

VydorScope · 03-22-2012, 08:00 PM

Wikipedia says that the 1950's all caps had its modern day start with News papers using it for headlines... (Think EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!)

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03-20-2012, 03:05 PM	#1
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	USING CAPS TO REPRESENT SHOUTING I always assumed this was a fairily recent convention due to common internet use, but I've been re-reading a 1970s book that used it for that purpose. Has it been around longer than that?

03-20-2012, 04:21 PM	#2
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Yech. As a reader, I hate caps shouting. A 1970s book surprises me, though -- I would have thought it was much newer than that. "Older Than They Think" trope strikes again.

03-20-2012, 08:55 PM	#3
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	Caps have been used for emphasis of one form or another for a very long time ... though I don't recall specific examples of older texts using it specifically for shouting. I do remember John Irving using caps in "A Prayer for Owen Meany" (1989), not to indicate shouting so much as to highlight the distinctive voice of the title character (described early on as a "strangled, emphatic falsetto"). A wonderful book and the caps emphasis, I think, really worked well.

03-20-2012, 10:30 PM	#4
teh603 Autism Spectrum Disorder Posts: 1,212 Karma: 6244877 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Coastal Texas Device: Android Phone	I always use ALL CAPS for text on signs and labels, such as INSTANT DEATH PILLS - DO NOT TAKE EXTERNALLY and stuff like that. I don't use them for anything else. I don't want to be seen as shouting at the reader.

03-21-2012, 09:51 AM	#5
Kemp Zealot Posts: 106 Karma: 271834 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Minnesota Device: none	I seem to recall a lot of all-caps shouting in the Harry Potter series, and I don't think I was particularly fond of it. There are other ways to imply shouting or emphasis without the capitalization, such as italics, sentence tags (WITH NO ADVERBS), and other things like that. This might just be me, but I seem to think all caps is an extreme of loud shouting, as opposed to just raising one's voice. I'd say all caps for talking are appropriate when it's, say, a chanting mob or a person trying to shout over a nearby jet engine. Otherwise it just seems a bit too apoplectic for individuals, even if they're really, really mad.

03-21-2012, 05:31 PM	#7
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Good question. I'm thinking I saw it in comic books even before the 70's but I'm not certain. Anyone have an a 1938 Action Comics #1 (Superman) on the shelf to check?

03-21-2012, 07:09 PM	#8
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Not many comics ever used lowercase. For shouting they usually just make it bigger.

03-22-2012, 08:00 PM	#12
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Wikipedia says that the 1950's all caps had its modern day start with News papers using it for headlines... (Think EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!)

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