Why capital I? SOLVED - Page 2

Chi Cygni · 11-07-2012, 06:04 PM

It is opposite in my language. We write You with capital letter as a sign of politeness and respect to the addressed person. So it would be, eg. "i would like to meet You at 5.00 pm"
When we learn English and come across the "I" we wonder about the overinflated ego indeed...
We also use "i" as single letter - it means "and". I too have to correct the autocorrect, sigh.

fjtorres · 11-07-2012, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PainMike

A shorter explanation from
Online Etymology Dictionary

Excellent site IMHO

So it comes down to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw

auntiem · 11-07-2012, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

It's so people don't think we're an Apple product.

sabredog · 11-07-2012, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Lower-case letters are a relatively recent invention. It may simply be something which pre-dates them.

Certainly are. A product of instant messaging and SMS.

sabredog · 11-07-2012, 09:55 PM

I do remember being taught why "I" is capitalised when I was in primary school (sometime way back last century)

"I" is a substitute for your name, when referring to yourself in communications (both in thought, oral and written). A person's name (given, middle and surname) starts with a capital. Thus the requirement for the "I" to be capitalised as well.

Regardless of an other explanations, this one, taught by a teacher 40 plus years ago, works well for me.

Kumabjorn · 11-08-2012, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabredog

I do remember being taught why "I" is capitalised when I was in primary school (sometime way back last century)

"I" is a substitute for your name, when referring to yourself in communications (both in thought, oral and written). A person's name (given, middle and surname) starts with a capital. Thus the requirement for the "I" to be capitalised as well.

Regardless of an other explanations, this one, taught by a teacher 40 plus years ago, works well for me.

A plausible explanation, yet sorely incomplete. You, he and she also stands as substitutes for personal names, yet the miniscule proudly initiates the word. I guess it is the inconsistency that bother me.

Dave_S · 11-08-2012, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

I guess it is the inconsistency that bother me.

You expect the English language to be consistent?

What is the audible difference between "sea" and "see", or why are there two different meanings for "saw". There are even more inconsistencies when you compare British English with American English.

Fluribus · 11-08-2012, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

A plausible explanation, yet sorely incomplete. You, he and she also stands as substitutes for personal names, yet the miniscule proudly initiates the word. I guess it is the inconsistency that bother me.

Only the dead live in total consistency.

Kumabjorn · 11-08-2012, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluribus

Only the dead live in total consistency.

That describes me to a T

PainMike · 11-08-2012, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_S

You expect the English language to be consistent?

What is the audible difference between "sea" and "see", or why are there two different meanings for "saw". There are even more inconsistencies when you compare British English with American English.

Found a few terms to put these in their own lockers

And then there is 'see-saw' which movement is followed like a miniature game of tennis

sabredog · 11-08-2012, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

A plausible explanation, yet sorely incomplete. You, he and she also stands as substitutes for personal names, yet the miniscule proudly initiates the word. I guess it is the inconsistency that bother me.

Possibly. But "I" is more of a title than "you"

Got to love English, a language full of inconsistencies!

Kumabjorn · 11-08-2012, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabredog

Possibly. But "I" is more of a title than "you"

Got to love English, a language full of inconsistencies!

Oh, absolutely. It is just with that reasoning I would expect the royal we to start with a majuscule. It doesn't, thout are a vexing language.

David Munch · 11-08-2012, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

It's so people don't think we're an Apple product.

Otherwise, we'd all get sued...

fjtorres · 11-08-2012, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_S

There are even more inconsistencies when you compare British English with American English.

Well, yeah.
But those are two different languages that just happen to sound alike.
(And often not even that.)

Tarana · 11-08-2012, 11:45 AM

I can tell you from my long-ago Latin classes at the University that capitalization was used in Ancient Rome. So, it isn't a recent thing.

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11-07-2012, 06:04 PM	#16
Chi Cygni 秋子 permanently lurking Posts: 844 Karma: 6590735 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Europe Device: Oasis 3, Pocketbook Era	It is opposite in my language. We write You with capital letter as a sign of politeness and respect to the addressed person. So it would be, eg. "i would like to meet You at 5.00 pm" When we learn English and come across the "I" we wonder about the overinflated ego indeed... We also use "i" as single letter - it means "and". I too have to correct the autocorrect, sigh.

11-07-2012, 09:55 PM	#20
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,630 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	I do remember being taught why "I" is capitalised when I was in primary school (sometime way back last century) "I" is a substitute for your name, when referring to yourself in communications (both in thought, oral and written). A person's name (given, middle and surname) starts with a capital. Thus the requirement for the "I" to be capitalised as well. Regardless of an other explanations, this one, taught by a teacher 40 plus years ago, works well for me.

11-08-2012, 11:45 AM	#30
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,061 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	I can tell you from my long-ago Latin classes at the University that capitalization was used in Ancient Rome. So, it isn't a recent thing.