Comments on: Dear Mr. Hitchens and Newsweek http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/ Sometime editor, all-the-time mother, delivering facts, reviews, commentary, and rants. Occasionally in that order. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:47:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: lifepundit http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-633242 lifepundit Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:56:08 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/#comment-633242 I don't capitalize satan on purpose, not because I don't believe in the existence of active evil, but because he's a loser. Eventually. Since you're a style expert I won't look it up, but I often struggle with possessives that end in "s." I was taught a simple and apparently incorrect rule in grammar school that if a word ended with an "s" it didn't get an "'s" tacked on. I have to refresh my memory on this (too) often, and always get a kick out of I think it is the A.P. Stylebook (could be an old NYT stylebook I have) that says the rule doesn't apply to Jesus because he is, after all, Jesus. I don’t capitalize satan on purpose, not because I don’t believe in the existence of active evil, but because he’s a loser. Eventually.

Since you’re a style expert I won’t look it up, but I often struggle with possessives that end in “s.” I was taught a simple and apparently incorrect rule in grammar school that if a word ended with an “s” it didn’t get an “’s” tacked on. I have to refresh my memory on this (too) often, and always get a kick out of I think it is the A.P. Stylebook (could be an old NYT stylebook I have) that says the rule doesn’t apply to Jesus because he is, after all, Jesus.

]]> By: Craig McCarthy http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-627537 Craig McCarthy Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:32:59 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/#comment-627537 I agree Hitchens is being cute. Mickey Mouse, a fictional being, is properly capitalized, while the word "mouse" is not a proper noun. Hitchens knows that, but intentionally uses his writing to set the status of God somewhere below that of a fictional mouse. He does that for one of two reasons, I imagine; either because he likes sticking his finger in the eye of a believing reader, metaphorically, or else he is daring God to take notice of him and prove him (Hitchens) wrong. Experience leads me suspect it is the latter. I agree Hitchens is being cute. Mickey Mouse, a fictional being, is properly capitalized, while the word “mouse” is not a proper noun. Hitchens knows that, but intentionally uses his writing to set the status of God somewhere below that of a fictional mouse. He does that for one of two reasons, I imagine; either because he likes sticking his finger in the eye of a believing reader, metaphorically, or else he is daring God to take notice of him and prove him (Hitchens) wrong. Experience leads me suspect it is the latter.

]]> By: AndrewGurn http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-627484 AndrewGurn Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:52:52 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/#comment-627484 Why do you even care? :/ Why do you even care? :/

]]> By: Terry Notus http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-626698 Terry Notus Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:33:58 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/#comment-626698 Anwyn, I saw definition #1 and that is obviously would be the most conventional usage. I think the bottom line is Hitchens want to make a point, namely that he does not venerate god/God. Do you go to bed at night cursing e.e. cummings? ;-) Or how about referring to Obama as He/Him? It makes a point succintly and gives me a chuckle. I think the Queen's English will survive. Anwyn,
I saw definition #1 and that is obviously would be the most conventional usage. I think the bottom line is Hitchens want to make a point, namely that he does not venerate god/God. Do you go to bed at night cursing e.e. cummings? ;-) Or how about referring to Obama as He/Him? It makes a point succintly and gives me a chuckle. I think the Queen’s English will survive.

]]> By: Ronsonic http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-626594 Ronsonic Mon, 12 Jan 2009 03:16:56 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/#comment-626594 Sorry Terry, in this case "God" is a proper noun and as such capitalized. Unless you'd prefer the more formal "I am Who am." Which would also get capitalized Sorry Terry, in this case “God” is a proper noun and as such capitalized. Unless you’d prefer the more formal “I am Who am.” Which would also get capitalized

]]> By: Anwyn http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-626315 Anwyn Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:39:39 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/#comment-626315 The definition I refer to is at #1 in your linked list. While "god" is appropriate to refer to any one of several gods, as you note, those gods almost always have another proper name by which we know which specific god is being discussed--Zeus or Mars, for example. While God has other proper names, such as Jehovah, he is most commonly referred to as God and that word, capitalized, is most commonly understood to refer to the deity of Judaism and Christianity. Hitchens's usage was clearly referring to the deity of Judaism and Christianity; therefore the proper noun is appropriate, not the common noun. It is not matter of religion; it is a matter of grammatical usage. The definition I refer to is at #1 in your linked list. While “god” is appropriate to refer to any one of several gods, as you note, those gods almost always have another proper name by which we know which specific god is being discussed–Zeus or Mars, for example. While God has other proper names, such as Jehovah, he is most commonly referred to as God and that word, capitalized, is most commonly understood to refer to the deity of Judaism and Christianity.

Hitchens’s usage was clearly referring to the deity of Judaism and Christianity; therefore the proper noun is appropriate, not the common noun. It is not matter of religion; it is a matter of grammatical usage.

]]> By: Terry Notus http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-626192 Terry Notus Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:57:36 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/#comment-626192 According to dictionary.com, it is appropriate to use the lowercase. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/god 3. (lowercase) one of several deities, esp. a male deity, presiding over some portion of worldly affairs. To you, the Christian God is probably not "one of several" but to Hitchens, He is. According to dictionary.com, it is appropriate to use the lowercase.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/god
3. (lowercase) one of several deities, esp. a male deity, presiding over some portion of worldly affairs.

To you, the Christian God is probably not “one of several” but to Hitchens, He is.

]]> By: Xrlq http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/comment-page-1/#comment-625413 Xrlq Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:26:05 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2009/01/10/dear-mr-hitchens-and-newsweek/#comment-625413 Amen to that, I think. Sorry, that's about as committal as we agnostics can be about anything touching on theology. Seriously, though, if FoxNews can't bring themselves to accurately report a story in which a British citizen dialed <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article5420921.ece" rel="nofollow">999</a> (which should have saved his life, and would have done if the scum paramedics had done their jobs) rather than falsely claiming he dialed <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,474454,00.html" rel="nofollow">911</a> (which would have been the thing to do here, but would have accomplished nothing in Britain), you'd think that Newspeak could at least edit out Hitchens's annoying use of the lower case for a proper name. The one exception would be in citing the title of Hitchens's book, where the irregular capitalization is arguably a significant part of the title (though apparently not significant enough for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Not-Great-Religion-Everything/dp/0446579807" rel="nofollow">Amazon</a> to follow suit). Amen to that, I think. Sorry, that’s about as committal as we agnostics can be about anything touching on theology. Seriously, though, if FoxNews can’t bring themselves to accurately report a story in which a British citizen dialed 999 (which should have saved his life, and would have done if the scum paramedics had done their jobs) rather than falsely claiming he dialed 911 (which would have been the thing to do here, but would have accomplished nothing in Britain), you’d think that Newspeak could at least edit out Hitchens’s annoying use of the lower case for a proper name. The one exception would be in citing the title of Hitchens’s book, where the irregular capitalization is arguably a significant part of the title (though apparently not significant enough for Amazon to follow suit).

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