A message to people who type all lower case.

Jari_T

typing all lower case.

This seems to become more common here and other forums I visit.

I'm interested in why do you do this? Is it because of:

* laziness
* broken pinky
* broken shift key
* being "edgy"
* not understanding the convention
* wanting to change the convention
* some other reason

I'm genuinely curious.

Also, I just wanted you to let know that I'm much less likely to read your message if it's typed in all lower case. Especially if it's long. I understand not bothering to use caps on mobile in a short text message or in IM.

Here's some points you may have not realized.

Caps make it easier for the reader to parse a sentence, especially several sentences. Along with punctuation, proper capitalization makes the flow of the sentences more legible in the similar manner that using paragraphs does.

I can recognize proper nouns and names in the text in one pass if they are capitalized. Example: The difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse.

To me, completely disregarding capitalization conveys a slightly arrogant message. "My time is more important than yours". You may be nice guy, but your typing style gives off a different, aloof vibe.

These are just some of the things you may have not thought. Also, I may be completely alone living in the past with my stuffy opinions and The Times of Capitalization have already long gone.

Toodlepip!

Justin

There are different typographic conventions in different languages. In German, for example, all nouns have capital letters, whereas the convention when writing Latin and Classical Greek is to use capitals for proper nouns only and at no other time - not even for beginning sentences. Both Hebrew and Arabic are written from right to left, and Classical Hebrew is written without vowels, but I don't know if they have capital letters or not. Perhaps those with more knowledge could comment on this, and whether the languages that use ideograms have an equivalent to capital letters also?

Rogue

Cause Im on a phone and cant be bothered going through the stress of CAPSing all the time, thats also my excuse for the typos I make, but on the pc im a real grammar nazi.

bigmick

im doing it now just to be annoying its harder to do than it sounds

MisterPaul

While I do appreciate good grammar, I'm also slightly Dyslexic (I don't really write at all in the conventional sense with a pen, merely type), so I can see both sides of this discussion. Sometimes have involuntary issues with spelling and tense in written English. In a dream world software evens out these issues; but unhappily, not always :-( My gut sense is that provided your being understood by your audience, then content is king – how you say things is important, but I don’t believe as significant as what you’re saying [hopefully!].

Firestarter0

i have an issue with using caps on a computer. sometimes i can make myself remember to use them, sometimes i just type blindly and i don't process the extra step of holding shift, i just don't bother to go back through and correct it all unless its something important since it doesn't usually affect the post that much.
another reason is i often type with one hand (not as inappropriate as it sounds haha...) because in the past i've had problems with my wrist, and i use my laptop so its often to one side or i'm holding it.

again, i think as long as the content is understood then that's the most important factor.

Friendlyman

I'll be honest. I do a lot or maybe I should say most of my posting from my droid phone. It drives me crazy typing from my phone between spell check and typos. But sometimes its the only access I have.

gravel

I see the "typing from a phone" explanation has already been given, so I won't repeat it. The majority of my posting is done on an iPhone. When I do fail to capitaliz(s)e, it's akin to waving a flag, informing the reader that I am being edgy. Snark follows.

In closing, I agree with you.

Jari_T

Many thanks all for your comments, very insightful!

I don't use a mobile devices often for internet , so I guess that might explain my cluelessness. I decided to ask you about this because I thought this is a new fad and that people do on purpose. I googled it and found out that it's nothing new and people actually do it intentionally for many different reasons.

Here's some discussion (from 2006) about this, in (lower) case you are interested: http://ask.metafilter.com/43656/Why-do-so-many-people-always-use-lower-case-letters-when-using-the-net

bob

@Jari_T all lower case is how we keep our messages hidden from you ;)

Jari_T

@bob , Damn, I wondered why it's so quiet in here. Well, I guess loneliness is the share of a grammar nazi.

Firestarter0

interesting thread you linked @Jari_T. i agree with this one in it's entirety- "A lot of people see capitalization as a formal issue with no significant effect on content. So when they're writing in a context in which all they care about is communication with other people like them, they don't worry about it.

I certainly do this in IM, though not in email."- posted by 'bingo'

Jari_T

@Firestarter0‌ , Yeah, Metafilter often has quite good discourse. That thread had good points from both camps.

I don't claim that eschewing caps altogether makes the message unreadable, just harder to read. And in way it takes away some credibility of the message. IMO, of course.

HR_pufnsnuff

If I post about something it's because I hope someone will read it, so making it as readable as possible makes sense to me.
Oddly enough, when I'm writing (as opposed to typing) I use capitals exclusively - not because I'm 'shouting', but because my handwriting is virtually unreadable otherwise!