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It's okay now: AP says you can lowercase the 'i' in Internet
Apr 3, 2016 [permalink]
The Associated Press's AP Stylebook was just updated to say it's okay now, you can lowercase the 'i' in Internet.
Oops, I capitalized it. 30+ year habit.
So, yeah, probably doesn't matter now. I know, it's a proper noun, so we oughta. But we say "a web site" not "a Web site" (or, gack, "a World Wide Web site"). Give me a kleenex. Oops, "Kleenex."
My recollection from ye olde ARPANET days about why we capitalized it was the concept that "the" capital-I Internet was to refer to that One Big (TCP/IP) Network of networks, whereas "an" (lower-case-i) internet was any of those random assemblages of just-as-commonly-talked-about networked networks (not themselves connected to THE Internet, and not necessarily using TCP/IP). Of course, now we really only think of one network (and rarely even think of it as a network of networks, per se -- CSNet anyone? Bitnet? Tymenet?), so there isn't really much use for saying "an" internet these days. "The" Internet has taken over the meaning of the word to such an extent that if you did say "an internet", people would probably think you mean, like, another globe-spanning "the Internet" on some other planet or something. :) Or they'd think "an internet" is an adjective, followed by a noun, say, "an internet connection," and if the noun wasn't there, it wouldn't parse right... So at this point it doesn't matter; now "internet" == "Internet."
I just hope people don't start leaving out the "the"!! :) "I'm on internet" still sounds to me like a confused grandma. (As dissonant as "I'm on phone" or "I'm on bed" or "I'm on way.") Aauuuuuugh! :) :)
CommentsLet me know what you think! I welcome your comments. |
Daniel Hicks on Thu May 13 00:41:24 2021:
You posted this years ago Andrew. But one thing I've noticed here in New York is that they no longer call it a "Driver's License" it's called a "Driver License" which although technically correct, looks to me like a sure sign of creeping illiteracy.
Did whoever got into the position of power to make this change look on with satisfaction?
The Vandals had a great time burning the libraries of the Western Empire. Will that be the West's fate as well?
Unfortunately as the staunch defenders of the language pass away, there seem to be few to take their place, for now.
Did you know there is/was an "Apostrophe Protection Society?"
“The apostrophe deserves our protection. This poor defenceless creature is indeed a threatened species”, he remarked.
http://www.apostrophe.org.uk
The founder John Richards, passed away just last month.
From his tribute on the site:
"In 2019, aged 95, he decided to close the APS, citing his age and a belief that “the barbarians have won”. He thought that the widespread use of modern technology would eventually render apostrophes redundant."
Yes, the barbarians may win again, but as in all times, only for a 1000 years or so.
Then a new age begins building on what remains of the last.
Best,
Daniel Hicks
Heard that in France the government took vigorous action to preserve the "purity" of the French language from encroaching "Englisisms"