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Proper Names - Definition

New Here ,
Jun 11, 2008 Jun 11, 2008

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I would like to mention something about this fashion of giving proper names and titles small initial letters. It looks absolutely awfull through my designers eyes. Is it not true that in the written word a proper name is defined by a capital letter? Otherwise, how would you know if it was a proper name or not? Therefore, does it not follow that if a written word does not have a capital letter it cannot by definition be a proper name?

Therefore, in such cases as that rubbish and ludicrously expensive 2012 London Olympics logo the word 'london' on the logo is actually just gobbledygook because without a capital letter it cannot be a proper name and as far as I know there is no such word as 'london'. The only way it could be a proper name is if the first letter was a capital 'i', but is there such a place as Iondon (pronounced 'Eye-ondon')? And if there is, what Olympics are being held there in 2012?

You have to have some way of defining a proper name otherwise confusion can be the result. Example:-

1. We came across a Ford in the road.
2. We came across a ford in the road.

I consider the ignoring of grammer to such an extent as this to be not justified by 'artistic liscense'. It is a poor design that does so in my opinion.

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replies 130 Replies 130
Explorer ,
Aug 27, 2008 Aug 27, 2008

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PS. Richard, I meant to include this in my post 93, but didn't. Re your comment that "It still begs the question 'What's the point in producing good art?'", how is this begging the question? (I'm assuming here, of course, that you're using the term correctly, but you would be, wouldn't you?)

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New Here ,
Sep 02, 2008 Sep 02, 2008

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Neil - I've had a think about your fascinating 'de Bary' problem now and under the circumstances I can't see that you had any other alternative. But 'de Bary' on its own definitely looks wrong and I am now going to be cheeky enough to state that I think it's the owners of the name who are at fault. Just take this as me 'thinking out loud'.

The whole name is structured like a phrase and as a whole it makes sense, but when it's split up things change. When there's a Christian name in front the 'de' is a preposition, but when you take away the Christian name then it doesn't make sense, because 'de Bary' (of Bary) on it's own makes no sense. *Who* of Bary? Therefore you have to decide is 'Bary' the surname or is 'de Bary' the surname? If you decide 'de Bary' is the surname then 'de' looses it's preposition status and becomes part of a proper name. Therefore, it should then be spelt as 'De Bary' or better still joined as in 'DeBary', like 'MacDonald' and 'O'Leary'. (At a stretch I could accept 'deBary' perhaps).

(Hey, now there's a thing Dominic. What about 'MacDonald'? 'MacDonald' and 'InDesign' ...... WOW!) :)

What I'm basically saying is that I reckon if the person so named wishes the 'de' to be lower case and a separate word, then it is a preposition and should not be included in the surname i.e. they should come under 'B' in the alphabet and the 'de' put in brackets after it.

If they wish the 'de' to be part of their surname then I reckon it should be given a capital and then come under 'D' in the telephone directory.

How's that? Make sense? Anyway it wouldn't have solved your problem and, as I stated, this is me thinking out loud and I won't get my boxing gloves out for this one.

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 02, 2008 Sep 02, 2008

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Re: de Bary et al -

The REALLY annoying thing is that it doesn't matter at all. However
the name is supposed to appear, telephone directories, credit card
companies, teachers, magazines, and computer systems will find ALL of
the possible wrong ways to do it.


They will:

Change de to du, Van to von, omit the word entirely, omit the space
when it SHOULD be there, add one when it shouldn't, alphabetize
arbitrarily, use upper and lower case randomly, and a myriad (neither
a Minion nor a minyan) of other unwanted twistings.

Our new AT&T white pages telephone directory,on has the following idiocy:

The full names have been changed, but you'll get the idea:

This is the actual sequence in the book

Van Aalxxxx
...
Van Zanxxx
Vanaaxxx
Van Aaxxx
... mixed Van[space] and Van[nospace] through
Vanzyxxx

It treats upper and lower case V's the same

My guess is that the first group was coded with a non-breaking space,
which was sorted separately from spaces and alphabetic characters.

- Herb

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Explorer ,
Sep 02, 2008 Sep 02, 2008

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>Therefore you have to decide is 'Bary' the surname or is 'de Bary' the surname?

de Bary IS the family name. Capitalized as shown; spaced as shown. Changing to De Bary or dropping the word space would be similar to taking liberty with MacDonald, changing it to Macdonald or Mac Donald. And I'd put de Bary in with the phone book's D listings; not B.

But then, there's Ludwig van Beethoven. What do we do with him? We know him as Beethoven so I guess that is why we file him under the Bs. I had an uncle with the name van Aalxxxx. He was always known with both parts of his last name used together; and we filed him in with the Vs in the family phone book. But in business listings, his name would be just as frequently listed under the As as with the Vs. (And this was before computerization.)

Go figure!

Neil

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 02, 2008 Sep 02, 2008

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Neil wrote:
"And I'd put de Bary in with the phone book's D listings; not B."

That depends on where you are. That's how it's done in US telephone
directories, but in the Netherlands, all the van's are ignored when
alphabetizing and are in lower case - otherwise that's just about all
there'd be in the phone book! Moreover, all names like Vanderbilt
appear as van der Bilt and are alphabetized under B.

- Herb

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Explorer ,
Sep 02, 2008 Sep 02, 2008

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>Hey, now there's a thing Dominic. What about 'MacDonald'? 'MacDonald' and 'InDesign' ...... WOW!

What point do you think you're making here, Richard? As I said way back at post 5, "I ... have no major objection to brandnames using internal capitalisation (like InDesign)".

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New Here ,
Sep 03, 2008 Sep 03, 2008

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>de Bary IS the family name. Capitalized as shown; spaced as shown.

Neil, remember I stated I thought it was the owners of the name who were at fault, not you. You had no choice. I was just suggesting a method of categorizing such names in order to stop all this confusion. Who could set out such a method I've no idea. Is there a lexicography board in charge of how names are structured? I imagine not, otherwise they would have sorted it out.

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New Here ,
Sep 03, 2008 Sep 03, 2008

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>What point do you think you're making here, Richard? As I said way back at post 5, "I ... have no major objection to brand names using internal capitalization (like InDesign)".

Oh I know, I just thought it interesting to see an example of such a usage of capitals where grammatical correctness is more strict i.e. outside the world of brand names and logos.

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New Here ,
Sep 04, 2008 Sep 04, 2008

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>I was referring to misspellings like "Wonderfull"

Well, I used the spell checker and corrected every appropriate word it highlighted. I don't remember that word coming up, but you are right, it is spelt wrongly, although I don't know why it should have only one 'l' when the word 'full' has two. Just like 'till' and 'until'. Why? The english language is designed to confuse, and it's our ancestors and us who have designed it this way by not being consistent. And some countries have a tendency to stick a 'u' in the oddest of places ... don't they Heather? Adds a bit of *colour* perhaps 🙂 Incidentally, sometimes a word is highlighted in the spell checker but it doesn't give any spelling choices. It just says something like "as in text". What's that all about?

>Many, many times, but I've answered it again, just for you, in the previous paragraph.

Uuuh! Where? I see no explanation. You are giving equal importance to the grammar in both mediums (forum and finished art). Is that right? Is that fair?

>Many, many times. For example, you stated "we are discussing art, not science" in relation to the issue of lowercase in logos.

Are you classing design in with science?

>What questions have you asked that I haven't answered? I'll do my best to
answer them for you.

Thank you. Let's try the one above, the significance of my spelling mistakes on a forum as compared to a finished work of art. I don't see how the two can be compared.

>And the point of logos is to build brand recognition.

Yes, but if recognition due to bad press does the job, no need to aim for good press.

> I had this reinforced just the other day when I saw that the end credits for a very good TV programme were all in lowercase, which absolutely fitted the tone of the programme (somewhat anti authority figures) and was a nice touch.

Well, I can see your point to a certain extent. I suppose that could work, although myself I still think it looks very odd when there's no capitals and I'm not sure whether it works as a statement against authority or a statement against common sense. I still think it has very limited occasions when it can be used and virtually every example I've seen I can't see what statement it makes at all. The 'halfords' logo gives the impression to me that the service I'll get there is likely to be not particularly accurate. I think it's just a fashion following thing without any proper thought behind it.

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Guide ,
Sep 05, 2008 Sep 05, 2008

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>I used the spell checker

Who's casting spells on you?

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Explorer ,
Sep 06, 2008 Sep 06, 2008

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>Uuuh! Where? I see no explanation.

Look again. It's clearly there.

>You are giving equal importance to the grammar in both mediums (forum and finished art). Is that right? Is that fair?

Remember that it wasn't me that raised the issue of your bad spelling in the first place and that I've said that I'm not hugely bothered by occasional spelling mistakes in posts. However, where someone continually misspells words, I think it does show a lack of respect on their part for their audience (especially if they've indicated that they could ensure there were no mistakes if they wanted to), and I do find it hard to take seriously any comments they might make on English grammar. Is that fair? Yes, I think so.

>Are you classing design in with science?

Come on! You're not serious are you? You couldn't really have so badly misconstrued my comment, could you? (If you truly did, try rereading it slowly and carefully.)

>Let's try the one above, the significance of my spelling mistakes on a forum as compared to a finished work of art.

I said "questions ... that I haven't answered". I've answered that in posts 22, 60, and 93. As well, Herb commented on the subject in post 9, Heather in post 30, and Neil in post 94. I'm sorry that you don't understand the point that has been repeatedly made, but the fact that you don't does not mean that the question hasn't been answered. So, are there any actual questions of yours that I haven't answered that you do want me to answer?

>The 'halfords' logo gives the impression to me that the service I'll get there is likely to be not particularly accurate.

At least you're admitting that "Halfords" and "halfords" do convey different impressions to people, and the impression that is conveyed to the target market is what matters to the board or CEO. And Halfords may well not be looking to types such as Richard Archer-Jones as its target market - it may very well be aiming at a more brand-savvy, less formal, younger group, and Mr Archer-Jones's custom (or dislike of the logo) is of no concern to it.

>The english language is designed to confuse.

Shouldn't that be "English", Richard?

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 06, 2008 Sep 06, 2008

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Dominic wrote:
"Shouldn't that be "English", Richard?"

Touché!

But if English is meant to confuse, so are the multiple language rules
- Romance languages do NOT capitalize languages, where Germanic
languages do.

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New Here ,
Sep 16, 2008 Sep 16, 2008

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>Look again. It's clearly there.

Mmmm .... it seems to me that you are considering it right to compare my spelling mistakes on the forum to a finished work of art because of the number and severity of my mistakes. Is that correct? If so, cripes, are they really *that* bad? Even when using the spell checker? I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that one because I think I'd have to make some pretty serious mistakes, and a serious number of them, to deem the forum / finished art comparison viable?

>Come on! You're not serious are you? You couldn't really have so badly misconstrued my comment, could you? (If you truly did, try re reading it slowly and carefully.)

What ... me? ... Serious?? ... Never!!!! Well, you've got me stumped on this one Dominic. I've gone through the threads and read it s l o w l y and c a r e f u l l y ...... and I'm still stumped. Now don't get angry with me, I'm trying my best really I am 🙂 This particular discussion started from your comment "Actually, I don't even agree with you that designing is art" in Post 78? How did my comment "we are discussing art, not science" state that I thought designing is art? Does that not assume that what we've already been discussing is design not art? Anyway, as I stated in Post 92 "That subject perhaps needs a thread of its own" and I don't think we should get side tracked again, I've just noticed that I can't see any postings on this thread before Post 31, even when I click on 'Show All Messages'. Can you see posts before 31? (I guess it will go up after I post this). All my wonderful intelligent ... er ... sensible ...... accurate words of wisdom, gone! Lost into cyper space 😞 I think perhaps we have reached the memory limit on this thread and the big jaws of 'reasonableness' are creeping up behind us gobbling up our words.

>At least you're admitting that "Halfords" and "halfords" do convey different impressions to people, and the impression that is conveyed to the target market is what matters to the board or CEO.

Yes, the impression it gives is that it's following fashion, and I think we all know that our nations are like sheep when it comes to fashion. Sense goes 'out the window', as in the word 'unisex' and the ripped jeans I see for sale at the same price as perfect jeans.

>Shouldn't that be "English", Richard?

Ha ha .... you absolute rotter, you caught me out at my own game. Yes, I think it should be a capital. I messed up there. Actually I feel sure I read somewhere that there is a time when lower case is used for words like 'english' and I had a feeling it was when referring to the language as opposed to the people, but I've looked it up and the language should have a capital.

Nb. Do you know what? It had the choice of 'wonderfull' in the spell checker.

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Explorer ,
Sep 16, 2008 Sep 16, 2008

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>It had the choice of 'wonderfull' in the spell checker.

?? Not in any dictionary that I checked, unless a "y" is appended at the end.

Neil

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Guide ,
Sep 16, 2008 Sep 16, 2008

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>Romance languages do NOT capitalize languages,

Nor names of months or days of the week.

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Explorer ,
Sep 16, 2008 Sep 16, 2008

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>Mmmm .... it seems to me that you are considering it right to compare my spelling mistakes on the forum to a finished work of art because of the number and severity of my mistakes.

Looks like I'll have to repeat myself yet again on this topic. Maybe you'll get it this time:
* I didn't raise the issue of your bad spelling initially. If you want to know what the original point was, reread the post, and if you still have any questions on it, address them to the author of that post.
* I never said there was a connection between spelling mistakes on this forum and the use of lowercase for proper nouns in a logo.
* I do find it incongruous that one who professes to be concerned about the flouting of one grammatical convention doesn't take more care with their own grammar, which makes me doubt your professed motive for complaining about the Olympics logo.
* I do think that any written matter that is full of spelling mistakes shows a lack of respect by the author for their audience, and I would find it hard to take seriously any comments that author might then make on English grammar (just as I would find it hard to take seriously someone who was trying to explain quadratric equations to me if they'd first told me that 1 + 1 = 11).

>Well, you've got me stumped on this one Dominic.

Let's see if I can't clear this one up too, then (though I'm not hopeful):
* You wrote the phrase ""we are discussing art, not science" in post 61.
* In response to a question from you, I quoted the phrase in post 93 as an example of where I thought you were stating or implying that designing is art.
* In post 105, you repeated my response and then asked if I was "classing design in with science"? To me, this is a spectacular non sequitur and I have no idea why you would think I was classing design with science. Perhaps you think everything is either art or science. In any case, the answer to your question is "No".
To sum up, I have certainly read your many references to "art" and "finished art" as references to designs and designing, and you didn't rule that out in post 92, where you wrote "Perhaps I did [state or imply that designing is art]".

>How did my comment "we are discussing art, not science" state that I thought designing is art?

Because we were discussing designers' use of lowercase in logos. If I misunderstood what you were referring to when you wrote "we are discussing", then please tell me what you were referring to as "art". Regardless, you have used the word "art" many times in your posts to describe commercial graphical works (eg, "In a finished piece of art it [spelling] could be AS important", "The same with visual art [in reference to Jan Tschichold]", "You are giving equal importance to the grammar in both mediums (forum and finished art)").

>I don't think we should get side tracked again ...

But in post 61, you wrote "there is a limitation to bending the rules for art's sake, and *that* is what this thread is supposed to be about". So, isn't figuring out what you mean by "art" central to what you say the thread is "supposed to be about"?

Notwithstanding that, as I've said before, you should expect threads like this to wander. Otherwise, we're just left with a thread where Richard Archer-Jones says "I don't like the use of lowercase for proper nouns in logos", Heather says she agrees, and Herb, Thomas, and I say we don't agree. And that would be the end of the thread.

>Can you see posts before 31?

Yes.

>Yes, the impression it gives is that it's following fashion ...

The impression it gives to you may be that, but can you not understand that you are probably not their target market and it doesn't give that impression to others? I really don't see how you can call yourself a designer if you don't understand this concept.

>Actually I feel sure I read somewhere that there is a time when lower case is used for words like 'english' and I had a feeling it was when referring to the language as opposed to the people ...

I'm floored! You spend all this time castigating designers for using lowercase when you have such a flawed understanding of correct capitalisation yourself. You can protest all you want, but I do believe that it is the cost of the Olympics logo, not the lowercase, that is your real motivation in criticising it.

And I'm still waiting for you to tell me what all those questions that I haven't answered are.

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Guest
Sep 21, 2008 Sep 21, 2008

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Well all that was an exercise in futility!

Entertaining though. :)

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Explorer ,
Sep 21, 2008 Sep 21, 2008

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What makes you think it's over?

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Explorer ,
Sep 21, 2008 Sep 21, 2008

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I see Dominic sitting in his lawn chair, cool beer in hand, waiting for the sound of company coming up the drive...<br /><br />Neil <g>

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New Here ,
Sep 24, 2008 Sep 24, 2008

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Hello there ..... peek-a-boo .... guess who this is. Sorry, but I just can't get around to replying so quickly. On the other hand, perhaps I should be apologizing for answering at all.

>I didn't raise the issue of your bad spelling initially. If you want to know what the original point was, reread the post, and if you still have any questions on it, address them to the author of that post.

That's how I found out I couldn't see before Post 31.

>I do find it incongruous that one who professes to be concerned about the flouting of one grammatical convention doesn't take more care with their own grammar, ....

But that is comparing my forum grammar with finished art grammar is it not?

>I do think that any written matter that is full of spelling mistakes shows a lack of respect by the author for their audience, ....

I still find it difficult to see my posts as being *that* full of spelling mistakes.

>(just as I would find it hard to take seriously someone who was trying to explain quadratric equations to me if they'd first told me that 1 + 1 = 11).

Well, do you know what? I think that's the first time you've brought a smile to my face .... excellent (although I'm not sure you meant it to).

>Let's see if I can't clear this one up too, then (though I'm not hopeful):

You were right not to be hopeful Dominic, sorry, but I'm still lost with that one. I must be missing something fundamental here perhaps. I'd give up if I were you, I may be just a hopeless case.

>To me, this is a spectacular non sequitur ....

Sequitur! That's a gardening tool isn't it? Host, I think I've just been insulted but I can't find it in the dictionary :)

As I stated I think this needs another thread. The meaning of 'design' and 'art' I don't see as that clear cut and if we bring that into the discussion aswell we'll be here till the 2012 Olympics. Also I don't think there is a need because I reckon in general for the purposes of this discussion you could replace the word 'art' in my posts with 'design' and the point would still be made. For instance:-

>But in post 61, you wrote "there is a limitation to bending the rules for art's sake, and *that* is what this thread is supposed to be about". So, isn't figuring out what you mean by "art" central to what you say the thread is "supposed to be about"?

Good try, but I think if instead I had typed "there is a limitation to bending the rules for *design's* sake,", the point would still be valid.

>Because we were discussing designers' use of lowercase in logos.

Well, fair enough in that case, but as far as this discussion goes, is it necessary to draw a line between art and design?

>The impression it gives to you may be that, but can you not understand that you are probably not their target market and it doesn't give that impression to others? I really don't see how you can call yourself a designer if you don't understand this concept.

Well, I should be their target market because I have a car and I also restore cars as a hobby (in case you don't know, Halfords sell products for cars, and bicycles). You see, my argument is that this use of lower case for proper names may have some rare, very rare, times when it actually makes sense, but on the whole I think this myriad use of the effect has no sense to it other than fashion.

>Notwithstanding that, as I've said before, you should expect threads like this to wander. Otherwise, we're just left with a thread where Richard Archer-Jones says "I don't like the use of lowercase for proper nouns in logos", Heather says she agrees, and Herb, Thomas, and I say we don't agree. And that would be the end of the thread.

Well, that's a fair point if I had loads of time to discuss this and I didn't think we were boring the socks off other people on this board, but just like my views on art and design, it comes down to limitations and going too far off the subject.

>I'm floored! You spend all this time castigating designers for using lowercase when you have such a flawed understanding of correct capitalization yourself.

Ekky thump Dominic, that's rather harsh isn't it? Am I expected to know every rule regarding the proper use of capitals? (I'm still sure I've seen somewhere there was an exception in some uses of the word but some of my saved web pages on the subject don't exist anymore .... perhaps because they were wrong). Anyway, this is also not the point. As I've stated above, the point is not my knowledge of English grammar (whether or not my grammar is perfect on a forum), but whether I would deliberately use bad grammar in a finished work of art, or design.

>And I'm still waiting for you to tell me what all those questions that I haven't answered are.

What I meant by that politician comparison was when we get onto other subjects like me missing out the word 'most' and tending to imply that you actually *have* used bad grammar as opposed to *advocating* it, and hence getting away from the original question. (I can't see before post 38 now, so I'm having problems researching for this).

>..... but I do believe that it is the cost of the Olympics logo, not the lowercase, that is your real motivation in criticizing it.

Naaa .... I'm not that kind of person. I wouldn't complain about one subject by complaining about another ...... although I do wish your PC would break down :)

So, there you go Dominic, sort that lot out! I can't find the time to answer as quickly as you so you'll have to have patience with me. I don't think I should be typing posts this long. I mean, gee whiz, look at the length of it! There should be a law agin it (against it). I might have to restrict myself to just answering one thing at a time in future.

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Guest
Sep 24, 2008 Sep 24, 2008

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Non Sequitur is Latin for "it does not follow", usually used in cases where a conclusion is not supported logically by the argument.

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Guest
Sep 24, 2008 Sep 24, 2008

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Ok, I can't resist throwing in a couple cents:

Art, (all following text is opinion) is anything which appeals to the emotional, uses aesthetics rather than pure functionality, to elicit a response of any kind. I consider design art. I consider the housing of a computer hard drive art if it is created to appeal aesthetically rather than house a main frame in the most functional base way.

Written language is a form of visual communication, the complexity and sophistication of which strives to mimic the both literal and implied information we are able to deliver in vocal communication which uses a combination of inflection, facial expression and other body language to communicate ideas and thoughts which are not necessarily contained completely within the words used. The rules of written language are complex for that very reason, the more complexity the more minute detail it is able to convey.

When the two collide sometimes the rule of one compromises with the rule of the other. i.e. Aesthetics compromised to communicate the text clearly and concisely, or the rules of grammar compromised in order to elicit a response that may communicate the idea intended better in the "feeling" evoked as opposed to pure written communication. i.e. the difference between writing, "BE SHOCKED!" and finding someway to make the viewer FEEL shocked.

As far as "lines", I believe they are drawn by the individual. In the world of marketing, I suppose the success of the product being marketed would be a barometer of the social acceptance of the "bending" of either rules.

I think that all lower-case is a fad. But I could be wrong. I don't personally find it appealing, but you can't argue with its general acceptance. In language and societal evolution majority always rules.

Anyway, very interesting thread. I hope nobody's feathers are truly ruffled, it's a worthy discussion, but nothing that needs be taken personally.

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Participant ,
Sep 24, 2008 Sep 24, 2008

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No Heather, no. Back away from the thread ... don't enter it.

Oh no. Too late, the longest running and most trivial thread in the section swallows another victim.

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Explorer ,
Sep 24, 2008 Sep 24, 2008

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>Art, (all following text is opinion) is anything which appeals to the emotional, uses aesthetics rather than pure functionality, to elicit a response of any kind.

So, is a perfectly formed, presumably delicious head of broccoli art?
>Too late, the longest running and most trivial thread in the section...

Come on, Don. No amount of bragging is gonna get it into Guinness.

Neil

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Explorer ,
Sep 24, 2008 Sep 24, 2008

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>But that is comparing my forum grammar with finished art grammar is it not?

No, I'm comparing your insistence on the correct use of capitals for proper nouns with your much more relaxed attitude towards correct spelling.

But, seeing as how you continue to try to connect your bad spelling with the deliberate use of lowercase in logos, I will say that I am more bothered by the former than I am by the latter. In fact, as I've said, the latter doesn't bother me at all.

Forum posts and company logos are both attempts to communicate to a target group, and just as you gain an impression of "not particularly accurate" service from Halfords because of their logo (I'm not clear what "less accurate" service is, but I take it that it's not good), I form an impression of you based on your spelling.

>You were right not to be hopeful Dominic, sorry, but I'm still lost with that one.

That's obvious by the fact that you then go on to say "I reckon in general for the purposes of this discussion you could replace the word 'art' in my posts with 'design'". The whole point of this particular sidebar was that you had asked if you had ever stated or implied that designing was art. Now, you turn round and confirm exactly what you had apparently just been disputing. In summary, the discussion was as follows:

* You equated design with art.

* I said that I didn't agree that design was art.

* You asked where you'd said that design was art, apparently because you were now saying that design wasn't art.

* In answer, I pointed to your previous comments.

* You said you didn't understand the discussion, but we could take your comments on "art" to be referring to design.

>Well, I should be their target market because I have a car and I also restore cars as a hobby.

So you have a car and restore cars? So what? What we call "boy racers" over here may well spend far more on their cars than you ever will and maybe that's who they're appealing to. As I've said before, I imagine they did some research and tested the logo before introducing it.

>You see, my argument is that this use of lower case for proper names may have some rare, very rare, times when it actually makes sense, but on the whole I think this myriad use of the effect has no sense to it other than fashion.

Not fashion but effect. Lowercase evokes a different response than uppercase. We're all very aware of the response it evokes in you, but you dont seem to want to accept that not everyone feels the same.
>Well, that's a fair point if I had loads of time to discuss this and I didn't think we were boring the socks off other people on this board ...

Nobody is forced to read this thread. If they're bored by it, then they just shouldn't read it.

>that's rather harsh isn't it? Am I expected to know every rule regarding the proper use of capitals?

When you're criticising the deliberate use of lowercase for proper nouns, I don't think it's asking too much for you to know that "English" is a proper noun and therefore takes a capital.

>What I meant by that politician comparison was when we get onto other subjects ... and hence getting away from the original question.

Well, what you wrote was "Do you know, I think you'd make a darn good politician. They are excellent at answering questions and sticking to the point (cough)."

"Getting away from the original question" was the point of the last part of your statement, but the clear implication of "They are excellent at answering questions" was that I was not answering your questions. And when I first asked you what questions I had not answered, you didn't take the opportunity to say that's not what you meant; instead, you repeated a question I'd already answered. So, are you now saying I have answered your questions? If not, which ones have I missed?

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