3 Types of Word Treatment

3 Types of Word Treatment 3 Types of Word Treatment 3 Types of Word Treatment By Mark Nichol Spelling, capitalization, and italicization are three aspects of writing that careful writers will attend to. This post discusses the importance of recognizing standards and making conscious decisions when contemplating deviating from them. Spelling Employing proper spelling is one of the fundamentals of composition. Unfortunately, the explosive increase in writing opportunities afforded by the internet and social media makes it easier for careless writers to spread viral errors. Where in the past, few print publications would allow mistakes like definately and predominately, today, such misspellings are rampant on websites and blogs and in texts, not to mention in some professionally produced print publications and on occasional television broadcasts- including in chyrons, the electronically generated captions that appear below talking heads on TV. Deteriorating writing skills and declining editing standards result in frequent spelling errors, and the only effective defense is a good offense: Proactively double-check spelling- using not just spell-checking functions (which are not infallible) but also print or online dictionaries (which are virtually perfectly reliable). Dictionaries and other writing resources also protect writers from using incorrect or outdated word forms. For example, the few remaining hyphenated compound nouns are undergoing an evolution, as writers increasingly omit the hyphen and treat these terms as closed compounds- sometimes in a conscious decision to accelerate what is almost always an inevitable process but far more often simply out of ignorance. Changes from, for example, mind-set to mindset and start-up to startup are inevitable, but the former choice in each case is still the form listed in most dictionaries, so avoid the variant until it becomes the norm. Capitalization Capitalization, which, with few exceptions, denotes a proper noun, in such usage distinguishes the specific from the generic, but it is employed erroneously primarily in two contexts. First, generic job titles are often mistakenly capitalized. When Jane Smith is identified as a senator, capitalize the job title if it appears before her name: â€Å"Senator Jane Smith.† And when the job title substitutes for the person’s name in direct address- when someone says or writes, for example, â€Å"Excuse me, Senator, do you have a moment?† the word is capitalized. In government or legal documents, the â€Å"publisher† may insist on capitalizing the job title even in isolation: â€Å"The Senator abstained.† But in all other usage, the term is generic- Jane Smith is being described as one of those entities designated as a senator. Take care, too, about capitalizing only exact job titles. When referring to Thomas Jones, whose official designation is director of communications and marketing, write â€Å"Director of Communications and Marketing Thomas Jones,† to be formal, or â€Å"marketing director Thomas Jones,† in more casual contexts, but not â€Å"Marketing Director Thomas Jones.† (And after the name, the job title is almost invariably not capitalized; a rare exception is the exact name of an endowed professorship. Capitalization is also standard after names on lists, on rà ©sumà ©s, and so on.) In addition, descriptions of people that identify their profession or role but are not formal job titles are not capitalized: â€Å"The truck belongs to electrician John Smith†; â€Å"She thanked team captain Mary Jones for her support.† Similarly, a term identifying a nonliving entity should be capitalized only as part of the full name: for example, â€Å"the Mississippi River,† but â€Å"the river† (with exceptions for poetic license, as when such an entity is personified), or â€Å"the Development Committee,† but â€Å"the committee† (again, in legalese, such terms may appear capitalized). Italicization Italics serve to call attention to a word, phrase, or sentence; two primary functions are to identify a foreign term and to emphasize one or more words the writer wishes the reader to notice. However, the pitfall in the case of both functions is overuse. In the case of apparently foreign words or phrases, double-check that the term is in fact still technically considered foreign; many such words and phrases have been assimilated into English (evidenced by their inclusion in English dictionaries) and are no longer considered to require emphasis. (Note, too, that some writers and publishers decide that when a foreign term is used repeatedly in one piece of content, and it is defined or explained on first reference, it is italicized only in that first instance.) And when considering whether to italicize a word, phrase, or sentence to make it stand out, think twice about whether the emphasis is merited or helpful; frequent employment of any tool or technique can diminish its effectivenes s. A third common function of italics is to call attention to a word being used to name itself rather than the concept for which the word stands; compare â€Å"Moron originally denoted a mildly retarded person† and â€Å"A moron is a stupid person.† Because of this distinction, italics should not be employed to introduce a term unless the word is described as a word, as in the disclaimer â€Å"In observing the historical context of psychiatry in the early twentieth century, we use moron according to its original medical definition: ‘a mildly retarded person.’† In spelling, capitalization, and italicization, as in any aspect of writing, the writer or publisher may choose to deviate from accepted standards, but the ultimate consideration should be whether the reader is being served by a decision that affects one or more aspects, or whether communication is being compromised rather than enhanced. In addition, a writer may ignore these standards for artistic reasons, such as in representing dialect or a fictional character’s illiteracy or overly emphatic speech patterns. Again, however, the writer should weigh the consequences of such a decision and practice moderation. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Useful Stock Phrases for Your Business Emails45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†9 Forms of the Past Tense

The term high concept

The term high concept The term high concept The term high concept By Maeve Maddox This is a term much heard in connection with movies, but literary agents also use it: I love high-concept books. A lot of the books I read and represent are high concept and get a lot of film interest. I define high concept as a premise that can be boiled down into one sentence and sets it apart from other stories by its unique hook or angle. Paige Wheeler, literary agent One OED definition is high concept: adj. Of a film, television show, etc.: based on a striking and easily communicable plot or idea; (also) relating to or characteristic of such productions. Sometimes high concept is used in a derogatory sense to refer to a dumbed-down story that will appeal to a mass audience: 2003 Independent 30 Apr. I. 3/1 The so-called ‘high concept’ pitch has long been considered a byword for crass commercialism in the film world, a symptom of studio executives reluctance to focus on anything for more than a minute. OED illustration According to screenwriter Steve Kaire, its the premise that makes a story idea high concept. The premise or logline is the core of High Concept. My comprehensive definition of High Concept is comprised of five requirements, each of which is mandatory. Kaires five requirements are: an original premise mass audience appeal story-specific pitch easy-to-see story potential a pitch no longer than three sentences Alexis Niki at AbsoluteWrite adds the requirement of an empathetic hero who is dealing with a BIG problem. James Bonnet at scriptforsale thinks that a high concept story should have a great title. Certainly the following movie blockbusters have titles that suggest the theme of their stories: Armageddon Titanic Jaws Star Wars Twister Jurassic Park Perhaps the most important ingredient in a high concept work is the same one that every good story requires: a main character with whom the reader or viewer can identify. The chief difference between a high concept story and a regular story is that the main characters success or failure will have huge consequences for others. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Masters Degree or Master's Degree?Acronym vs. InitialismAppropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt