16 replies to this topic

[*Anastasia]

Growing up, I never capitalized the word "internet", nor had it ever occurred to me to do so. I would never have even thought to consider it a proper noun. It was not until Opera introduced an inline spellchecker in Opera 10 which marked the uncapitalized form as incorrect that I consciously became aware that some people considered it convention to capitalize it. At the time, it felt... wrong, somehow. I considered it to be a technology, or a medium, like any other, and would have at the time no sooner capitalized it than I would capitalize the words "telephone" or "radio". I began making a conscious effort to not capitalize it, because for some reason, once I became aware that there were differing conventions, the choice suddenly became much more noticeable.

Since then, however, something has changed in my subconscious. I'm not entirely sure what the change was, but slowly, it seemed as though my thought process reversed, to the point that I was seeing that there is, as it were, one Internet. The Internet. And since there is one Internet, and that is the name of this connection of networks, my mind kept telling me I ought to capitalize it, as if to differentiate it from the other internet[work]s that no one talks about, even as I still struggled not to.

Every time I have to type it, it becomes harder and harder to decide whether or not to capitalize it, and now it seems as though I struggle almost obsessively over this trivial dilemma. Sometimes, when I feel it is appropriate in context, I will even reword my sentence to use the less-ambiguously-capitalized World Wide Web instead (which is odd, since we oftentimes colloquially shorten this to the uncapitalized "web"), simply to avoid having to make a choice.

I fear it's driving me mad.

So, now that I've made myself sound perfectly crazy, time to get the input I came here for: how do the rest of you treat the word? Please do comment to explain your reasons, if any, for your choice.

• Further Information

[Imperator]

I don't capitalise it as I don't see a distinction between the internet and the Internet. Also, I wouldn't capitalise a wide area network or a local area network (WAN & LAN - internet is technically a WAN, btw). Also, the internet is a collection of internetworks.

Edit: I put an internet in your internet, so you can connect while you connect. :v

Edited by Imperator, 18 May 2014 - 11:27 AM.

[the rebel]

I don't capitalise it....hell I've never seen it capitalised ever, unless its the start of the sentance

[KiWi]

<3

I casually, and without thought type it 'internet' unless I have a reason not to. Either I'm speaking of it more formally, or I'm trying to invoke another meaning from the word. Making it a proper noun, and giving it capitalization vs (the standard) lowercase highlights its importance. It's a tool of communication. I know I will throw in an extra swear if I'm trying to invoke a certain feeling. If I'm trying to stress the importance of the word, or convey a different meaning than the standard way.

Perhaps I get too poetic. We could talk about how it affects the life of any one person, but I won't underplay the effect it has had on my Life.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

Formally it is capitalized, because it is a named object, even if it is one that only exists in a virtual world.  Thus it is "the Internet" just as it is "the White House" or "the Moon."  But in practice many people do not capitalize it.  I try to do so if I am writing formally, but in casual usage I am haphazard.

[KiWi]

Shit.

Your "The moon" example is good.

[Redezra]

Given my knowledge of networking infrastructure, internets are networks of networks. The Internet is the network of all networks, and therefore is special.

[the rebel]

Given my knowledge of networking infrastructure, internets are networks of networks. The Internet is the network of all networks, and therefore is special.

 

Or you can cover all bases and just lowercase it and uppercase it in the same line like above...

[Redezra]

InTeRnEt or iNtErNeT?

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

INTERNET.

[KiWi]

cAPS LOCK IS CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL.

bUT EVEN WITH CAPS LOCK YOU SHOULD STILL BE AWARE ENOUGH TO USE YOUR SHIFT KEY.

[*Anastasia]

This gravedig is brought to you by the New York Times, who yesterday joined the Associated Press in updating their style guide to specify that the word "internet" should be written uncapitalized.

[He who posts]

lets just throw everything in the wind and just do whatever i also like cookies and i think kiwi also likes them hey its pretty dark and rainy outside

[Shokkou]

This gravedig is brought to you by the New York Times, who yesterday joined the Associated Press in updating their style guide to specify that the word "internet" should be written uncapitalized.

The NYT is incorrect. It is supposed to be capitalized, because it is a proper noun. That being said, I often leave it uncapitalized because I'm lazy. It's still wrong.

[*Anastasia]

My main question is, what makes it a proper noun? Who initially determined it was a proper noun, and for what reason?

Even assuming there's good reason for it initially, I'm not sure that holds up to time. Trademarks like styrofoam or scotch tape were originally proper nouns, but both are now suitably genericized to the point that they're no longer capitalized.

[Shokkou]

My main question is, what makes it a proper noun? Who initially determined it was a proper noun, and for what reason?

Even assuming there's good reason for it initially, I'm not sure that holds up to time. Trademarks like styrofoam or scotch tape were originally proper nouns, but both are now suitably genericized to the point that they're no longer capitalized.

No

[Redezra]

My main question is, what makes it a proper noun? Who initially determined it was a proper noun, and for what reason?
 

 

This is why

 

Given my knowledge of networking infrastructure, internets are networks of networks. The Internet is the network of all networks, and therefore is special.