I’ve read a number of books, and when an author uses a colon in a sentence to define something he wrote in simpler terms or to define in a more detailed manner, he capitalizes the next word. Such as, “The blue sky was beautiful: The sky resembled a cascading fall into the bountiful white clouds.” Should I also capitalize the T in “The”?
Capitalizing After the Colon
September 26th, 2005 by Rhen
30 Responses to “Capitalizing After the Colon”
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I don’t believe it is necessary, although I assume that the capitalization is commonly used, and therefore proper.
I believe that the capitalization rule comes into effect when a new ’sentence’ is started after the colon. In the case of a list, it’s not necessary.
So, you could say "He saw several things on the shelves: cookies, jam, bread, and soda." and since the continuation after the colon isn’t a new idea per-se, it isn’t capitalized.
However, in the example you cited, there is almost a new sentence. Lets replace the colon with a period for sake of argument. "The blue sky was beautiful. The sky resembled…" As you can see, it can be two seperate sentences, the colon is just more gramatically correct in this situation, and that’s (I believe) why it is capitalized.
It should not be capitalized. Capitalization should only occur in the case of the beginning of a new sentence or the in the use of a proper noun. Colons are never used (at least not correctly) to indicate the end of a sentence, and "the" sure isn’t a proper noun, so "the," in your example, should not be capitalized. While the two parts of the sentence may be independant clauses, the author has grouped them into one sentence using a conjuntive tool (:). The author is incorrect, and the editors did not know or did not care about the error. Even though, as tk stated, it would commonly be capitalized, it doesn’t mean it is correct. In fact, the English language is commonly butchered.
It is not appropriate after a colon, but it is appropriate after a semi-colon.
The sky was blue; It resembled the ocean.
vs
The sunset was colorful: blue, pink, and orange.
Scott Connerly Sep-28-05 1:38AM
It is not appropriate after a colon, but it is appropriate after a semi-colon.
The sky was blue; It resembled the ocean.
Buh?
Scott, it is also improper to capitalize after a semi-colon (;). The semi-colon is also a conjunctive tool, thus there need not be a capitalization after such.
Jon, I think we may be connected; we had the same thought about Scott’s ridiculously incorrect statement at nearly the same time. I am amazed, and I like you…I think.
You know what else is weird? It shouldn’t really be a colon used in the example in the first place; it should be a semi-colon. Wow! Note my proper use of the semi-colon as well.
It would seem that there are a few sources that disagree. See:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/colon.htm
I believe both the colon and the capitalization in this example are acceptable. A colon is used to draw attention to what comes after it. In this case, the second phrase is an expanded explanation of the first phrase; therefore, it is acceptable that a colon is used instead of a period. Because the second phrase is a complete sentence, it is acceptable that the first letter of the first word is capitalized.
On both questions, however, "acceptable" is not the same as "desirable" or "required." Whether to use a colon or a period is a matter of style or the writer’s intent. Whether or not the first letter after a colon should be capitalized depends on the style manual you choose: APA requires it when the second phrase is a complete sentence; other manuals are not as clear.
Voltaire, are you implying that a colon cannot be used to join what would normally be two sentences? I vaguely recall such a joining as correct and proper as long as the colon is demonstrating some relationship between the sentences, but that semicolons should not be used to join two complete sentences.
What an introduction to this site. As my first time here, I must say I'm impressed! It is my understanding that it is incorrect to capitalize after a colon unless it is a new sentence. In most cases it would be more appropriate to use a period.
A colon, stylistically (this isn't really a matter of grammar), can appropriately be used to join sentences if the second sentence explains the former.
Semicolons are a bit murkier to me, although it was explained once. They should *not* (stylistically, again) be used to join any random pair of sentences. I think the proper relationship is one of comparison or contrast.
"The sun comes up in the morning; the moon comes up in the evening."
I'm aware that I, personally, *massively* overuse semicolons; I'm trying to cut down.
Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition (the bible of book publishing in the U.S.), section 6.64, says:
When a colon is used within a sentence…the first word following the colon is lowercased unless it is a proper name. When a colon introduces two or more sentences…or when it introduces a speech in dialogue or an extract…the first word following it is capitalized.
(I've elided the references to other sections within the manual.)
Such a lot of misinformation you've kicked up! After a colon, the first word is capitalized only if it starts a full sentence. If it kicks off a phrase, then, no. The semi-colon, by contrast, is always followed by a complete sentence which is not capitalized, ever.
I was with Voltaire until I started working with Chicago style (as Nancy noted above). It's one sentence, so why doesn't the CMoS treat it like the semicolon? I don't know.
with respect to Voltaire ~ because, after all, how can one NOT respect Voltaire? ~ I agree with Ryan on this, and Abigail. Thanks to you both in seeing it and expressing it simply and clearly.
Semi-colons can also be used as separators in a list that contains commas in its elements: Joe, from Mississippi; Anna, from Georgia; and Mike, from Kansas all competed for the prize.
Porsche, darling, your recollection is indeed vague if you think that semi-colons are not used to separate complete sentences; it may shock you to learn that this is their main use.
And Anonymous, thanks so much for the lovely link to the colon information: Maybe readers will learn something there!
A colon is used when the sentence could end, but as a small amount of words after to descibe some thing or someone
Example
He was a natural leader: brave and fearless.
and the first letter after should not be Capitalization
Strunk and White would disagree with part of Anonymous's 3/38/08 post. It seems that they say a colon may be used after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation: there is no restriction on the length of what comes after the colon. However, they do agree that one should not capitalize the first letter after the colon. Lynne Truss (one of my heroes) does use a capital letter sometimes after a colon, when it introduces a quote that is either in quotation marks or indented.
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/005513.html
I must apologize. 4 years later, I’ve finally come to realize the truth: you don’t capitalize after the color or the semi colon. Sorry for the misinformation.
Please look at the Chicago Manual of Style:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/ch06/ch06_sec063.html
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/ch06/ch06_sec064.html
The Elements of Style is a good book, but the CMoS is a higher authority. Wikipedia’s article on “Style Guide” refers to EoS as a work for the “general public”.
Rhen’s question was whether to capitalize after a colon when, as in the example given, the colon is being used to link two separate clauses. The short answer, as Scott Connery has recently noted, is no. There are exceptions, of course–this is English, after all.
However, many postings betray confusion over the proper usage of colons and semicolons. Each has multiple uses, but the misunderstanding here is which one to use between independent clauses. There is a simple way to understand the distinction. (I am resisting the urge to use a colon after that sentence.) A colon joins two clauses; a semicolon separates them.
There is more to it than that, of course. A colon indicates that the second clause follows from the first in a definite manner. It may be from premise to conclusion, from general to specific, or from cause to effect. A semicolon separates clauses that are too distinct for a mere comma yet too closely related to live separately, each in its own sentence.
Douglas, that was one of the best examples ever.
Hey, M, regarding your posting of links to the Chicago Manual of Style: you have to register to see those links. While they do offer a 30-day free trial, it’s a PAY site. You aren’t selling something, are you?
Lena, Thanks, that’s nice of you to say.
I was re-reading Strunk and White’s “The Elemsnts of Style” and found the following entry for ‘while’ in the chapter “Misused Words and Expressions”:
“While. Avoid the indiscriminate use of this word for and, but, and although. Many writers use it frequently as a substitute for and or but, either from a mere desire
to vary the connective, or from uncertainty which of the two connectives is the more appropriate. In this use it is best replaced by a semicolon.”
That’s good punctuation advice, even if it does “bury the lead.”
This was so helpful! Thank you all. :)
This thread is informative enough that I may just bookmark it.
I take issue to someone’s stating: “The Elements of Style is a good book, but the CMoS is a higher authority.”
While this may literally be the case; the literary community commonly accepts TEoS, and it is recommended reading in a lot of cases.
I have had instructors attempt to teach some of Strunk & White, picking and choosing, while disregarding the rest. I believe this is foolhardy; one should stick to a manual of style either wholly or not at all. One should choose the accepted manual that best fits their own style.
So again, to the original poster:
It is a matter of style.
I would much prefer an auteur misusing a device, as long as they are consistent, to an auteur overusing a device.
My girlfriend reads the “Twilight” series, and is often confused by a classic Stephanie Meyer usage of the dash. It may just be my bias, I hate to use dashes, but Stephanie is murdering the dash throughout her series.
According to this site, capitalization following a colon is considered acceptable in America, but (aside from proper names or the like) not in England. I rather think, though, that even in America it is only OK if the part after the colon is a grammatically complete sentence.
Dresden: Many excellent writers thoroughly despise Strunk & White. They think it is full of horrible advice, and is far too prescriptive, although I doubt that any would claim that every bit of advice therein is bad. Certainly it is sensible to pick and choose.
As for the Chicago Manual, that is not just advice. If you are writing something to be published by University of Chicago Press, or another publisher that uses Chicago style, you have to do things their way. However, it does not follow that their way is better, and other publishers may insist on something different (or may trust the author’s judgement).
You are right about the dash, though. It is not a good thing to overuse.