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Subject:CMS, Dictionary, UC or LC? From:Michele Davis <michele -at- krautgrrl -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 10 Oct 2003 16:27:51 -0500
Hello all, I am so lame I never buy books and then can't find what I
want when I need it. I'm on the 12th ed. of CMS and my dictionaries are
from the 70s! yikes.
These are the questions. I am editing a memoir. For 70 pages the words
"mother" and "father" are in upper case, and then suddenly on page 75,
chapter 10, they are lower case. And this is in the middle of sentences.
Now, my intuitive editor in my brain says lower case always for mother
and father, not "My Mother said..." or "My Father's thumb..." What is
the convention? Where do I find the convention when editing? What book
would have it?
As far as numbers in a memoir, the CMS states that consistency is
important, either use figures or spell it out, but pick one and stay
consistent. My client is having a hissy fit because she thinks "some"
numbers should be spelled out and some should be figures by some
arbitrary old lady law (old lady=old school, like the 1940s-1950s). In
addition she randomly uses quotes which make me want to scream! I am
pulling quotes from things like: "store bought" meaning store bought
clothes instead of homemade. Or do you all think I should be leaving the
random use of quotes? And numbers? What's your take?
All help is very graciously accepted.
Merci...
--
Michele
"I've learned that sometimes all a person needs is a hand
to hold and a heart to understand." Andy Rooney
www.krautgrrl.com
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