Capitalizing

[Lilith]

Since I'm always struggling with when to capitalize and when not, I figured it might be a good idea to ask you guys for input. And I'm not talking about capitalizing in general

I've been writing fanfiction now for almost a decade (that's scary) and I've never settled on a definite protocol on capitalizing ship's departments and ranks.

For instance, if you describe a crewmember heading to sickbay, do you capitalize 'sickbay'? Does the Captain enter the Bridge, or does the captain enter the bridge? Would you write, 'there was only a skeleton crew in Engineering', or, 'there was only a skeleton crew in engineering'?

I used to capitalize departments and ranks all the time, as well as ranks, but especially in Trek, you often end up with sentences in which just about every other word is capitalized.

Personally I now only capitalize ranks when they're used as a substitute for the character's name (ie. "How are you, Captain?" vs. 'said the captain'), but what if a character is introduced by rank and name? "I am Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the Enteprise", or, "I am Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise".

How do you deal with these dilemmas (if you even consider them dilemmas)?

 

[Dancing Doctor]

I generally capitalize locations ("The turbolift stopped off on Deck 12, and she walked towards Sickbay," "Engineering was unusually tense, with the warp core sputter erratically"). Departments only in certain cases, usually if it has "Starfleet" before it, indicating it is from the central authority ("Starfleet Medical finally decided to send us the medical files of Lieutenant Commander T'Shanik," Beverly said with a huff). If the department is also a location, I capitalize it (Geordi's down in Engineering, working on the warp core," Riker said). If it's just the department, it generally doesn't get capitalized "Tell Worf that his security teams need more training," Picard said, brushing the dirt off of his sleeve. "The command division is one of the most difficult and rewarding places to go into in Starfleet," the commandant said, gazing out into the audience).

Ranks I usually capitalize if the person is being referred to it in place of their name (so your "How are you, Captain?" example works. At the same time, the other sentence you used works as well)

If a character is being referred to by name *and* rank, only capitalize if the rank comes before the name ("Commander Beverly Crusher, Chief Medical Officer," she said without looking up from the triage unit). Otherwise, only capitalize the name (I am Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise".)

For the "Captain enters the Bridge" vs. "captain enters the bridge", it depends on what exactly is going on. I tend to lean more towards the former, but I'll also capitalize Captain and leave bridge uncapitalized.

For the most part, it depends on what the situation is. And I apologize for my post being so egotistical.

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

Yeah, I've done it every which way, so I've been both right and wrong part of the time.

My rule of thumb for ranks: capitalize if it is in reference to a person, e.g. "Captain Picard commands the Enterprise," v. "The commanding officer of the Enterprise holds the rank of captain."

As to Sickbay v. sickbay, I've begun to capitalize, just to be consistent.

 

[Mistral]

I have to go with Vixen on this. I try to do it that way.

But anyone going to the Bridge is going to the Bridge, y'know what I mean? It's a major place of interest. I go with what drama calls for.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

The Grammar of Star Trek: A Guide For Writers Who Wonder If The captain visits engineering or if The Captain visits Engineering

 

[Mistral]

The Grammar of Star Trek: A Guide For Writers Who Wonder If The captain visits engineering or if The Captain visits Engineering

(Insert "laugh aloud" here)

 

[CeJay]

I have to go with Vixen on this. I try to do it that way.

But anyone going to the Bridge is going to the Bridge, y'know what I mean? It's a major place of interest. I go with what drama calls for.

But you wouldn't capitalize the living room or the bathroom, would you? The museum or the library could be a place of interest to some people and that's not capitalized either.

I generally try to avoid capitalizing as much as possible. Places which have individual names of course are always capitalized (ie. Ten Forward, Quarks, etc.)

I believe ranks are always capitalized if used to address the person in dialogue. (i.e. "As you were, Ensign." / "Excuse me, Captain, would you care for more tea?"). Also if they are used as titles (i.e. It isn't a secret that Captain Picard loves tea.) In all other instances I do not think the rank should be capitalized. (i.e. The captain entered the bridge.)

 

[BrotherBenny]

That's pretty much the way I see it too.

 

[Lilith]

I generally capitalize locations ("The turbolift stopped off on Deck 12, and she walked towards Sickbay," "Engineering was unusually tense, with the warp core sputter erratically"). Departments only in certain cases, usually if it has "Starfleet" before it, indicating it is from the central authority ("Starfleet Medical finally decided to send us the medical files of Lieutenant Commander T'Shanik," Beverly said with a huff). If the department is also a location, I capitalize it (Geordi's down in Engineering, working on the warp core," Riker said). If it's just the department, it generally doesn't get capitalized "Tell Worf that his security teams need more training," Picard said, brushing the dirt off of his sleeve. "The command division is one of the most difficult and rewarding places to go into in Starfleet," the commandant said, gazing out into the audience).

Ranks I usually capitalize if the person is being referred to it in place of their name (so your "How are you, Captain?" example works. At the same time, the other sentence you used works as well)

If a character is being referred to by name *and* rank, only capitalize if the rank comes before the name ("Commander Beverly Crusher, Chief Medical Officer," she said without looking up from the triage unit). Otherwise, only capitalize the name (I am Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise".)

For the "Captain enters the Bridge" vs. "captain enters the bridge", it depends on what exactly is going on. I tend to lean more towards the former, but I'll also capitalize Captain and leave bridge uncapitalized.

For the most part, it depends on what the situation is. And I apologize for my post being so egotistical.

Don't apologize, egotistical was what I was looking for, since there are no clear-cut rules on the matter Your way is pretty much what I used to do, though I always capitalized Bridge, Engineering, Sickbay e.d. Now I've drifted more towards CeJay's way. However, I catch myself lacking consistency from time to time.

I generally try to avoid capitalizing as much as possible. Places which have individual names of course are always capitalized (ie. Ten Forward, Quarks, etc.)

I believe ranks are always capitalized if used to address the person in dialogue. (i.e. "As you were, Ensign." / "Excuse me, Captain, would you care for more tea?"). Also if they are used as titles (i.e. It isn't a secret that Captain Picard loves tea.) In all other instances I do not think the rank should be capitalized. (i.e. The captain entered the bridge.)

In my most recent stories I've given up on capitalizing the various ship's departments (ie. Sickbay, Engineering, Bridge etc.) but my worry with this is that it undermines the importance of said place, as well as its status. For instance Engineering refers to the main engineering space we usually see in the show itself, whereas engineering could refer to just about any spot on the ship where people engineer. Or am I now just looking for trouble where there is none?

 

[Dancing Doctor]

^I generally capitalize the departments just to reinforce their importance.