[Question] A Question of Grammatical Nature

[David]

I understand that "America," when written as such, is a proper noun, and thus always capitalized.
e.g. "Columbus discovered America."

However, does one capitalize the "a" when it is "the americas?"
e.g. "Columbus discovered the americas" or "Columbus discovered the Americas?"

In that case, to me it seems like the noun is referring in general to land masses of the western hemisphere, and so might not be a proper noun.

 

[sixpackshaker]

Proper noun. The name even derives from a proper noun.

 

[Chad Sexington]

Europe, Antarctica, Asia, Africa, Australia... No other continent is exempt, so neither are we! America is always capitalised, whether it's North America, South America, or just generally the Americas.

 

[GasBandit]

Capitalized.

 

[Jay]

Leif Erikson discovered the Americas.

 

[sixpackshaker]

Leif Erikson discovered the Americas.

But he was a little late getting the news out.

 

[Jay]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leif_Ericson

 

[LordRendar]

I thought it were the Mogol (or people from that area of Asia) Nomands who crossed the Bering Straigt and became the native americans,who were the first to discover the Americas.

 

[sixpackshaker]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leif_Ericson

It is late because it was not wide spread knowledge for nearly 1000 years later.

Columbus told the World that there was some missing lands from the maps.

Knowledge of America basically died with Ericson.

 

[Jay]

I thought it were the Mogol (or people from that area of Asia) Nomands who crossed the Bering Straigt and became the native americans,who were the first to discover the Americas.

They just crossed a bridge. They didn't know WTF they were going.

The mentioned explorers were like... WTF IS THIS?

 

[LordRendar]

Im pretty sure most "explorers" dont know wtf they were doing.pick a direction and go with it.If you were lucky you found land if not you were dead.
Columbus thought he was in India when he landed in America,remember?

 

[sixpackshaker]

He thought he was in India/Indonesia when he spotted land. Once he met the locals he had a good idea that he was somewhere else.

 

[LordRendar]

Nope.He named the locals Indians,remember?

 

[sixpackshaker]

He came back speaking of a New World. Not one they already knew about.

 

[Dave]

We even capitalize the band America - we're that anal about it.

 

[Bubble181]

We even capitalize the band America - we're that anal about it.

But the genre is americana, right? Or is it Americana?

 

[GasBandit]

But the genre is americana, right? Or is it Americana?

Capitalized.

 

[Bubble181]

Capitalized.

At least tell me "filthy 'mericans" doesn't need a capital letter?

 

[GasBandit]

At least tell me "filthy 'mericans" doesn't need a capital letter?

CAP.IT.A.LIZE. Ya durn yuropeen.

 

[Bubble181]

CAP.IT.A.LIZE. Ya durn yuropeen.

Fair enough. "Filthy 'merican" it is

 

[GasBandit]

Fair enough. "Filthy 'merican" it is

Also, it's spelled 'Merkun.

 

[drifter]

'Merkin

Spoiler

 

[PatrThom]

'Murrican.

--Patrick

 

[Soliloquy]

He came back speaking of a New World. Not one they already knew about.

Amerigo Vespucci would like a word with you, sir.

 

[sixpackshaker]

Amerigo Vespucci would like a word with you, sir.

Columbus thought he was close to China, which is wrong. But he still presented the islands as New Lands.

 

[Soliloquy]

Columbus thought he was close to China, which is wrong. But he still presented the islands as New Lands.

I demand a source.

 

[Bubble181]

I demand a source.

You'll never get one. Columbus held on to the believe that he was in the East-Indies or other previously-contacted regions right up to his deathbed. He said they were new Spanish lands, not a New World. That's pure fiction added on much later. It wasn't 'till they reached the Pacific Coast that it was really believed that it was a separate continent.

 

[sixpackshaker]

I demand a source.

Same as yours, Wikipedia.

 

[Soliloquy]

Same as yours, Wikipedia.

Source? Link? Paragraph? Quote? Anything?

 

[David]

I just finished writing a paper about whether it was actually the Chinese who first landed on the west cost of America in 1421, 70 years before Columbus set sail. I managed to reach 4/5 pages of mostly bullshit because the dang thing needed to be finished and turned in before this hour.

 

[sixpackshaker]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus

your googlefu is weak.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

Guys, look. You're all wrong. It's capitalized, but not how you think. It's actually aMericas. See? Capital M, there?

...

I AM A PUBLISHED AUTHOR, BITCHES! MY WORD IS THE WORD OF GOD!

 

[SeraRelm]

Stephanie Meyer is a published author.

 

[sixpackshaker]

/burn

 

[Ravenpoe]

Stephanie Meyer is a published author.

That's low, I wouldn't cut a bro down like that.