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A Question of Grammatical Nature

Jul 12, 2012#1

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.

Jul 12, 2012#2

sixpackshaker

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

Jul 12, 2012#3

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.

Jul 12, 2012#4

GasBandit

Capitalized.

Jul 12, 2012#5

Jay

Leif Erikson discovered the Americas.

Jul 12, 2012#6

sixpackshaker

Jay said:
Leif Erikson discovered the Americas.

But he was a little late getting the news out.

Jul 12, 2012#7

Jay

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

Jul 12, 2012#8

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.

Jul 12, 2012#9

sixpackshaker

Jay said:
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.

Jul 12, 2012#10

Jay

LordRendar said:
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?

Jul 12, 2012#11

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?

Jul 12, 2012#12

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.

Jul 12, 2012#13

LordRendar

Nope.He named the locals Indians,remember?

Jul 12, 2012#14

sixpackshaker

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

Jul 12, 2012#15

Dave

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

Jul 12, 2012#16

Bubble181

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

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

Jul 12, 2012#17

GasBandit

Bubble181 said:
But the genre is americana, right? Or is it Americana?

Capitalized.

Jul 12, 2012#18

Bubble181

GasBandit said:
Capitalized.

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

Jul 12, 2012#19

GasBandit

Bubble181 said:
At least tell me "filthy 'mericans" doesn't need a capital letter?

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

Jul 12, 2012#20

Bubble181

GasBandit said:
CAP.IT.A.LIZE. Ya durn yuropeen.

Fair enough. "Filthy 'merican" it is

Jul 12, 2012#21

GasBandit

Bubble181 said:
Fair enough. "Filthy 'merican" it is

Also, it's spelled 'Merkun.

Jul 12, 2012#22

drifter

'Merkin

Jul 12, 2012#23

PatrThom

'Murrican.

--Patrick

Jul 12, 2012#24

Soliloquy

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

Amerigo Vespucci would like a word with you, sir.

Jul 12, 2012#25

sixpackshaker

Soliloquy said:
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.

Jul 12, 2012#26

Soliloquy

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

I demand a source.

Jul 12, 2012#27

Bubble181

Soliloquy said:
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.

Jul 12, 2012#28

sixpackshaker

Soliloquy said:
I demand a source.

Same as yours, Wikipedia.

Jul 12, 2012#29

Soliloquy

sixpackshaker said:
Same as yours, Wikipedia.

Source? Link? Paragraph? Quote? Anything?

Jul 12, 2012#30

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.

Jul 12, 2012#31

sixpackshaker

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus

your googlefu is weak.

Jul 13, 2012#32

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!

Jul 13, 2012#33

SeraRelm

Stephanie Meyer is a published author.

Jul 13, 2012#34

sixpackshaker

/burn

Jul 13, 2012#35

Ravenpoe

SeraRelm said:
Stephanie Meyer is a published author.

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

Jul 13, 2012#36

drifter

A quote of Sera's burn would work so well above Nick's gif.

Jul 13, 2012#37

blotsfan

I'd be happy with my life if I was as rich as Stephanie Meyer

Jul 13, 2012#38

ThatNickGuy

SeraRelm said:
Stephanie Meyer is a published author.

...

Fuck. :mad:

Jul 13, 2012#39

David

Nick is a published author.
Stephanie Meyer is a published author.

Nick is Stephanie Meyer! :aaah:

Jul 13, 2012#40

ThatNickGuy

*Makes a call to Shego* Yeah, Sheg? Me again. Yep. Yep. Uh huh. Yeah, David this time. Make it messy, will you? Thanks. The usual amount will be in your Swiss bank account by tomorrow afternoon. *hangs up*

Jul 13, 2012#41

GasBandit

Given that quantum theory says there are infinite universes, it follows that there are also infinite universes where Nick is boning Stephanie Meyer.

Jul 13, 2012#42

David

Sounds like his prom night?

Jul 13, 2012#43

Ravenpoe

ThatNickGuy said:
*Makes a call to Shego* Yeah, Sheg? Me again. Yep. Yep. Uh huh. Yeah, David this time. Make it messy, will you? Thanks. The usual amount will be in your Swiss bank account by tomorrow afternoon. *hangs up*

Uh huh, just flaunt that twilight money.

Jul 13, 2012#44

PatrThom

GasBandit said:
Given that quantum theory says there are infinite universes, it follows that there are also infinite universes where Nick is a vampire who is boning Stephanie Meyer.

FTFY

--Patrick

Jul 14, 2012#45

Bowielee

sixpackshaker said:
/burn

Not just burn.

Totally sick burn.

Like, of epic proportions.

Jul 14, 2012#46

Bubble181

PatrThom said:
Given that quantum theory says there are infinite universes, it follows that there are also infinite universes where Nick is a vampire who is boning Stephanie Meyer.
FTFY

--Patrick

You're telling me...It's an auto-biography?

Jul 14, 2012#47

North_Ranger

Bubble181 said:
You're telling me...It's an auto-biography?

I don't have the picture here, but there's one where they compare Bella's physical description to a picture of Meyer. It's pretty much spot-on.

So yeah... Twilight is about Stephanie Meyer wanting to get boned by a vampire.

Jul 14, 2012#48

GasBandit

North_Ranger said:
I don't have the picture here, but there's one where they compare Bella's physical description to a picture of Meyer. It's pretty much spot-on.

So yeah... Twilight is about Stephanie Meyer wanting to get boned by a vampire.

Jul 14, 2012#49

North_Ranger

Thank you, Mr Ewok. That's the one.

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