Style Guide from Oxford Uni

[Phyrebrat]

Whilst noodling around the web looking for info on whether the word kingdom is capitalised and, if there's a queen (1855-7), why's it not queendom, I came across this style guide from Oxford Uni.

It's not strictly a writing resource as it also covers their preference for dissertations and theses, but I found it really interesting, particularly the difference between acronyms, abbreviations and contractions.

Anyway, I thought it might interest some here, and it can be DLd as a PDF so:

https://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/Style%20Guide%20HT2016.pdf

 

[Swank]

kingdom is capitalised and, if there's a queen (1855-7), why's it not queendom

Probably not, unless referring to a specific kingdom; "A toast, to the Kingdom!" Rather for the same reason father is lowercase unless he's yours.

I would imagine to be a queendom the default would have to be a queen, rather than a king in preference. Plus, the tendency in English and other languages to use the masculine form by default: mankind, actors, etc. This implying that a ruling queen is a kind of king, rather than something different than a king.

Good link. Thanks.

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

I would also say it is not capitalized, even when referring to a specific place.

This is my kingdom
This is my Kingdom

This is my country
This is my Country

This is my land
This is my Land

This is my house
This is my House

Always lower case. Kingdom is not a proper noun.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Thanks all. I’d got to grips with it (hence the research) so please no need to do any more work on my account!!!

 

[Swank]

I would also say it is not capitalized, even when referring to a specific place.

This is my kingdom
This is my Kingdom

This is my country
This is my Country

This is my land
This is my Land

This is my house
This is my House

Always lower case. Kingdom is not a proper noun.

I don't think "my kingdom" refers to a specific place the way "the Kingdom" does, the latter functioning as an abbreviation for "the Kingdom of Norway" or the similar proper title/name.