Did you know the Internet...

[tek_heretik]

is a place (even though it's virtual) and that is why it is capitalized? Just a little interesting fact I thought I would share.

[whatthefunk]

I dont know about that. Internet is a proper noun, meaning it refers to one specific thing. Thus it should be capitalized. The same way the name of a company, individual or country is capitalized.

As an example, we can look at the word "plains," which is a place. "Plains" does not refer to one specific plain so it is not capitalized. If we say "The Great Plains" it should be capitalized because in this case you are referring a specific plain. There is only one Internet, and saying Internet can only refer to one thing, so it is capitalized.

[/annoyingEnglishtecaher]

[woodsmoke]

[/annoyingEnglishtecaher]

Ummmmm from another annoyingEnglishteACher.

woodsmoke

[jlittle]

is a place (even though it's virtual) and that is why it is capitalized?

An "internet" is a network of networks. The "Internet" is the global internet. In the early days of networking there were several internets, and I suppose there still may be some, separated from the Internet.
Now, I don't necessarily agree with this rationale, in fact I don't like it, in principle the definite article is enough.

[tek_heretik]

An "internet" is a network of networks. The "Internet" is the global internet. In the early days of networking there were several internets, and I suppose there still may be some, separated from the Internet.
Now, I don't necessarily agree with this rationale, in fact I don't like it, in principle the definite article is enough.

I get the impression you want proof... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interne...ambiguation%29

It's a NOUN... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noun

[jlittle]

It's a NOUN

Yeah, but we don't usually capitalize nouns, unless they're personal names. Marketers like to capitalize the names of products, implicitly conferring upon them a special dignity. The internet should get a capital if it had a name like Rover, or Dino or Maxie. Was a Arnie a terminator, or ... the Terminator.

[tek_heretik]

Yeah, but we don't usually capitalize nouns, unless they're personal names. Marketers like to capitalize the names of products, implicitly conferring upon them a special dignity. The internet should get a capital if it had a name like Rover, or Dino or Maxie. Was a Arnie a terminator, or ... the Terminator.

Wrong again, it's PLACE, well then, new york and tokyo...oh, look at that, my spell check wants to CAPITALIZE those two PLACES, lol.

[kubicle]

It's a NOUN... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noun

Not all nouns are capitalized (a notable exception to this rule is the German language, in which all nouns are capitalized), and even the so called "proper nouns" that usually are capitalized (with some exceptions) can lose their capitalization over time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interne...on_conventions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proper_noun

Wrong again, it's PLACE, well then, new york and tokyo...oh, look at that, my spell check wants to CAPITALIZE those two PLACES, lol.

That's backward logic, you say i/Internet should be capitalized because it's a place, but you can't deduce that it IS a "place" from that (that's an unproven premise).

[SteveRiley]

Man. I'm glad we don't have anything more important to discuss, like, oh, my minor attempt to lighten up the netiquette demands at kubuntu-users, and the potential backfire

[rms]

Even though I agree with /annoyingEnglishtecaher Internet has become a place.

[kubicle]

Internet has become a place.

That is certainly debatable (meaning one could provide reasonable arguments either way), but even if you consider the i/Internet a place that doesn't necessarily mean it should be capitalized...we have places like "(the) outdoors" or "(outer) space" that aren't capitalized.

Also, the word i/Internet is commonly used to describe a medium, and it would be harder to argue that the word should be capitalized when used in this sense: (he told me that over the phone, I heard it on the radio, I saw that on television, I read that on the internet).

I'm not saying it shouldn't be capitalized (at least in some contexts), just that it is not a black-or-white type of question.

[kubicle]

Man. I'm glad we don't have anything more important to discuss

Well, it is the Social/Casual Talk forum, I'd expect the important discussions to happen elsewhere

[Qqmike]

I think this is simple:

In English,
-- Not all nouns are capitalized.
-- A noun specifying a place is not necessarily capitalized.
-- Proper nouns are capitalized.
-- kubicle's link settles this issue wrt the word "Internet": the link discusses the grammatical use of Internet, capitalization, and the history of usage conventions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interne...on_conventions
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet

[perspectoff]

Ummmmm from another annoyingEnglishteACher.

woodsmoke

Oh gods, don't tell me the Australopitheci are going to assert their rights to grunt instead of speak English in a pseudo-English speaking forum again?

[rms]

That is certainly debatable (meaning one could provide reasonable arguments either way), but even if you consider the i/Internet a place that doesn't necessarily mean it should be capitalized...we have places like "(the) outdoors" or "(outer) space" that aren't capitalized.
---

Since I'm Engrish speaking person either way of writing it(i/Internet) is fine with me.