Upper Case vs. Lower Case Letters - Democratic Underground

Lionel Mandrake

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Sat Jun-13-09 11:06 AM
Original message

Upper Case vs. Lower Case Letters

Why do we call capital letters "upper case" and non-capital letters "lower case"?

If you are curious about this, you will find the answer here:

http://www.alembicpress.co.uk/Typecases/Index.htm

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CaliforniaPeggy

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Sat Jun-13-09 11:25 AM
Response to Original message

1. My dear Lionel Mandrake!

That is a rather intimidating article, but I did figure out what they were saying...

Funny how something we always say and never think about came into being...

Thank you!

:hi:

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Lionel Mandrake

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Sat Jun-13-09 12:23 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. My dear CP

You're welcome.

And thanks for dropping by.

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Lionel Mandrake

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Sat Jun-13-09 02:39 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. Congratulations on figuring it out.

Everyone else who has looked at this thread apparently knew the answer already. I had no idea that DUers were so knowledgeable about etymology. Next time, I'll try to come up with something more challenging.

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InternalDialogue

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Sat Jun-13-09 03:07 PM
Response to Original message

4. I love typography geekness and miscellania.

So, yeah, I already knew this, but I still think it's one of the cooler origins of what is now ubiquitous terminology.

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Lionel Mandrake

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Sat Jun-13-09 04:13 PM
Response to Reply #4

8. So do I.

The technology of movable type may be obsolete, but the terminology lives on.

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quakerboy

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Sat Jun-13-09 03:46 PM
Response to Original message

5. I had never thought about it before

makes sense though.

I found wikipedia more reader friendly

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

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Lionel Mandrake

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Sat Jun-13-09 04:07 PM
Response to Reply #5

7. Yes, the wikipedia article is easier to follow.

But the other article provides more information, including where and when "upper" and "lower" cases were used by printers.

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quakerboy

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Sun Jun-14-09 02:35 AM
Response to Reply #7

10. True enough

thank you for bringing us to the path of information.

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Xipe Totec

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Sat Jun-13-09 03:51 PM
Response to Original message

6. Upper case letters are top shelf

lower case are meh.

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Lionel Mandrake

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Sat Jun-13-09 04:30 PM
Response to Reply #6

9. That is a low type of humor,

which is truly appreciated in this case.

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