Capital Flight: a rant.

Reports that academics at Leeds Trinity University in Yorkshire have been banned from using capital letters have been greatly exaggerated.

To be frank, they're not true.

It is true, however, Leeds Trinity academics are advised that they should be "avoiding officious language and negative instructions:" but that, says vice-chancellor Professor Margaret House, is just best teaching practice. 

As an example, shouting Don't go near the tiger! would presumably not be recommended. But then how many tigers are there in Yorkshire?

In any case this wouldn't be as bad as writing Don't go near the TIGER! because apparently writing in capitals might draw attention to the "difficulty or high-stakes nature of the task". And I suppose that as long as it's a very relaxed, fully-fed sort of a tiger then that'll be all right.

The memo in which these pearls of wisdom have been promulgated also suggests that when explaining assessment tasks "any lack of clarity can generate anxiety" which must be true (Consider your distance carefully with regards to the thingy).

Now, we can't but admit that, as Professor House points out, using all capital letters isn't elegant, whatever the subject. And the instruction to be "explicit about any inexplicitness" is good advice too.

So if you should come across a stripy animal, nothing like a horse, then you really should consider the level of intimacy which would be recommended as safe for a member of the public.

Word To Use Today: TIGER. This word comes from the Old French tigre, from the Latin tigris, from Greek. The word originally comes from Iran.


photo by Soulkeeper