to flinch when people use random capitals in sentences??

[GreenSepticStumpsleeves]

as in "I told her we were going to buy a Guinea Pig, but all she did was scream and ask for a Rabbit"

Stop it, all of you!! Stop it now!!

Well I for one "take issue with" People who put more than one Exclamation Mark at the end of a sentance!!

So there Greeny

Pedantic oh yes c'est moi- I thank you!

(people who insert French phrases or literary quotes that are not understandable to the listener too)

Just to be precise, they aren't using random capitals. This would be using random capitals:

Bandon Wapitals.

They are using (non-random)capitals randomly.

Pedantry ought to be pedantically expressed.

It's a context thing ...
Emails from Security, I agree, though it's not a big deal (yet - it's an insight into other people's priorities, though, isn't it? "Be vigilant when withdrawing cash from Hole In The Wall Machines.")

• but I absolutely love the effect in proper 18th c. and earlier (and pastiches of) writing - like Gulliver's Travels, and Mistress Masham's Repose & Land of Green Ginger [both the latter category before anyone jumps on me], and I was reading a fabulous extract from William Dampier (17th c. pirate) which used phrases like "a Knock on the Head". Atmospheric in an indefinable way. (PS The online Gutenberg William Dampier has taken the capitals out. A worser crime.)

I like random capitals. They look Elegant and Eighteenth Century.

Agree with UQD about the quotes.

Tiger Feet I do that all the time
Not always !!! at the end either

The woman who does our school's PFA letters is in love with both quotes and exclamation marks. The periodical exhortation to join the school lottery is expressed thus:

'Go on "have a flutter"!!!!'

aaaaaaggggh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That would be gorgeous LL. MN HQ would have to have a team of artists drawing the little pictures to go inside the letters.

Maybe little illuminating imp-monks inside the computer like those who do the photos in Terry Pratchett.

i can't help it - i wish i could becuase i read through reports adn think
OMG WTF - why on earth did i do that?

Greeny
get A Grip.
Sweetie.

YANBU. My mother is the worst offender when it comes to random inverted commas. It is so "irritating". She will write things like:

We are having a "lovely" holiday. Had a lovely "pub meal" last night. It's so "nice" in "Somerset".

['Nice' and 'lovely' are her favourite - nay, only - adjectives]

WTF? Sorry mum... love you really .

However, I have to point out pedantically to UQD that the use of capitals in German is not random at all. German capitalises all nouns. Very simple and far from random.

Except that they may not any more, because they had a 'spelling reform'....

I had an ex-boyfriend whose grandmother used to write in birthday cards

TO "DANIEL" WITH LOVE FROM "GRANDMA"

(only using his real name instead of Daniel. Calling your grandson Daniel at random would be even more odd...)

I have to type Capital Letters in random places at work. When I started, I changed them to lower case and was then told not to.

Grrrrrr. Irks me every time.

Oh no.... sounds like I have to type in the loo/broom cupboard! I think you know what I mean.

Ellhell - you misunderstood me, I wasn't saying it was random - I was following up sharpmolarbear about nouns having capital letters. I didn't make that clear though!

Oh God!! I do that gestured "Inverted Comma" thing sometimes, but even I cringe inwardly when I do it. Comes from trying to say things over the last 20 years (since leaving university) without being completely misunderstood by the 90% of this country who've had a sense of humour bypass. I would have spat back then on all such cliched expressions, usages and customs. I just can't be bothered to fight any more.

Just wish I lived somewhere where talking about things other than the extremely bland were more usual, and could spend more of my time talking to people who understood sarcasm and hyperbole.

phuck off HC!!

Oh god, the inverted commas in greetings cards... combined with randomly inserted capitals...argh

My ex-MIL used to write

To X

"Happy Birthday"

love from mum and dad

"Your Simply the Best"/"Similar toe-curling apostrophe-omitting Platitude"

"Is it alright to use Chicken Breasts that have been in the fridge for a week?"

No, leave 'em in there until they've gone green and then eat 'em RAW, you fucking illiterate twatbag [rabid]

This is really annoying you, isn't it? I can just tell.