Letter case

A (capital and small)

Typography Line Terms

Fountain pen writing (literacy)

Adyge alphabet 1927 (1)

Latin letter small capital P with bottom hook

Headline

Letter case is a distinction in the writing and typography of alphabetic characters between uppercase (also called capital letters, capitals, caps, large letters, or more formally majuscule) and lowercase (also called small letters, or more formally minuscule). This distinction is present in many writing systems that use alphabetic characters, but does not apply in systems that are purely logographic, such as Chinese characters.

The usage of uppercase and lowercase letters in writing typically follows specific grammatical and syntactical rules, varying by language. In English, for example, the first-person singular pronoun "I", proper nouns, the first letter of the first word in a sentence, and the first letter of a proper noun are capitalized. Other languages have different conventions.

History

The terms 'uppercase' and 'lowercase' originated from the way in which print shops were organized in the early days of printing. Metal type pieces for each letter were kept in separate compartments in a case. The more frequently used lowercase letters were kept in a lower, more accessible case, while the less frequently used uppercase letters were kept in an upper case. This physical arrangement led to the terminology used today.

The concept of letter case has its roots in the Latin alphabet, where scribes in the Middle Ages developed distinct sets of both majuscule (uppercase) and minuscule (lowercase) letters as a means of increasing the speed and efficiency of writing. Over time, these sets of letters evolved into the modern system of letter case used in many alphabetic systems today.

Function and Usage

The primary function of letter case is to aid in the readability and interpretation of text. Capitalization can denote the start of a sentence, proper nouns, or be used for emphasis, among other uses. Lowercase letters, being more prevalent, facilitate the flow of reading due to their varied shapes and sizes, which can help in the recognition of words.

In computer science, letter case is significant in distinguishing between identifiers such as variable names in many programming languages. For example, in languages like C and Python, variable names are case-sensitive, meaning that "Variable", "VARIABLE", and "variable" would be interpreted as three distinct identifiers.

Typography

In typography, the choice between uppercase and lowercase letters can also convey a certain aesthetic or stylistic quality. Uppercase letters are often used for headings, titles, or for emphasis, while lowercase letters are standard for body text. The use of letter case in typography involves considerations of readability, legibility, and the overall visual composition of the text.

Cultural and Social Aspects

The use of letter case can also have cultural and social implications. For instance, writing in all uppercase letters is often interpreted as shouting in digital communication. Conversely, the use of all lowercase letters can be seen as informal or casual.

See Also

• Typography
• Alphabet
• Writing system
• Capitalization
• Grammar