Index to the Style Manual Note that racial and ethnic terms are used both as nouns and as adjectives. Do not hyphenate these terms if they are used as a noun, but hyphenate them if they are used as an adjective. The following are some of the more common ethnic groups: - African American (be sensitive to the true ethnicity of black people from other countries, such as Jamaican Americans.)
- Asian American
- European American
- Hispanic American (Americans with ancestors from Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, South and Central America)
- Mexican American (Chicano and Chicana refer specifically to those of Mexican descent)
- Native American or American Indian (descendants of the original North, South, and Central Americas)
- Caucasian (commonly used to refer to anyone with light skin)
- Latino and Latina (people of Latin American descent; less broad than Hispanic and preferred by some to Chicano and Chicana , which refer specifically to those of Mexican descent. Use the term preferred by the individual or group about whom you are writing.)
- People of color (for any non-European Americans and their descendants)
If a more specific racial and ethnic identification would seem stilted, the terms black and white may be used to refer to individuals of African-American and European-American ancestry. The terms are not proper nouns and so are not capitalized unless that is a particular group’s preference.
Other terms to consider: minorities, ethnic minorities, people.
Capitalize place names and regional terms when referring to specific locations, or place names specific to a period of history: - When we visited my family in the South, I developed a taste for anything fried in lard.
- The avian flu outbreak in Southeast Asia precipitated the grisly slaughter of millions of chickens.
- Del Rio is where the feel of the border changes from South Texas to West Texas.
- He runs an STI clinic in East Baltimore.
- Assateague Island, on the Eastern Shore, is rife with mosquitoes and small, malnourished, feral horses.
- In Northwest Maryland you'll find the spectacular Cunningham Falls.
- Thankfully, the Northerners prevailed against the Southerners in the Civil War.
- During the Cold War, we rode our bicylces through Eastern Europe because there was so little gasoline.
Do not capitalize the points of the compass when used non-specifically: - We borrowed a car, drove west for 72 hours, and arrived in California delirious.
- The northwestern region of Maryland is known for its for hog farms and manure lagoons.
- Baltimore is famous for its northern hospitality and southern efficiency.
- A north wind's a' gonna blow.
- Beware of fast-talking northerners.
- The herb can be found in many mountainous regions of eastern Europe.
Use that when the clause it introduces is essential to the meaning of the sentence; do not use
commas to set off the clause. Use which when the clause is not essential to the sentence (i.e., the sentence still makes sense if the clause is removed); use commas to set it off. Wild geese that are molting are usually unable to fly . [Here, that is used and the clause is not set off with commas because the clause is essential—the sentence would make no sense if the clause were removed.]
Wild geese, which migrate twice a year, fly high. [Here, which is used and the clause is set off with commas because the sentence still makes sense without the clause. Wild geese fly high.] Pick up the marbles that are blue . [This means the marbles are of different colors, and to pick up only the blue ones.]
Pick up the marbles, which are blue. [This says to pick up all the marbles, which, by the way, all happen to be blue.]
Use who for subjective case and whom for objective case. The following is a three-step rule of thumb for deciding whether to use who or whom: 1. Look only at the words that follow who or whom in the sentence.
2. Plug the gap in meaning with he or him, whichever makes sense.
3. Substitute who for he and whom for him. Whom did you fire? [Did you fire him ?]
The mayor, who reporters implied was dishonest, was silent. [Reporters implied he was dishonest.]
For consistency in listing office numbers and addresses, place room numbers before the building name.
The Wolfe Street building will no longer be designated Hygiene; it is now known as Wolfe Street Building or Wolfe St. Bldg.)
E5505 Wolfe St. Bldg.
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