do you Capitalize "sir" and "Madam" in dialogue?

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elanders - 23 Jan 2009 00:23 GMT

"Yes, I believe so, Madam."

or

"Yes, I believe so, madam?"

"Yes, I believe you're correct, sir."

or

"Yes, I believe you're correct, Sir."

The dialogue appears in a novel

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Eric Walker - 25 Jan 2009 01:32 GMT

> "Yes, I believe so, Madam."
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> The dialogue appears in a novel

While there are few hard and fast rules, _The Chicago Manual of Style_
(14th) says, at 7.27 ("Honorific Titles") , not so: the examples
include "my lord", "sir", and "madam".

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Pcresswell - 25 Jan 2009 09:11 GMT

> "Yes, I believe so, Madam."
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> --
> Riclanders Dot Comhttp://riclanders.com/

I would not capitalise, for any title that I can think of.

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Eric Walker - 25 Jan 2009 10:56 GMT

> I would not capitalise, for any title that I can think of.

Generally, if the title is associated with or used in place of a
proper name, it would be capitalized; here are some examples from _The
Chicago_:

General Eisenhower
President Buchanan
Prince Charles
Cardinal Newman
---------------------
C. R. Dodwell, Fellow and Librarian of Trinity College
---------------------
You did well, Captain, to avoid that sea lane.
Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

A peculiar exception they note there is the Speaker of the House of
Representatives of the United States--presumably to avoid confusion
with someone who happened to be orating there. Other such exceptions
are General of the Army, Fleet Admiral, and some British titles (the
Prince of Wales, the Queen Mother, the Princess Royal, and the Dame of
Sark (look that one up some time).

Honorifics are normally capitalized: Her Majesty, Your Grace, Your
Honor. Some epithets are also tradirtionally capitalized: the Great
Emancipator, the Wizard of Menlo Park, Babe Ruth, Stonewall Jackson
(arguably those are proper names), the Sun King, and a few others of
that sort.

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elanders - 25 Jan 2009 13:01 GMT

>> I would not capitalise, for any title that I can think of.
>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> (arguably those are proper names), the Sun King, and a few others of
> that sort.

A little confusing.

Ok, in my manuscript I talk of Kings, Queens, Princesses and Dukes.

If I write, "The princess said she'd be there" is the ruling saying
"princess" should be capital because I'm talking about a specific princess?

Likewise, duke?

EG

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009

do you Capitalize "sir" and "Madam" in dialogue?