Why do we capitalise all words except conjunctions and some prepositions in titles?
Convention, at heart. It used to be that writers capitalized all letters. Then, some time passed, and they capitalized only nouns and beginnings of sentences.
The Short Answer
Convention, at heart. It used to be that writers capitalized all letters. Then, some time passed, and they capitalized only nouns and beginnings of sentences. Then, more time passed, and they started capitalizing only proper nouns. It's gotten to the point that we only capitalize more meaningful words in general and in titles. For instance, "the" isn't as meaningful as nouns and verbs are. EDIT: Teotwaki69 correctly says in the below post that the convention is based on parts of speech.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Nouns, convention, capitalized
This explanation focuses on nouns, convention, capitalized and spans 81 words across 7 sentences. The depth is typical for General Knowledge questions (category average: 68 words), striking a balance between accessibility and completeness.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Convention, at heart.” It then elaborates with concrete examples, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 7 connected points.
How This Compares in General Knowledge
Ranked #175 of 500 General Knowledge questions by answer depth (top 36%). This falls in the detailed tier — above average depth. The explanation goes beyond surface-level but keeps things accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why we capitalise all words except conjunctions and some prepositions in titles?
Convention, at heart. It used to be that writers capitalized all letters. Then, some time passed, and they capitalized only nouns and beginnings of sentences. Then, more time passed, and they started capitalizing only proper nouns. It's gotten to…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar General Knowledge questions?
This is an above-average answer at 81 words, ranked #175 of 500 General Knowledge questions by depth. The key concepts covered are nouns, convention, capitalized.
What approach does this answer take to explain we capitalise all words except conjunctions and some preposi?
The explanation uses concrete examples across 81 words. It is categorized under General Knowledge and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.