Have you seen the word “Internet” written with both a small and a capital “i,” and you’re confused about which form is correct? I know, me too. Both capitalization and the lack of it are correct, but you need to know one basic rule. Let’s discover when the spelling of Internet should be capitalized and when to avoid it so you always get it correct with writing.
Capitalizing the Word Internet
The word “internet” can be both a proper noun and a regular one, so you’ll often find it with both a capital “I” and a lowercase “i.” When referring to the WWW as a whole, it’s a proper name, and it should be capitalized. When used as a regular noun, you can write “internet” without a capital letter.
The word “internet” is probably the most used term in the modern world right now. It refers to the vast network of connected computers and devices, allowing data to be transmitted and shared quickly and easily.
Do You Capitalize the Internet?
Despite its widespread common usage, many people might not realize that this word should always be written with the capital “I.” This is because it originated as a proper noun, the name of a specific place or thing.
Do We Say Internet or the Internet?
Although many people debate whether to say “Internet” or “the Internet,” the truth is that both forms are technically correct. For example, internet browser vs. Internet Explorer. Both are nouns, but the latter one is an actual proper name of something.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the Internet as “a global computer network made up of networks of smaller, individually owned and operated, local computer networks.”
In this sense, the term “Internet” refers to the network as a whole, without distinguishing one single network from another.
However, since any search engine can pull up information on just about any topic under the sun, most people use the phrase “the Internet” to refer specifically to online resources related to a particular subject.
Is Internet Capitalized in MLA?
The word “internet” is always capitalized in MLA style.
MLA style rules refer to guidelines and standards for formatting academic papers and other written content. These guidelines are generally widely accepted in literary studies, both within academia and outside circles.
They are designed to help writers craft clear and consistent content while providing a uniform structure that makes it easier for readers to navigate any text.
At its core, MLA style is based on three key principles: crafting well-organized sentences, clearly citing sources, and formatting text according to accepted standards.
Overall, these guidelines are designed to promote clarity and avoid common errors in style and usage. While there may be some variation depending on the specific discipline or assignment, MLA style is generally seen as an effective tool for communicating effectively in the academic world.
Difference Between ‘Internet’ with a Capital Letter and ‘Internet’ with a Small Letter
Internet, with a capital “I,” is distinguished from any generic interconnection of smaller computer networks since it is a global network. The capitalization of the Internet symbolizes the importance of this worldwide network and its formal acknowledgment as a separate entity.
The capitalization of “Internet” is still required by several reputable news organizations, style manuals, and dictionaries in the modern era.
The Internet used to be a proper noun. But as time has gone on and it has become increasingly ubiquitous in everyday life, it has morphed into a generic word. Internet-savvy youth treat the Internet as naturally as traditional forms of mass media like TV and radio. As people’s conceptions of the Internet broadened, the term “Internet” began to be used more casually.
Internet As a Proper Name
Is “Internet” a proper noun? It is when it’s used to refer to the World Wide Web as a whole. In such cases, you should capitalize this word just like any other proper name, like the name of a city, a person, or a country.
Internet As a Common Noun
Because “internet” is an abbreviation for “interconnected network,” it can refer to any collection of interconnected networks. Even though “internet” is a proper name, it is not capitalized when referring to a collection of linked networks.
Final Thoughts
Should “internet” be capitalized? The real answer is that it depends on context. When writing about the Internet as a whole entity, capitalize it. When referring to individual websites, services, or other online entities, don’t capitalize it. It’s as simple as that. So, save this guide as a reference, and you’ll never get it wrong!
The question of whether to capitalize or not to capitalize the word ‘internet’ raises a lot of controversy and debate among reference guides, grammarians, and linguistics magazines. You simply need to understand the technical distinction between an internet and the Internet.
Historically, the word «internet» was capitalized as it was first introduced as a proper noun, and was to be capitalized when used as one. However, in the past few decades, the trend has changed as people tend to use it as a general term and prompted the need to lowercase it.
Going by general rules of capitalization, the word ‘internet’ should only be capitalized if used as a proper noun. Some people believe that the word should be capitalized, while others think there is no earthly reason to capitalize it.
Definition of «Internet»
Most dictionaries define the internet or Internet as a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the internet protocol suite known as IP to communicate between devices and networks.
Another popular definition is a network of networks that comprises public, private, business, government, and academic networks of local to global scope linked by a vast array of electronic, optical, and wireless networking technologies.
The word was first discovered in the 1970s, denoting a computer network connecting more than one small network.
Examples:
- Luckily today, we can all use our smartphones to connect to the internet.
- He found out about the snow storm from the internet.
- She met her husband through the internet on one of those online dating sites.
- If you didn’t carry packed lunch, you could always order online because you can access the internet.
- How our children are interacting with the internet today will determine whether they pass or fail their examinations.
- If you still feel you need more information, you can look it up on the internet.
- The university now offers courses on how to use the internet, which can also be done online.
When Should You Capitalize The Word «Internet?»
There is really no big reason for capitalizing unless being used as a proper noun in a sentence. The capitalization rules are very clear; capitalize proper nouns, which are the official names of people, places, objects, or events. The internet doesn’t fall under any of these.
Originally, it was capitalized to differentiate an internet-any network of interconnected computers and the internet, which is the global network that anyone can access. Today, the word internet is a ‘generic’ term for communication medium. Since the 2016 announcement by the AP stylebook, the trend across most styles has been to lowercase the word. Let’s look at what the debaters have to say about capitalizing the ‘internet.’
For Capitalizing
There are many reasonable arguments in favor of capitalizing the word ‘internet.’ Many people think and feel that ‘internet’ is a proper noun and should be treated as so. Others claim that it is best if it was left capitalized from the beginning as most people are already used to capitalizing it. The New York Times, the Communications of the ACM and Time and the Associated Press capitalize it.
Some people also feel that ‘internet’ refers to a place in a way, which is also the reason why we capitalize the words Venus, Mars and Jupiter. This argument further deepens how we use the word ‘internet’ because, in most cases, we are referring to a particular, single institution, which actually makes it a proper noun. Those who counter the opinion argue that it is not a real place that one can go, and that’s why they believe it should be used interchangeably.
There is also a popular stand that if the article ‘the’ were removed, capitalization would be imminent. For instance, we don’t say the God, the Mars, or the Venus.
Examples:
- The Internet was created to connect all of us remotely and make the world a smaller place to navigate.
- Thanks to the internet, people can work remotely from anywhere in the world.
- The internet has made it easier for small businesses to reach a global audience.
- With the internet, we can shop, bank, and connect with others without leaving our homes.
For Decapitalizing
A significant percentage of users are for decapitalization of the word ‘internet.’ If the word can go onto the notes without the article ‘the,’ then there would be no need to decapitalize it. Other parties also believe that since we don’t capitalize the word ‘universe,’ which enables us to exist, then there is no need to capitalize ‘internet ‘either. The majority have one argument–that the ‘internet’ has become too commonly used to be capitalized. Most people simply refer to the internet as a standard or general term.
Examples:
- How can we complete assignments with such a poor internet connection?
- The fact that I can use the internet from just about anywhere in my house is fantastic.
- Children should be taught on how to correctly use the internet for their own moral and academic good.
The «Internet» as a Proper Noun
The main reason we should capitalize on the internet is that it can be used as a proper noun. We also capitalize on the word if it appears at the beginning of a sentence. Despite all this noise, ‘internet’ is still regarded as a proper noun as it is a unique name thing. When it was first introduced, everyone used to uppercase it like the name of a specific place (e.g., MT Kilimanjaro, Miami Beach, etc.). A lot of technical writing also requires the capitalization of unique words.
Capitalizing this word also depends on the dialect; most major American and Canadian publications prefer to capitalize ‘internet.’ Therefore, it is safe to say that uppercasing it is more common in American English than in other dialects. However, there is room for choice and preference. Some of the uppercase examples include:
- She checked the Internet for advice.
- Always fact-check your work before submitting it because the Internet is full of contradictory resources.
- Education today majorly relies on the resources uploaded on the Internet.
- If you decide to capitalize on the Internet, it’s advisable to use the same rule throughout the document.
The «Internet’ as a Common Noun
As we already saw, the internet was initially used as a proper noun. While this is still acceptable today, the word’s general use makes it more of a common noun than a proper noun. It is a set of interconnected networks. When we define or refer to interconnected networks in general, we do not need to capitalize it because we refer to a common noun.
In simple words, while the internet is simply the internet, and not THE only internet. Therefore, you are unlikely to need the common term ‘internet’ in your daily life, but if you are involved with computers in your studies or work, just don’t capitalize it unless you are referring to the ‘Internet.’
Examples:
- The internet is full of scammers, be careful what you share there.
- She doesn’t talk much as she is always glued to her phone, checking things on the internet.
- Did you know that the internet is also an adjective?
The «Internet» as an Adjective
The word internet can also be used as an adjective in sentences. When used as an adjective, we do not use uppercase.
Here are some examples
- His internet connection just dropped out again.
- My internet speed is always the same every day.
Here, the word ‘internet, modifies the nouns ‘connection’ and ‘speed’ meaning that we have used it as an adjective. In such a case, we do not capitalize on it.
Synonyms of «Internet»
- Network
- Net
- Cyberspace
Other «Internet» Sentence Examples
- The internet is an information superhighway.
- Children should be educated on the proper ways to use the internet with their electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets.
- The internet has revolutionized the way we communicate and access information.
- The world is changing and the only way to keep up with it is by using the internet for knowledge.
- Should the internet be free?
Final Thoughts
It is no longer uncommon to decapitalize words that entered the language as unique entities but ended up getting decapitalized along the way. Others were used as separate words, but today are hyphenated or condensed as single words. Such changes happen when there is a wide usage of a word. Words in the technology domain keep changing and evolving and, in most cases, end up getting capitalized or shorted as they enter common usage. Some good examples of words that were decapitalized include email, homepage, and website.
The ‘internet’ is also headed in the same direction where most people believe is decapitalization. However, the delay in decapitalization is caused by the fact that ‘internet’ can be used validly as a proper noun, though most people are already writing it in lowercase. We hope this guide helps you better understand how to write the word ‘internet ‘in your sentences.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.
The question of whether to capitalize ‘internet’ is controversial. It has even inspired its own Wikipedia article. But we’re here to make writing easy, so we’re going to ignore the controversies and set out the basics of when to capitalize ‘internet’.
Internet as a Proper Noun
Unless it appears at the start of a sentence, you should only capitalize ‘Internet’ when it is a noun. More specifically, you can capitalize it when referring to the Internet (i.e. the thing that hosts the World Wide Web).
Thus, ‘Internet’ is a proper noun, a word that names a unique thing. So ‘the Internet’ is like the name of a person (e.g. Delia) or city (e.g. Norwich).
Using the capital ‘I’ was common in the early days of the Web, especially in technical writing. However, as the internet has become part of our lives, most people now write it with a lowercase ‘i’ instead.
Dialect can make a difference, too, as capitalizing ‘Internet’ is more common in American English than British English. Ultimately, though, it is a matter of preference. For instance, both of these sentences are fine:
I looked up advice on the Internet.
The internet is full of contradictory advice.
The most important thing is consistency. So if you write ‘Internet’ in one part of a document, you should use the same capitalization throughout. You may also want to check your university/employer’s style guide.
However, there are a couple of situations where you should never capitalize this term. We will look at each of the following below:
- Using ‘internet’ to refer to interconnected networks in general.
- Using ‘internet’ as an adjective.
Internet as a Common Noun
The word ‘internet’ is a contraction of ‘interconnected network’. We can therefore use it to describe any set of interconnecting networks. And when referring to interconnected networks in general, we do not capitalize ‘internet’ because it is a common noun rather than a proper noun.
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In other words, while the Internet is an internet, it is not the only possible internet! If you are involved with computers in your work or studies, then, you would not capitalize ‘internet’ if you were using it in this generic sense.
However, in day-to-day life, ‘internet’ almost always refers to the internet.
Adjectival Internets
We can also use ‘internet’ as an adjective. For example:
My internet connection has dropped out again.
Here, the word ‘internet’ modifies the noun ‘connection’. This means we’ve used it like an adjective (something known as a noun adjunct). Typically, when ‘internet’ is used as a modifier like this, you do not need to capitalize it.
Summary: When Should I Capitalise Internet?
You can capitalize the ‘i’ in ‘internet’ if you use it as a proper noun, but this is a matter of choice. At Proofed, for example, we prefer ‘internet’. But this is because we don’t see the need to capitalize it, not because ‘Internet’ is wrong.
There are no hard and fast rules about capitalizing ‘internet’. However, if you want to capitalize it, keep the following in mind:
- You can capitalize ‘Internet’ when it refers to the infrastructure that hosts the World Wide Web, but this is a matter of choice.
- Do not capitalize ‘internet’ when using it as a noun adjunct to modify another noun (e.g. ‘internet users’ or ‘internet browser’).
- Do not capitalize this term when referring to internetworking in general.
- If you are writing for your studies or job, you may have a style guide available. Check this for advice on capitalization.
- Make sure to apply capitalization consistently in your writing.
And if you’d like more help with your writing, you can have it proofread.
Historically, the word internet was capitalized since it is a proper noun, but in the last few years the trend has been to lowercase the word internet since it is now a general noun.
Update: In 2016, Associated Press editors decided to reverse a long-standing tradition of capitalizing the word Internet. Since 2016, the AP stylebook now recommends lowercasing “internet” and “web.”
There is continual debate around whether the word Internet should continue to be capitalized since it has established itself into everyday life. Since the AP Stylebook announcement in 2016, the trend across style guides has been to lowercase the word internet.
In fact, the UK has mostly transitioned to referring the to Internet with a lowercase “i” as you can see in this study done by Oxford Dictionaries. In the US, about 65% of the population refers to Internet with a capital “I” versus in the UK, only about 25% of the population uses a capital “I.” In fact, the earliest use of the word, cited in the Oxford English Dictionary from 1974, was with a lowercase i since at that time there were multiple internets.
Is World Wide Web Capitalized?
“The World Wide Web,” often used to mean the same thing as “internet,” is the formal name of the internet as we know it today invented by Tim Berners-Lee. It also goes by “The Web” for short. According to the MLA style guide, both “The World Wide Web” and “The Web” should be capitalized since they are proper nouns.
While the debate continues, you should always follow the standard title capitalization rules for capitalizing titles regardless of the outcome of the Internet debate.
Capitalization of Internet (versus internet) refers to the orthographic conventions for when the word should be capitalized. When referring to the global system of interconnected computer networks, the conventions have varied over time, and vary by publishers, authors, and regional preferences.
The Internet versus generic internetsEdit
The Internet standards community historically differentiated between an internet, as a short-form of an internetwork, and the Internet: treating the latter as a proper noun with a capital letter, and the former as a common noun with a lower-case first letter. An internet is any set of interconnected Internet Protocol (IP) networks. The distinction is evident in Request for Comments documents from the early 1980s, when the transition from the ARPANET, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, to the Internet, with broad commercial support, was in progress, although it was not applied with complete uniformity.[1][2]
Another example from that period is IBM’s TCP/IP Tutorial and Technical Overview from 1989 (updated in 1998), which stated that:
The word internet (also internetwork) is simply a contraction of the phrase interconnected network. However, when written with a capital «I», the Internet refers to the worldwide set of interconnected networks. Hence, the Internet is an internet, but the reverse does not apply. The Internet is sometimes called the connected Internet.[3]
In the Request for Comments documents that define the evolving Internet Protocol standards, the term was introduced as a noun adjunct, apparently a shortening of «internetworking»[4] and is mostly used in this way.[citation needed]
As the impetus behind IP grew, it became more common to regard the results of internetworking as entities of their own, and internet became a noun, used both in a generic sense (any collection of computer networks connected through internetworking) and in a specific sense (the collection of computer networks that internetworked with ARPANET, and later NSFNET, using the IP standards, and that grew into the connectivity service we know today).[citation needed]
In its generic sense, «internet» is a common noun, a synonym for internetwork; therefore, it has a plural form (first appearing in the RFC series RFC 870, RFC 871 and RFC 872) and is not capitalized.[citation needed]
In a 1991 court case, Judge Jon O. Newman used it as a mass noun: «Morris released the worm into INTERNET, which is a group of national networks that connect university, governmental, and military computers around the country.»[5]
Evolution of the wordEdit
Conventions for the capitalization of Internet have varied over time. The term Internet was originally coined as a shorthand for internetwork in the first specification of the Transmission Control Program, RFC 675, by Vint Cerf, Yogen Dalal, and Carl Sunshine in 1974.[6] Because of the widespread deployment of the Internet protocol suite in the 1980s by educational and commercial networks beyond the ARPANET, the core network became increasingly known as the Internet, treated as a proper noun. The Oxford English Dictionary says that the global network is usually «the internet», but most of the American historical sources it cites use the capitalized form.[7] Increasingly, the proper noun sense of the word takes a lowercase i, in orthographic parallel with similar examples of how the proper names for the Sun (the sun), the Moon (the moon), the Universe (the universe), and the World (the world) are variably capitalized in English orthography.
The spelling internet has become often used, as the word almost always refers to the global network; the generic sense of the word has become rare in non-technical writings. As a result, various style manuals, including The Chicago Manual of Style, the Associated Press’s AP Stylebook, and the AMA Manual of Style, revised their formerly capitalized stylization of the word to lowercase internet in 2016.[8] The New York Times, which followed suit in adopting the lowercase style, said that such a change is common practice when «newly coined or unfamiliar terms» become part of the lexicon.[9] The same trend has also applied to mentions of the Web (the World Wide Web) as the web, despite some styling holdouts.[citation needed]
In 2002, a New York Times column said that Internet has been changing from a proper noun to a generic term.[10] Words for new technologies, such as phonograph in the 19th century, are sometimes capitalized at first, later becoming uncapitalized.[10] In 1999, another column said that Internet might, like some other commonly used proper nouns, lose its capital letter.[11]
Capitalization of the word as an adjective (specifically, a noun adjunct) also varies. Some guides specify that the word should be capitalized as a noun but not capitalized as an adjective, e.g., «internet resources.»[12]
UsageEdit
Increasingly, organizations that formerly capitalized Internet have switched to the lowercase form, whether to minimize distraction (The New York Times)[9] or to reflect growing trends as the term became generic (Associated Press Stylebook).[13] According to Oxford Dictionaries Online, in 2016 Internet remained more usual in the US, while internet had become predominant in the UK.[14]
Organizations and style guides that capitalize Internet include the Modern Language Association,[15] Garner’s Modern English Usage,[16] the Internet Engineering Task Force,[17] CloudFlare,[18] Ars Technica,[19] and the Internet Society.[20] Organizations and style guides that use lowercase internet include Apple,[21] Microsoft,[22] Google,[23] Wired News (since 2004),[24] the United States Government Publishing Office,[25] the Associated Press (since 2016),[26] The New York Times (since 2016),[27] The Chicago Manual of Style (since 2017),[28] APA style (since 2019),[29][30] The Guardian, The Observer,[31] BuzzFeed and Vox Media.[14]
ReferencesEdit
- ^ RFC 871 (1982) «The ‘network’ composed of the concatenation of such subnets is sometimes called ‘a catenet,’ though more often—and less picturesquely—merely ‘an internet.‘«
- ^ RFC 872 (1982) «[TCP’s] next most significant property is that it is designed to operate in a ‘catenet’ (also known as the, or an, ‘internet’)»
- ^ ISBN 0-7384-2165-0 (1998) section 1.1.2. Murhammer, Martin; Atakan, Orcan; Bretz, Stefan; Pugh, Larry. «TCP/IP Tutorial and Technical Overview». Open Library.
- ^ The form first occurring in the RFC series is «internetworking protocol», RFC 604: «Four of the reserved link numbers are hereby assigned for experimental use in the testing of an internetworking protocol.» The first use of «internet» is in RFC 675, in the form «internet packet».
- ^ Post, David. «The History of the Internet, Typography Division, Cont’d». Volokh Conspiracy. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ Vint Cerf, Yogen Dalal, Carl Sunshine, Specification of Internet Transmission Control Program, RFC 675, (December 1974)
- ^ «internet». Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ McCoy, Julia (6 April 2017). «Chicago Style Gets With the Online Grammar Times (A Recap)». Express Writers. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ a b Corbett, Philip B. (1 June 2016). «It’s Official: The ‘Internet’ Is Over». The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ a b Schwartz, John (29 December 2002). «Who Owns the Internet? You and i Do». The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
Allan M. Siegal, a co-author of The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage and an assistant managing editor at the newspaper, said that ‘there is some virtue in the theory’ that Internet is becoming a generic term, ‘and it would not be surprising to see the lowercase usage eclipse the uppercase within a few years.’
- ^ Wilbers, Stephen (13 September 1999). «Errors put a wall between you and your readers». Orange County Register. Santa Ana, California. p. c.20.
If you like being ahead of the game, you might prefer to spell internet and web as internet and web, but according to standard usage they should be capitalized. Keep in mind, however, that commonly used proper nouns sometimes lose their capital letters over time and that Internet and Web may someday go the way of the french fry.
- ^ E.g. «MIT Libraries House Style». MIT Libraries Staff Web. 14 August 2008. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ Hare, Kristen (2 April 2016). «AP Style alert: Don’t capitalize internet and web anymore». Poynter. Archived from the original on 16 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ a b Martin, Katherine Connor (5 April 2016). «Should you capitalize the word Internet?». Oxford Dictionaries Online. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ MLA Handbook. The Modern Language Association of America, ninth edition. 2021. ISBN 1603293515.
- ^ Garner, Bryan A. (2016). Garner’s Modern English Usage. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190491482.
- ^ «Internet Security Glossary, Version 2».
- ^ «Cloudflare’s Annual Founders’ Letter».
We always capitalize the I in Internet, in spite of what the AP style guide has said since 2016, because it’s a proper noun, we believe there is and only should be one, and we have an enduring respect for what a miracle it is that it exists.
- ^ Bangeman, Eric. «Ars Technica style guide».
Internet should always be capitalized.
- ^ «Editorial Essentials».
Always capitalize «Internet» when talking about the global, public Internet, whether you’re using it as a noun («the Internet») or a qualifier («Internet access»).
- ^ «Apple Style Guide». help.apple.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ pallep. «internet, intranet, extranet — Microsoft Style Guide». docs.microsoft.com. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ «Word list | Google developer documentation style guide». Google Developers. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ Long, Tony (16 August 2004). «It’s Just the ‘internet’ Now». Wired. Archived from the original on 29 April 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
… what the internet is: another medium for delivering and receiving information.
- ^ U.S. Government Publishing Office Style Manual (PDF). 2017. p. 65.
- ^ Hare, Kristen (2 April 2016). «AP Style alert: Don’t capitalize internet and web anymore». The Poynter Institute. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
The changes reflect a growing trend toward lowercasing both words, which have become generic terms
- ^ Bromwich, Jonah (24 May 2016). «Bulletin! The ‘Internet’ Is About to Get Smaller». The New York Times. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
- ^ McCoy, Julia (6 April 2017). «Chicago Style Gets With the Online Grammar Times (A Recap)».
- ^ «Preferred Spellings». apastyle.apa.org. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ McAdoo, Timothy (10 March 2011). «Spelling Success in APA Style». blog.apastyle.org.
- ^ «Guardian and Observer style guide». Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 19 April 2008.
internet, net, web, world wide web. See websites.
External linksEdit
Look up Internet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Internet, Web, and Other Post-Watergate Concerns, The Chicago Manual of Style
Last Update: Jan 03, 2023
This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!
Asked by: Dr. Madyson Williamson II
Score: 4.4/5
(47 votes)
The word “internet” was originally capitalized to distinguish the global internet from local internets, or “interconnected networks”. This distinction reflects the architecture of the internet as a unique network of computer networks linked across cities, countries, and continents.
Why is Internet spelled with a capital I?
The term internet (short for internetwork) described any linked network of computers, so the capital “I” served to distinguish the global network from other internets — a pointless distinction now, since “internet” is rarely used anymore in the generic sense.
Why is Internet a proper noun?
Because of the widespread deployment of the Internet protocol suite in the 1980s by educational and commercial networks beyond the ARPANET, the core network became increasingly known as the Internet, treated as a proper noun.
Does Middle East have capital letters?
When you’re talking about America’s West Coast or the Middle East, the directional word is also part of a proper name, and it gets a capital letter.
Do we capitalize the Internet?
Capitalization of internet and web has sparked debate for years. Wired magazine dropped capitalization for internet in 2004, but many dictionaries continue to capitalize the word today. … The word “internet” was originally capitalized to distinguish the global internet from local internets, or “interconnected networks”.
28 related questions found
What does interest will be Capitalised mean?
Capitalization is the addition of unpaid interest to the principal balance of your loan. The principal balance of a loan increases when payments are postponed during periods of deferment or forbearance and unpaid interest is capitalized.
How is information accessed on the Internet?
A computer or other device accessing the Internet would either be connected directly to a modem that communicates with an Internet service provider (ISP) or the modem’s Internet connection would be shared via a Local Area Network (LAN) which provides access in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, …
Does someone own the Internet?
No one owns the internet
No company or government can claim ownership of it. The internet is more of a concept than an actual tangible entity, and it relies on a physical infrastructure that connects networks to other networks.
Who is owner internet?
In actual terms no one owns the Internet, and no single person or organisation controls the Internet in its entirety. More of a concept than an actual tangible entity, the Internet relies on a physical infrastructure that connects networks to other networks. In theory, the internet is owned by everyone that uses it.
Who actually controls the internet?
The Internet is different. It is coordinated by a private-sector nonprofit organization called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which was set up by the United States in 1998 to take over the activities performed for 30 years, amazingly, by a single ponytailed professor in California.
Who runs internet?
Who runs the internet? No one runs the internet. It’s organized as a decentralized network of networks. Thousands of companies, universities, governments, and other entities operate their own networks and exchange traffic with each other based on voluntary interconnection agreements.
What is an example of accessing information?
Access to information. In the previous chapter, we defined five examples, or types, of retrieval-based information service: archives, libraries, management information systems, museums, and records management.
What is computer accessed information?
Access is simply being able to get to what you need. Data access is being able to get to (usually having permission to use) particular data on a computer. Web access means having a connection to the World Wide Web through an access provider or an online service provider such as America Online.
What is an Internet circuit?
Internet circuit definition
Internet circuits are the cabling that carries internet service to your business. It is the physical, wired path that your internet connection travels for uploads and downloads you perform.
What loan fees are capitalized?
Capitalized Loan Fees means, with respect to the REIT and any Consolidated Entity, and with respect to any period, (a) any up-front, closing or similar fees paid by such Person in connection with the incurring or refinancing of Indebtedness during such period and (b) all other costs incurred in connection with the …
What does it mean to capitalize an asset?
Capitalization is an accounting method in which a cost is included in the value of an asset and expensed over the useful life of that asset, rather than being expensed in the period the cost was originally incurred.
Can a bank capitalize interest?
Capitalization of interest should be based upon the borrower’s ability to discharge the indebtedness in the normal course of business. Capitalized interest on loans is generally defined as uncollected interest which is added to unpaid principal in accordance with the contractual loan agreement.
How do we access information?
Most people connect to the Internet from home, work, or public access sites like libraries, schools, and community centers using personal computers, e-mail stations, interactive digital televisions, game stations, or web kiosks.
What is called Access?
(Entry 1 of 2) 1a : permission, liberty, or ability to enter, approach, or pass to and from a place or to approach or communicate with a person or thing Investigators wanted to get access to his home.
What are the ways to access information in computer?
There are three ways to access a file into a computer system: Sequential-Access, Direct Access, Index sequential Method.
- Sequential Access – It is the simplest access method. …
- Direct Access – Another method is direct access method also known as relative access method. …
- Index sequential method –
Why do people access information?
Access to information is critical for enabling citizens to exercise their voice, to effectively monitor and hold government to account, and to enter into informed dialogue about decisions which affect their lives. … In other cases, there are structural barriers to poor people accessing and using information.
What does accessing information mean in health?
Accessing Information – make sure to use reliable sources for obtaining health information. Analyzing Influences – understand what influences you to make more healthful choices. For example: personal values, personal beliefs, perceptions, family, culture, media/technology, peers, and school/community.
Who runs the Internet backbone?
This core is made up of individual high-speed fiber-optic networks that peer with each other to create the internet backbone. The individual core networks are privately owned by Tier 1 internet service providers (ISP), giant carriers whose networks are tied together.
What is the difference between WWW and internet?
The world wide web, or web for short, are the pages you see when you’re at a device and you’re online. But the internet is the network of connected computers that the web works on, as well as what emails and files travel across. … The world wide web contains the things you see on the roads like houses and shops.
What would happen if the Internet collapsed?
What would happen if there was an internet shutdown? For the everyday person, some cell phone services and text messaging would be unavailable, all mobile apps and social networking sites would be down, cloud storage would be inaccessible, any pending electronic payments would fail, and more.
Most English speakers say and write «the Internet» (with “the”) to make reference to the network that we all use to share information.
Include the article “the” before the noun Internet.
Use the Internet to find job opportunities.
Use Internet to find job opportunities.
You can also use “Internet” to mean “internet access”, in which case you should remove the article.
Do you have Internet? (meaning internet access)
Do you have the Internet? (It makes no sense. You can’t own the Internet)
Contents
- 1. The Article ‘The’ Before Internet
- 2. Using ‘Internet’ With Expressions and Phrases
1. The Article ‘The’ Before Internet
Most English speakers say and write «the Internet» (with “the”) to make reference to the network that we all use to share information.
We can use the Internet to find companies that meet our needs.
Dropping the article is not plain wrong since some native speakers use “internet” without “the”. However, many consider it incorrect, so we do not recommend it.
We can use Internet to find companies that meet our needs.
Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
You can use the definite article even if you are talking about the Internet in a general sense.
The Internet is not always reliable
When using «internet» as an adjective, however, avoid the article if the noun that follows does not require it.
I don’t have internet access.
I don’t have the internet access.
In everyday English, we commonly use the expression “internet” as a shortened form of the phrase “internet access”. Omit the article in this case as well.
I have internet. (meaning internet access.)
I have the internet. (It makes no sense; you can’t own the Internet.)
2. Using ‘Internet’ With Expressions and Phrases
Follow the same strategy (of including the article «the») with these expressions:
- Access the Internet
- Be available on the Internet
- Buy something on the Internet
- Connect to the Internet
- Download something from the Internet
- Find something on the Internet
- Go on the Internet
- Surf the Internet
- Etc.
The movie is available on the Internet.
There are many ways to find what you need on the Internet.
Note that we always use the preposition “on” or “from” before “the Internet”.
This book is available on the Internet.
You can download the software from the Internet.
Do not use the prepositions “in” or “at” in this context.
The book is available in/at the Internet.
Should you capitalize Internet? Since there are no hard and fast rules about capitalizing this word, both options are acceptable.
You can easily find the information by using the Internet/internet.
But avoid capitalization when using it as an adjective.
Do you have an internet address?
There are plenty of examples in the history of the English language of decapitalization (and simplification) of common words that entered the language as unique, named entities. Words that were capitalized come to be written all in lower case. Multi-word expressions are joined by a hyphen and later condensed into a single un-hyphenated word. These processes are evident in generic terms derived from former brand names, such as frisbee (from Frisbee) and bandaid or band-aid (from Band-Aid, originally Band Aid), as well as in acronyms such as scuba (from SCUBA, or Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus).
Words in the technology domain get shortened and decapitalized the more they enter common usage, as well. The words homepage, online, email, website, and (we)blog started out as Home page, on-line, E-mail (from Electronic Mail), Web site, and Web log. The web (or Web) itself is a shortening of World Wide Web, which is also shortened as WWW.
The fact is, decapitalizing internet is part of a universal linguistic tendency to reduce the amount of effort required to produce and process commonly-used words. Not only does decapitalization save a click of the shift key, but, as one marketing website put it, “Capital letters are speed bumps for the eyes when reading. They should be eliminated where possible.” Reduction of effort is a powerful driver of decapitalization. In addition, the use of lowercase “i» as a prefix in products like the iMac, iPhone, iPad, and iTunes—which Apple has said stands for ‘internet’—reinforces the trend.
Why, then, does initial capitalization in the word “Internet” persist in style guides and dictionaries? Part of the reason is that such sources are conservative by nature, lagging behind popular usage. Another part of the reason is semantics: The capital “I” reflects the perceived status of the global network as a unique entity. This usage is further bolstered by autocorrect and spellcheckers, which, as of this writing, still correct “internet» to “Internet”.
But the lower-case spelling has been gaining ground. “Internet” was twice as frequent as “internet” between 2000 and 2012, according to the Oxford English Corpus (a huge database that includes everything from academic papers to internet comment sections), yet “Internet” has outpaced “internet” by only a slim margin since 2012; by late 2015, that margin may have disappeared. CNN and CBS News Online have adopted the lower-case spelling, as have many overseas news sources. And many internet-native publications, those that have never seen a print edition, use the lower case. It’s really only a matter of time before all but the most conservative US publications adopt “internet” as the standard spelling.
Does it really matter whether you capitalize “internet” or not? For technology-related terms, using popular (shortened, simplified) forms can make the writer and publication appear tech-savvy and progressive, “ahead of the game”–but also, perhaps (in comments posted to an online forum, for example), uneducated. Conversely, using the standard form can make a writer or publication appear grammatically correct, but also potentially stuffy and out-of-date. Linguistic choices have social consequences, even if the choice involves something as apparently minor as capitalization.
Some commentators have gone so far as to suggest that (de)capitalization is a political choice. Capitalizing the word Internet connotes that the technology is important, something few people would dispute. But rote capitalization also treats the complex, dynamic internet like a static object, contributing “to the types of simplistic dialogues about our technological future that are most problematic,” according to one critical source.
From a linguist’s perspective, all of this is fascinating. But editors crave consistency, and style rules exist to reduce distractions so that readers’ attention will be directed to content instead of format. At present, which spelling of internet is considered correct depends mostly on whether the context (or editorial policy) calls for formal, prescriptive usage or informal language use. The lower-case version will eventually win the day, though, driven by age-old principles of language change. In this respect, Stephen Wilbers and Tony Long were ahead of the game.
It’s a matter of style.
The Guardian style guide uses lowercase:
internet
net, web, world wide webweb, webpage, website, world wide web
.
is there at least some consensus among the more popular style guides/dictionaries on this?
Not really. Wikipedia has a page on the topic, Internet capitalization conventions, with a section on usage:
Examples of media publications and news outlets that capitalize the term include The New York Times, the Associated Press, Time, and The Times of India. In addition, many peer-reviewed journals and professional publications such as Communications of the ACM capitalize «Internet», and this style guideline is also specified by the American Psychological Association in its electronic media spelling guide.
More recently, a significant number of publications have switched to not capitalizing the noun «internet.» Among them are The Economist, the Financial Times, The Times, the Guardian, the Observer and the Sydney Morning Herald. As of 2011, most publications using «internet» appear to be located outside of North America, but the gap is closing. Wired News, an American news source, adopted the lower-case spelling in 2004. Around April 2010, CNN shifted its house style to adopt the lowercase spelling.
Wired has a 2004 piece on their decision to use internet, web and net.
Pick your own style and be consistent.