Mayor v mayor

The storm caused the worst damage in the 108-year history of the city's subway system, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it could be four or five days before the biggest US transit system was running again.
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Sderot mayor launches 4th day of hunger strike

It has been four days since Sderot Mayor David Buskila declared a hunger strike in protest of the government's lack of financial support of his town, which is crippled by debts amounting to millions of shekels.

Meanwhile, Sderot residents have decided to push the town's struggle forward, and join the mayor in Jerusalem.
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“If water is coming into your home, go to the highest area,” New York mayor Michael Bloomberg told a press conference during the worst of the

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When a common noun and a proper noun come together as a result the common noun should be started in an upper case, do we call this rule a parallelism? I think that a mayor is a common noun but when it comes as a part of a proper name it should be capitalized, shouldn't it?

It should, but that doesn't mean it always will. Rolling news is full of mistakes, so simply expect this- much of the content simply goes through a spellchecker before it's put online, and even then spelling mistakes get through.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello,


1. It might be helpful to remember that every news organization has a so-called stylebook. In it, there are rules for capitalization, etc.,

that reporters are expected to follow. Stylebooks often differ in what is correct.

2. When I was young, all newspapers would print something like:

"Everybody is excited because the President is arriving next week for a visit."

The reasoning, I believe, was that the word "President" was a substitute for, say, "George Washington." (Just as we write:
"I saw Mother at the store this morning." "Mother" is a subsitute for, say, "Marion.")


But as the years have passed, 99.99% of American newspapers started to use the lower case in that sentence of mine.

The reasoning? I do not know, but maybe some people felt that capitalizing the word "president" would make him (or her!)

too elevated. (For example, I think that the Brits refer to "the Queen.")

3. I think that the "rule" that is generally followed by American newspapers is:

a. Capitalize the word only if it is used like this:

I saw President Washington yesterday.
President Washington will stay in Philadelphia, for the new capital of Washington, D.C. is not ready for occupancy.

b. Do not capitalize if used like:

The American president George Washington has sent a letter to our friend France.

i. I think that this "rule" also applies to "mayor" and other titles:

a. I am so excited. I spoke with Mayor John Doe yesterday.

b. Los Angeles mayor John Doe will open a new school tomorrow.

(i) Please remember that expressions such as "Los Angeles mayor John Doe" may have been "invented" by American

newsmagazines such as Time. It is a shorter and snappier way of saying (correctly):

John Doe, the mayor of Los Angeles, will open a new school.



James

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheParser

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(i) Please remember that expressions such as "Los Angeles mayor John Doe" may have been "invented" by American

newsmagazines such as Time. It is a shorter and snappier way of saying (correctly):

John Doe, the mayor of Los Angeles, will open a new school.


James

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You deserve a pat on the back for your precious help and insightful replies. To be honest, I am tired & sick of English because sometimes I come across a new invented word.

Have a look at the underlined word pleas.


"At the same time, the policies and politics of British Prime Minister David Cameron and his Tory Party all militate toward a Brixit (British exit from the EU)."

More: Things could be worse, America | Prestowitz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Odessa Dawn

You deserve a pat on the back for your precious help and insightful replies. To be honest, I am tired & sick of English because sometimes I come across a new invented word.

Have a look at the underlined word pleas.


"At the same time, the policies and politics of British Prime Minister David Cameron and his Tory Party all militate toward a Brixit (British exit from the EU)."

More: Things could be worse, America | Prestowitz

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English is flexible. That is one of its strengths and one of its weaknesses. People like to coin new terms, especially if they can smash two words together in a way they think is clever.

In the world of pop culture, it began with the creation of names for celebrity couples. So when Ben Affleck dated Jennifer Lopez they became know as "Bennifer."

In the world of politics, a new phrase or even an old forgotten term can suddenly become the word on everyone's lips. A "surge" in Iraq or a "sequestration" of budget funds.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Odessa Dawn

I am tired & sick of English because sometimes I come across a new invented word.

---

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello,


Please do not feel that way.

SoothingDave has given you some excellent advice.

I am 75 years old, and I am still learning new things about English every day, especially at this website.

This very day, while reading the comics in my local newspaper, I learned a new word: innit.

For example: English is a difficult language, innit?

I discovered that it is British slang for isn't it?

(I am guessing that the Queen does not use that expression. Of course, I shall never know because they would never allow me to enter Buckingham Palace!)


James