Why capital?

[Taka]

The sentences:

...Paul Newman, Audrey Hepburn, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Madonna and more recently, Mark McGwire. Advertisements featuring these celebrities are seldom seen outside Japan. It would indeed be an oversimplification of the current situation to say that the use of these celebrities is an effort to further Westernize Japan.

I have no trouble understanding the sentences above. My question is, why is westernize capitalized there? I checked the original paper and found that it was originally capitalized. So it doesn't seem like a typo.

Any idea?

Taka

 

[Susie Smith]

The sentences:

...Paul Newman, Audrey Hepburn, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Madonna and more recently, Mark McGwire. Advertisements featuring these celebrities are seldom seen outside Japan. It would indeed be an oversimplification of the current situation to say that the use of these celebrities is an effort to further Westernize Japan.

I have no trouble understanding the sentences above. My question is, why is westernize capitalized there? I checked the original paper and found that it was originally capitalized. So it doesn't seem like a typo.

Any idea?

Taka

Good question. I wouldn't capitalize westernize. I looked this word up in my Webster (AE) and in my Longman (BE) and neither dictionary capitalizes it.

 

[RonBee]

Probably because it is based on West as a region.

 

[Tdol]

It doesn't need the capital, though, imho.;-)

 

[Taka]

So we can see it as a "typo-like"?

 

[Tdol]

I think it's just an extension of the use of capitals for nationality adjectives. ;-)

 

[Casiopea]

So we can see it as a "typo-like"?

Hello Taka,

It's not a typo. It's perfectly acceptable. (Have you checked the newpaper articles on-line? "Westernize", with a capital, is frequently used.)

The reason "Westernize" tends to be capitalized may have something to do with the fact that it indirectly falls under one of the rules of Capitalization:

Capitalize North, South, East, and West when used as sections of the country.

The word "Westernize" is contrived: West+ern+ize

All the best,

 

[Taka]

OK. I understand.

Thank you, teachers!

 

[Tdol]

Ever welcome. ;-)