Upper and lower case for Doms, subs

L8NightQ · Dec 27, 2010

I recently noticed that one of our new members was not capitalizing when they used the term Domme, or Dom and used a pm to advise him regarding standard punctuation for these terms, as well as for Dom usernames v sub usernames.

To my surprise, he pointed out to me that many of our regular posters often "don't" use the rules I was recommending.

I've been doing it so long that I don't even know where I picked this up.

So I'm asking for both of us now..... Is capitalization a rule or just a preference now when referring to a Dom or sub?

I use lower case to refer to anyone who is a sub, even if I use their name to start a sentance.

Here's the advice I gave him;

I just wanted to pm you and let you know that when you spell "dommes" you should always capitalize. The correct spelling is always Dom or Domme, or Mistress or Sir, and so on.
Likewise when you write to (or refer to) a sub, always use small case, even when
starting a sentance, even if their username is capitalized with their icon.
Always capitalize a Dom's name if you know what they are (opposite for sub).

This is a small thing, but people notice and I didn't want someone to correct
you online.

Your thoughts?

master jey · Dec 27, 2010

Damn master jey lol someone change my initials...

sebastian · Dec 27, 2010

There are no universal rules in bdsm, so the capitalization protocol, while common, is not mandatory. It's fairly common, so advising a sub to capitalize is not bad advice, but while it may be important to some doms and subs, it's unimportant to others. I, for example, find it a little silly and some expressions of it (like 'W/we') drive me crazy. I'm much more concerned with proper title usage, like Sir. But since some people find it important, I would never tell someone not to do it, unless he was my particular sub.

uniongirl · Dec 28, 2010

Personally, I think it is a little silly, and being a sub that may not go down well with some. I think of it like this; just because I am submissive to my dom, it does not follow that I am submissive to all dominants, therefore I have no need to show extra deference to anyone. Especially online. I hope that I am polite, but I don't feel a need to be subservient to anyone except my particular dom. I am sure other people might feel differently, so I wouldn't stop anyone from choosing their own path. I admit I have also sometimes followed the convention because I get tired of being jumped for it by people who seem to think it very important.

I also agree with Sebastian that the extensive usage of forms like W/we is highly annoying.

Infinia · Dec 28, 2010

generally i just go with the flow or what my mistress says and she mostly goes with just using proper gramar. English is not my first language and learning it can be annoying enough without worrying about bad spelling in forums, aside from that i do agree with uniongirl i serve my mistress nobody else to me it would be insulting her if i was to subservient to someone else

L8NightQ · Dec 28, 2010

Very good points guys. I hadn't thought about it that way.

Obedient Little Puppy · Dec 28, 2010

It shouldn't matter. It's just personal preference.

sillylittlepet · Dec 29, 2010

Personally I think its a little overboard when people go so far as to capitalize (there was even the sub who capitalized "She" because he had a mistress) but then again some people love to go overboard

hehe, its funny l8night but I would say most of us don't use the punctuation!

Ruelee · Dec 29, 2010

I tend to capitalize Dom or Master only when talking about my own, otherwise I stick to proper grammatical capitalizations. If there is such a thing.

Nuka · Dec 29, 2010

Personally, W/we use the capitalisation rule. Even when starting a sentance with the sub name ashlie, it's in lowercase; as is if she writes anything, it's lowercase i.
(And Master, Sir, He, His, Him [anything refering to Nuka or written by Nuka from first person is capital I] is in upercase).

I think it is a preference but it is pretty much universally used throughout different communities. The only problem is that a large part of the community like to switch roles; if only for an hour or a day, or to take it in turns. So then this becomes confusing as to D/s capitalising... also what if your hand slips and you happen to miss it when you reread what you've written?

I think though if the acronym of the "scene" is D/s, then the usage of names coined under the D/s grouping should be in Upper D/lower s format.

But that's just us.

Upper and lower case for Doms, subs

L8NightQ

Member

master jey

Moderator

sebastian

Active Member

uniongirl

New Member

Infinia

Member

L8NightQ

Member

Obedient Little Puppy

Moderator

sillylittlepet

Active Member

Ruelee

Member

Nuka

Member

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