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Friday, July 25, 2014

Celebrate the Small Things and Grammar Friday!



Ah! It's Friday again! Yes, this week flew by, but thanks to Vikki over at Viklit, it's also time to stop and remember all those small, little things that put a smile on our faces this last week and celebrate them.


This week, I'm celebrating:

1) Smores around a fire.

2) A gorgeous new flower growing in my garden. Since I have no idea what the woman living here before us planted, this is always a huge surprise. Fun too.

3) I won a copy of Kyra Lennon's IF I LET YOU GO. Yay to more books!!!

4) My daughter surprised me with a GC for an online shop, so I could buy a sweater I've been eyeing.


So, all in all, it's been a nice week.

But not anymore!!!!

Now, it's time for . . .




http://picasion.com/gl/2Qq3/



While betaing, I stumbled across something, which really threw me for a few minutes.


"What on earth?"


Tiny, little phrase, isn't it? But oh, the headaches it caused me!  (Not really. I just thought I'd be dramatic for a second.)

My problem?

Uh...should earth be capitalized? I thought so, but suddenly I wasn't so sure.




Rule 1: When using 'earth' is used as a specific noun (for example--in conjunction with the planets), it's capitalized because it is being used as a name.


The three planets closet to the sun are Mercury, Venus and Earth.


Easy, peasy, right?



Rule 2: When using 'earth' in the sense as the planet we live on and with 'the', it isn't capitalized, since this is treated as a common noun.


Scientists try to determine the exact age of the earth.

The earth rotates on an axis.



Rule 3:  When earth means dirt, it is not capitalized.


He let the earth seep through his fingers.


This one is pretty straight forward too.


So, what happens to our 'What on earth/Earth'?"


It is commonly accepted that 'earth' in this instance is not capitalized, since it is seen as the planet we live on, and not naming it exactly.

Where on earth are you going?
We'll travel to the ends of the earth.
There are so many things to discover between earth and sky.



What wonderful things are you celebrating this week? Are you a smore fan? Have you traveled to the ends of the earth, or would you like to go beyond?

12 comments:

  1. Gift cards rock!
    Never thought about capitalizing earth in that phrase. Now I know that was a good thing.

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  2. LOL. At first I read that as SNORES around a fire. Whoa, my eyeballs.

    Man, gift cards and secret flowers. I wish surprises would pop up in my life like that! Good on you.

    I was actually researching this Earth/earth issue a while back, and it's one of those tiny, useful things to know. Just one more editing trick in our arsenal--thank you!

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  3. Mmm, smores...although, I have to say I'm really just a fan of roasted marshmallows. That's the best part of campfires in the summer!

    I can't say I've ever given the Earth/earth thing much thought, but this is very interesting to know if I ever come across this issue in the future! Thanks for the tip, =)

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  4. Mmm, smores are yummy! I really enjoyed reading Kyra Lennon's If I Let You Go.

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  5. Hmm that makes sense for that phrase and not capitalizing earth!

    Yay for the gift card—happy shopping! :D

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  6. I've never thought about the use of earth before. That's really interesting.
    Yay for surprise flowers and gift cards! ^_^

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  7. I got a couple of new books today, they really are something to celebrate :)

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  8. You had me at "smores"! Yay for the new mystery flower, a free book, and a gift certificate. Wow, what a good haul this week! I've had to look up that "earth" thing many times. I never remember the rules...

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  9. Lexa said exactly what I wanted to. You're daughter sounds wonderful for giving you the gift certificate. I would have liked to see a picture of the flower.

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  10. How very sweet of your daughter! And I love how you are excited about a new, unknown flower popping up. Every time we've moved, I have been blessed with the same joy. Seeing tulips come up our first spring was so exciting! Enjoy your weekend!
    ~Katie

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  11. Ah, I always wondered about whether or not to capitalize earth when I write "the earth." Sounds like, if you are using the word "the" it's never capitalized, right?

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  12. Yay for smores and winning the book! I never win anything so go you! =D

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