Reply to: The English North South divide

[minestrone]

North becomes a capitalised word when it us used in a place, like North London. But if you were to say 'I am going north' it is lowercase.

[swamp]

Capital Letters
When do you use a capital letter?
1. A sentence always begins with a capital
letter.
2. A proper noun, like a person’s name,
begins with a capital letter.
3. A proper noun, like a place, begins with a
capital letter.
4. Proper nouns, which are SPECIAL
names, begin with a capital letter.
(Christmas, Easter, June, Monday etc.)


In my view the 'South' is a place which exists as far as I'm concerned.

Hmm. I'm not so sure.

Proper nouns (also called proper names) are nouns representing unique entities (such as London, Jupiter or Johnny), as distinguished from common nouns which describe a class of entities (such as city, planet or person).[7] Proper nouns are not normally preceded by an article or other limiting modifier (such as "any" or "some"), and are used to denote a particular person, place, or thing without regard to any descriptive meaning the word or phrase may have.

So since we can't say:

He lives in South.

we have to say:

He lives in the south.

[chris79]

Some corrections made.

On a more serious note, should it be 'South' or 'south'? (Or 'North' or 'north'...?)

Are they proper nouns? What about 'Northerner' versus 'northerner'? (I'm thinking northerner is correct.) Can the CUK grammar police help?!

Capital Letters
When do you use a capital letter?
1. A sentence always begins with a capital
letter.
2. A proper noun, like a person’s name,
begins with a capital letter.
3. A proper noun, like a place, begins with a
capital letter.
4. Proper nouns, which are SPECIAL
names, begin with a capital letter.
(Christmas, Easter, June, Monday etc.)


In my view the 'South' is a place which exists as far as I'm concerned.

[Drewster]

Does it involve a chutney spoon?

I refer the Honourable Snaw to my previous response

[Sysman]

Although the North South divide tends to live on in the minds of some middled aged people who tend to be from the South East. Most of those people seem to hardly venture anywhere and probably hate their neighbours too.

As represented by many a Two Ronnies joke - just a mention of an area of London or its suburbs was guaranteed to raise an audience laugh.

[snaw]

now that would be telling.... and possibly incriminating!

Does it involve a chutney spoon?

[MrMark]

All the best rock groups* and sports teams come from north of Watford. Not sure why though???

* a couple of exceptions in the 60s

[swamp]

1. Northerners have a big chip on their shoulder/issue with the South.

2. Southerners in general don't really care about the North.

3. People from the South think that the South starts just below Peteborough, and conveniently does or doesn't include London as part of any argument as and when it suits them.

4. Birmingham isn't in the South.

5. The South regularly enjoys sub-tropical climate all year round of 25+ degrees, where as it's always snowing and cold in the North.

Some corrections made.

On a more serious note, should it be 'South' or 'south'? (Or 'North' or 'north'...?)

Are they proper nouns? What about 'Northerner' versus 'northerner'? (I'm thinking northerner is correct.) Can the CUK grammar police help?!

[Peoplesoft bloke]

One thing that makes me laugh is all the Southerners who have moved to rural France to escape the crime/arrogant gits/high prices/pollution/overcrowding. They could do that by moving out of the South, but they are so ignorant they think the whole of the UK is like their small hellish corner.

[Drewster]

How do you know a badgers arse is rough?

now that would be telling.... and possibly incriminating!

[Drewster]

................the South starts just below Peteborough.................

Aaaaaaaaaaaggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!

I assume you mean Peterborough....... and since 75% of its non-EastEuropean (AsylumSeeking/MigrantWorker) population moved from London (thanks to Roy Kinnear and the P'Boro effect) I think it counts as an honoury London Suberb rather than "oop North".

NB The other 25% is made up of:
A fairly large italian Population who never went "home" after they opened the camps at the end of the war.
and of course the in-bred "Swampies" who escaped thier Fen Villages.

[snaw]

Unfortunately they are rough as a badgers arse

How do you know a badgers arse is rough?

[Drewster]

As as southerner, I have got to admit the female geordie accent is very horny !

Unfortunately they are rough as a badgers arse

[dang65]

As as southerner, I have got to admit the female geordie accent is very horny !

Totally agree with you on that one. It's love at first sound for me, every time.

[chris79]

Been through this a million times but my own conclusion is this:-

1. Southerners have a big chip on their shoulder/issue with the North.

2. Northerners in general don't really care about the South.

3. People from the South think that the South starts just below Peteborough, and conveniently does or doesn't include London as part of any argument as and when it suits them.

4. Apparently Birmingham isn't in the South.

5. The South regularly enjoys sub-tropical climate all year round of 25+ degrees, where as it's always snowing and cold in the North.