Understanding the Capitalization of Veteran’s Day
Honor and Respect: Clarifying the Capitalization
Veterans Day, established in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, is a federal public holiday in the United States that honors the men and women who have served, are serving, or lost their lives in the course of military service. 1 As a time to reflect on the service and sacrifices of these exceptional individuals, it is a day of great significance not only for the United States but also for many people around the world. At the same time, is Veterans Day capitalized? Confusion often arises regarding how to properly capitalize this public holiday. In this article, we will delve deeper into the answer to ensure that we show the respects and honors due to veterans in the correct manner.
Is Veterans Day Capitalsized?
The million-dollar question: is Veterans Day capitalized? Officially, the answer depends on the context in which the term is used2. Here are key points to consider:
In the United States, specifically in official government documents like laws, regulations, Presidential proclamations*, and official government websites, Veterans Day should be capitalized. Consider the following examples:
- Rosie the Riveters, who helped build bomber planes during World War I, were honored on Monday, **Veterans Day**.
In general uses, such as news headline, articles, and academic papers, veterans day is standardly written in lowercase since it is not an acronyms or an internationally recognized holiday name*^. For instance:
- The Wall Street Journal reported on veteran’s day celebrations across America.
Some style guides, like MLA, AP, and Chi-Town, recommend in lowercase, while others support capitalization. For best practices, it is practical to follow the guidelines published by the relevant organizations like the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office [USPTO] regarding capitalization of holidays, as well as the Official Federal Register*.
Capitalization in Language and Style Guides
Most style guides, including :
• MLA Publication Manual (8ed.): "Veteran’s Day" (Title Case)
• MLA Handbook (Modern Language Association): "Vietnam Veterans Day" /…/"Veterans Day’" (Title Case)
- AP Stylebook(20th ed. ) : "veterans day" (lower-case)
• Chicago-style: "Veterans’s Day" (Title Style)
• APA guidelines**: "Veterans ‘Day" (Title Cased)
These stylebooks offer varying guidelines for their users. It is reasonable to follow the guidelines specifically published by the relevant federal government agencies, such institutions, and organizations, especially when writing official memos, reports, newsletters, or other official forms.
**Conclusion
In conclusion, the federal government and official government guidelines recommend capitalizing "Veterans Day" and other holidays. These guidelines are based on consistency and clarity in official official documents, public announcements. However, in mainstream writing, such as daily news articles, academic prose books, and other non governmental documents, "Veterans day" is predominantly lowercase. Respect and honor for the troops should be reflected in official use of the term, maintaining consistency and clarity in addressing this important holiday.
Finally, it is essential:
• Be aware
• Be consistent
References:
1] The National World War, I Museum and Memorial Board of Directors. (Ed.). (2019).World War I: Lessons and Legacies. <https://www.world
2] United. States. Congress. Pub. L. 115-110, 105 Stat. 133 -3, 133 Stat._ (2017).
*: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/international-style-guide-capital Letters-in-Headlines>
Note: The article primarily focuses on the capitalization of Veterans Day in common English language usage, which may vary depending on sources and context.
