Do You Capitalize The Day Of The Week

So, there I was, merrily typing away in my weekly report, when I hit a snag. I mean, who knew that capitalizing the day of the week could cause such a kerfuffle? Let me rewind a bit.

I was raised on the belief that capitalizing the day of the week was as natural as breathing. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - they were all big and bold in my world. But then, I stumbled upon a colleague's report, and lo and behold, their days were as humble as the lowercase letters they were written in. I was taken aback, to say the least. Was I wrong all this time? Were my Mondays too proud?

I decided to dig a little deeper, and that's when I realized, this isn't as black and white as I thought. It seems like the capitalization of the day of the week is one of those linguistic quirks that varies depending on who you ask. So, let's dive into this together, shall we?

When in Doubt, Look to the Experts

According to the Chicago Manual of Style, the day of the week should be capitalized. They argue that these are proper nouns, much like names of months or holidays, and thus deserve the big letter treatment. Makes sense, right? I mean, it's not like we're talking about just any old day here, we're talking about Monday, the day that kicks off the workweek and fills our hearts with dread (or joy, if you're one of those morning people).

However, the AP Stylebook, which is widely used in journalism, takes a different stance. They prefer lowercase days of the week, arguing that they're not proper nouns but rather common nouns. They're not alone in this thinking. Many style guides, including the MLA Handbook, follow suit.

So, who's right? Well, that depends on who you ask. Both styles have their merits, and both are widely accepted. It's like the great debate of the 21st century: Cats vs. Dogs. You can make a compelling argument for either side, but at the end of the day, it's all about personal preference (or in this case, your style guide of choice).

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But What About Abbreviations?

You might be thinking, "Okay, I get it. Some people capitalize, some people don't. But what about abbreviations? Do I capitalize those too?" Great question! The general rule of thumb is that if you're abbreviating the day of the week, you should still capitalize the first letter. So, it's Monday, but it's also Mo. or Mon. with a capital M.

However, when it comes to numerical days, like "on the 15th," you don't need to capitalize the number. After all, it's not like 15 is a proper noun. It's just a humble number, doing its job.

So, What's a Writer to Do?

Well, my friend, it's all about consistency. Pick a style guide, any style guide, and stick to it. Whether you're a capitalizer or a lowercase lover, the key is to be consistent throughout your writing. Your readers will thank you for it.

And who knows, maybe one day we'll all sit down and have a nice, civilized chat about this. Until then, I'll be over here, capitalizing my Mondays and enjoying my coffee. Because at the end of the day, isn't that what really matters?