We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Linguistics

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is a Letter Case?

By G. Wiesen
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 24,888
References
Share

Letter case refers to the size and shape of a letter used in writing, usually with a distinction between upper and lower cases in a language like English. The purpose of this differentiation is to make reading in such a language easier, as the two cases allow for indication of various ideas. In English, for example, an upper case or capital letter is typically used at the start of each sentence, to indicate proper nouns, and for certain important words. Letter case as a practice came from the evolution of written language and the development of different sizes and styles in writing.

Not all languages inherently have different cases, and those that include more than one letter case can do so in various ways. In English, however, there are two basic cases that letters can be written in: upper case and lower case. Upper case letters, also referred to as capital or “majuscule” letters, are larger and often sit perfectly between a top and bottom line in writing, including letters like “A, B, C, D…X, Y, Z.” In contrast to this, lower letter case, or “minuscule,” make up the majority of letters written in any piece of Modern English language sample, they can go beyond the bottom line in writing and include the letters “a, b, c, d…x, y, z.”

The purpose of letter case in a language like English is to make distinctions between words and ideas easier for a reader to identify. Even though punctuation is used at the end of a sentence, such as a full stop or period, the use of a capital or majuscule letter at the beginning of a sentence helps indicate the separation of ideas to a reader. Proper nouns are capitalized in English, allowing someone to more easily distinguish between names of places or people and common words. This use of letter case can help indicate meaning. For example, the use of “president” is used to refer to the job in general, while “President” would designate the title of a particular individual.

As written language evolved and developed over centuries, so too did the establishment of letter case in writing. Initial texts consisted of only majuscule or capital letters. As more people began writing using pens and ink, however, the style of writing began to change and minuscule letters were introduced to create greater contrast and flow within the text.

The transition from hand-written texts to those created with a printing press introduced the term “letter case.” Physical letters for use on a press were kept in separate cases, with the “lower case” holding minuscule letters. As this term entered popular usage, people then established the phrase “upper case” to indicate the majuscule letters. This is not entirely accurate, as the upper case of a printing press could also contain punctuation and other marks, but its meaning is well established.

Share
Language & Humanities is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources

Related Articles

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-a-letter-case.htm
Copy this link
Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.