Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[fw]

The passage below is part of what I transcribed, listening to a radio program. The blank below is where I got stuck. The commentator, an educated American woman, is talking about the phrase �cotton to.�

Which, #1, #2, do you think is more appropriate for the blank?
1. southern
2. Southern

"Cotton to" is kind of an interesting phrase. It means "take a liking to" or "come to like." To me, it sounds a little bit old-fashioned or maybe a little ( ) or maybe a bit rural. People in the country might use it more.

I thought it should be #1 because it was used as an adjective, but a dictionary at hand shows both #1 and #2 as adjective. What do you think?

[buddhaheart]

If it�s or used as an adjective, it can�t be capitalized. I would say �southern� (nor *Southern).

[CP]

Because it refers to the way people talk in the South, a large section of the United States, I wouldn't be surprised to see it written as "Southern," and I wouldn't call it incorrect that way.

What do others think? How was it in the original--capitalized or not?
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[fw]

Thank you, CP.

[myprofe]

Whether they are adjectives or nouns languages and nationalities are always capitalized. Southerner would have to be capitalized but I have my doubts about southern. I guess it would depend on what the word refers to. Nevertheless, for the people of the Southern Parties of the United States it seems to be clear.

"For far too long, we have sat by and allowed the liberals of this country to slowly kill our Southern heritage." http://www.southernpartysw.org/id18.html
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