FUNKY CAPITaLIZATION iN m&D

[Mark Smith]

Joaquin Stick wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 31 Jul 1997, Scott Fleisher wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone have a-any theory as to why Pynchon uses such funky
> > capitalization in M&D?  My best guess is that he is challenging the
> > manner in which we attribute borders to alleged objects in the world--or
> > questioning the relative importance we give to various objects.  Help?
> 
> O..o..or it could just be a parody/imitation of Eighteenth Century
> capitalization techniques as found in, say, contemporary printings of
> works by Swift and Pope. Capitalization rules weren't always as nitpicky
> as they are today (we have the late 19th century to thank/blame for that)
> and if you look at a facsimile (or even the original, if you're that
> lucky) of a text from the period, you'll find all sorts of words
> capitalized (German still works much like this today).
> 
> Allegedly objectionable,
> 
>         D. Alfred Fledermaus

Jeez.  Here's a theory for you.  Maybe it's JUST LIKE German.  Maybe
it's the nouns.  Could it really be that simple?  Nah.

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