Proper Grammar

[Sith Droideka]

What is correct?

1. Pokémon/Species?

2. Pokémon/species?

3. pokémon/Species?

4. pokémon/species?

Where Pokémon/pokémon is in general use of the word "Pokémon/pokémon", and species is the Pokémon/pokémon species, such as Pikachu/pikachu.

And would you say its because of how the game spells it, or is it because Pokémon=Animal? Please explain.

Reminder: these rules applly only to English.

 

[Falconwing]

technically the first one, as their species names are treated as their actual names.

 

[Zekurom]

You can also see my documentation on different capitalization conventions and the names I gave them.

According to that:

1. The Bulbapedia method, and the Pokémon-only method, in different contexts.
2. (nonstandard)
3. A variation of the Pokémon-only method that I only know Drakon to use.
4. The Common Noun method.

/thread, BTW.

 

[AceTrainer14]

I always capitalize the names of Pokemon and their species name, it feels right to me.

EG:
Ash passed over some food to Pikachu. The Mouse Pokemon smiled and ate it.

 

[Zekurom]

Also, on the capitalization convention thread:

My method is like this:

"The pokémon trainer gave his Squirtle a potion and hopped on his bicycle to the Viridian City Pokémon Center."

"The pokémon trainer ordered his Squirtle to use Tackle."

I'm trying to go towards the Common Noun method, though.

Having some doubts, are you.

Anyway, you wanted me to explain my choice - I use the Context-dependent Bulbapedia because that one is the one that I see most fiction authors who make up fictional creature names use. Either that or they end up using italics and lowercase instead, but who wants to read something like that?

Technically the first one, as their species names are treated as their actual names.

Grammatically, though, they are not being used as proper nouns. That is a fact.

I mean in this sentence: "The Pidgey used Gust on the unsuspecting trainer." The word "Pidgey" is not a proper noun in this case, yet it is still capitalized.

 

[Sith Droideka]

Well, yeah. Lately I've begun to really use the Common Noun Method, but before that I went with #3. However, since your thread was dead, I just made a new one.

 

[Zekurom]

Well, yeah. Lately I've begun to really use the Common Noun Method, but before that I went with #3. However, since your thread was dead, I just made a new one.

Ah, but then we'd have to try and use correct terminology.

Just as no serious competitive battler will prefer "Legendary" to "OverUsed" and "Ubers", and no hardcore competitive Tetris player would ever talk about "infinite rotation" in favour of "move reset", so we must also create names for the things that we are talking about.

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

I always write Pokémon and Pikachu. Isn't that what it's supposed to be anyway?

 

[Zekurom]

I always write Pokémon and Pikachu. Isn't that what it's supposed to be anyway?

Not according to a few angry reviewers on FanFiction.net.

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

Not according to a few angry reviewers on FanFiction.net.

Never visited that site... Nor am I planning on it...

 

[Drakon]

I use a unique variant of the Context-dependent Bulbapedia method

• Items are not capitalized.
• Pokémon is not capitalized when used to refer to the creatures themselves
• "Pokémon Trainer", "Trainer", "Gym Leader" are capitalized only if they are used as a title (Ex: "And now the first match will be between Trainer Ketchum and Trainer Roarke")
• "Legendaries" and "Legends" are capitalized when used to refer to the legendary pokémon as a group.
• Legendary trios are capitalized. (Weather Trio, Lake Trio, Dragon Trio, Legendary Beasts, Legendary Birds, Legendary Golems)

 

[Zekurom]

I use a unique variant of the Context-dependent Bulbapedia method.

• Items are not capitalized.
• "Pokémon" is not forcibly capitalized when used to refer to the creatures themselves.
• "Pokémon Trainer", "Trainer", "Gym Leader" are capitalized only if they are used as a title (Ex: "And now the first match will be between Trainer Ketchum and Trainer Roarke, both of which are very experienced trainers.")
• "Legendaries" and "Legends" are capitalized when used to refer to the legendary pokémon as a group.
• Legendary trios are capitalized. (Weather Trio, Lake Trio, Dragon Trio, Legendary Beasts, Legendary Birds, Legendary Golems)

So basically, option 3.

Sorry for starting it, but that isn't what Sith is asking for.

Sith is asking which one is correct. My answer to that is that none of them are objectively correct - it depends on who is writing. Just as there is no one correct way to put punctuation in or out of quotes when quoting somebody as part of a sentence.

In short, be it the Bulbapedia method or the Common Noun method, use whichever way you feel is most comfortable. This kind of style is entirely based on the person writing, and is not a mark of good or bad writing.

 

[Rockie]

I always capitalize the names of Pokemon and their species name, it feels right to me.

EG:
Ash passed over some food to Pikachu. The Mouse Pokemon smiled and ate it.

Technically, when scientifically classifying animals, only the genus needs to be capitalized, not the species or subspecies, or anything else for that matter, but when the games are called into question, a wild Pokémon ought to be called a pikachu; however, if a person didn't nickname their pikachu, "pikachu" then becomes the Pokémon's name, and thus a proper noun . . . Your example would not be correct unless you were referring to a Pokédex entry, as "The Mouse Pokémon" is a title, not to be confused with a name . . . "Pokémon", I would imagine, is a genus, so it would need to be capitalized, though it is also a name and thus a proper noun, so it's almost a moot point to call it into question xD

 

[Giratina!]

I just checked my FR/LG game guide (I consider it canon, okay?), and it says this:

"First up is Lorelei - she relies on Ice-type Pokémon with a smattering of Water-types mixed in to their types. You need a good Electric-type to make this battle go smoothly, so hopefully you have a high-level Raichu or maybe you picked up Zapdos."

As you can see, both the word Pokémon and the species names are capitalized. I don't recall any game guide stating otherwise, and since this is technically canon (and everything in the games themselves have STICKY-CAPS SYNDROME) I use the first option.

 

[Zekurom]

"First up is Lorelei - she relies on Ice-type Pokémon with a smattering of Water-types mixed in to their types. You need a good Electric-type to make this battle go smoothly, so hopefully you have a high-level Raichu or maybe you picked up Zapdos."

But Zapdos is Flying-type, which is weak to ice >_>

As you can see, both the word Pokémon and the species names are capitalized. I don't recall any game guide stating otherwise, and since this is technically canon (and everything in the games themselves have STICKY-CAPS SYNDROME) I use the first option.

Nekoshun is following a more "scientific" approach - however, in biological taxonomy, the Pokémon "species" are more genera than actual species.

Although, you'd never use a genus as a countable noun.

 

[Rockie]

Nekoshun is following a more "scientific" approach - however, in biological taxonomy, the Pokémon "species" are more genera than actual species.

Although, you'd never use a genus as a countable noun.

That's a really good point! I wish they'd create a guide for this nonsense; I really dislike not being sure of the mechanics of English

 

[Zekurom]

That's a really good point! I wish they'd create a guide for this nonsense; I really dislike not being sure of the mechanics of English

Don't worry - there are thousands of Asian immigrants to Canada that know exactly how you feel.

Not to mention other countries. But that example is most relevant to me, seeing as how I'm one.

 

[Giratina!]

But Zapdos is Flying-type, which is weak to ice >_>

But it's also Electric, which is powerful against Water, and it's high level by default. That's probably what they were going with.

 

[Zekurom]

But it's also Electric, which is powerful against Water, and it's high level by default. That's probably what they were going with.

I know that, I was just pointing out a possible weakness in their strategy guide.

But we're getting off-topic >_>