The earth v. Earth

[Wilson Gray]

But doesn't "the other planets are named for gods," and the earth
isn't, constitute  justification? Am I missing something?

-Wilson

On 8/8/07, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> Subject:      Re: The earth v. Earth
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I think Time magazine mentioned this in an editorial note about planet
> capitalization around 15 years ago. (It was probably before they
> downgraded their writing style for mass appeal since that's when I
> stopped reading it.)
>
> They said that they capitalized all the planets except earth because the
> others are named for gods. I don't recall if there was a justification
> for not capitalizing earth. BB
>
> Wilson Gray wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> > Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > >From Slashdot science:
> >
> > "[The asteroid] Apophis will pass closer to _earth_ than
> > geosynchronous satellites orbit."
> >
> > I'm pretty sure - though I wouldn't bet money on it - that, back in
> > the '40's and '50's - the earth was referred to as "_the_ earth." More
> > recently, it seems to me, "the earth" has been replaced by "Earth."
> > Here's an instance that's neither "the earth" nor "Earth." It could be
> > a simple typo, however.
> >
>
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All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
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