Capitalizing Ayurveda

[Lisa Galvin]

I have several Ayurvedic products in my home, and all of them capitalize Ayurveda, and all but one capitalize Ayurvedic. The one product that does not capitalize it is made by the same company as almost all the others, though, so maybe it can go either way. You can also check out the book "Essential Ayurveda" by Shubhra Krishan. I used to have a copy but I don't anymore, or I'd look it up for you myself.

Lisa Galvin
Seattle

On Feb 26, 2012, at 2:14 PM, 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:      Capitalizing Ayurveda
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Wikipedia capitalizes "Ayurveda," but it capitalizes so many things, I don't generally credit it much. (Wikipedia also has the non-capitalized "ayurvedic medicine.")
>
> The OED also capitalizes "Ayurveda," saying in part:
>
> -----
> An ancient Hindu system of medicine, drawn from Vedic literature and based on the belief that physical and mental health are dependent on a balance of biological humours (or doshas) uniquely constituted in each individual, which may be maintained or restored by regulated diet, sleep, exercise, etc., and a range of homoeopathic and natural remedies. Also: the text or texts describing this system. In early use, freq. with _the_.
>
> The texts comprising the Ayurveda, sometimes considered supplementary to the Atharva-veda (seeVeda n.), encompass not only medicine, but aspects of philosophy, theology, psychology, astronomy and astrology.
> -----
>
> I suppose I will give in to reference pressure and capitalize in the document I'm working on, but is there a reason for capitalizing this?
>
> Benjamin Barrett
> Seattle, WA
>
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