In 1980 George Lakoff and Mark Johnson published Metaphors We Live By, a short book that examined metaphors as fundamental units of human thought. The basic argument was that certain attributes associated with one conceptual domain “map” (or, in later theories, “blend”) with those of another, creating a “conceptual metaphor.” For instance, ideas associated with … Continue reading Conceptual Metaphor Theory
General Style
Epistle versus epistle
1. The Problem An earlier post addressed the question of when to write Gospel and when gospel; this post deals with a similar issue: when one should write Epistle and when epistle. The same principles discussed here will apply to the synonyms Letter and letter. SBLHS §4.3.6 offers seven examples of when Epistle or Epistles … Continue reading Epistle versus epistle
Gospel versus gospel
1. The Problem One of the more confusing issues that writers in New Testament studies face is when to write Gospel and when to use gospel instead. SBLHS explains the matter simply: “SBL Press capitalizes Gospel when it is part of the title of a work and lowercases the term when it refers generically to … Continue reading Gospel versus gospel
Ezra-Nehemiah and Luke-Acts
The SBLHS 2 (§2.1.3.4) uses en dashes to connect page ranges, verse ranges, and the like (see our post here). Ranges of biblical books should similarly be connected with an en dash: Joshua–Kings Job–Ecclesiastes But: from Joshua to Kings between Job and Ecclesiastes However, hyphens should be used to connect biblical books that are conceptualized … Continue reading Ezra-Nehemiah and Luke-Acts
Hyphens, En Dashes, and Em Dashes
As noted in SBLHS 2 §2.1.3.4, authors should distinguish between hyphens (-), en dashes (–), and em dashes (—). The CMS FAQ on the topic explains the differences between the three as follows: a hyphen connects “two things that are intimately connected”; an en dash connects “things that are related to each other by distance”; … Continue reading Hyphens, En Dashes, and Em Dashes
Formatting Titles
It is often difficult to remember how to format the different types of titles (e.g., titles of books, articles, journals, book series, and conferences) encountered in academic writing. In hopes of helping authors, editors, and copy editors quickly discover the answer to such questions when they arise, we offer this quick-reference guide to title formatting. … Continue reading Formatting Titles
Eras and Time Periods
The SBLHS 2 §8.1.2 recommends the use of all caps without periods in abbreviations of chronological eras (see also CMS §9.35): AD anno Domini (in the year of our Lord) AH anno Hegirae (in the year of [Muhammad’s] Hegira) BC before Christ BCE before the Common Era BP before the present CE Common Era Note … Continue reading Eras and Time Periods
Program Units, Meetings, and Fields of Study
Following the CMS, the SBLHS 2 recommends a down style of capitalization (the use of fewer initial capital letters). Like the CMS, we recognize that there are exceptions. The names of conferences, program units, and organizations, for instance, are typically capitalized (see CMS §8.69): the Enoch Seminar the Rhetoric of Religious Antiquity program unit the … Continue reading Program Units, Meetings, and Fields of Study
Italics or Scare Quotes?
In speech, individuals emphasize phrases and demarcate ironic uses of terms by using vocal inflection. Written texts lack such inflection, and authors must compensate with some form of visual clue. Following the CMS, the SBLHS recommends the following practices (here we use red font to draw attention to particular terms or phrases): 1. When emphasizing … Continue reading Italics or Scare Quotes?
Deities, Angels, Demons, and Other Divine Figures
The names or formal designations of deities are typically capitalized (CMS §8.90): Allah Baal God Elohim Isis Jesus the Lord Mithra Sun God of Heaven the Trinity Zeus So, too, are alternative names of God or one of the persons of the Trinity (SBLHS 2 §4.3.4.2) Creator Father Holy Spirit Immanuel King of kings Son … Continue reading Deities, Angels, Demons, and Other Divine Figures
SBL Handbook of Style 