Last week brought in 22 e-mails asking what typing in all caps meant. They were all from onliners on the receiving end of e-mail with only certain portions or phrases typed in all caps and weren’t sure what the sender meant. “Were they yelling at me?” “Does typing in red caps mean more than plain caps?”
They’ve read that caps means screaming online — but aren’t sure how someone they know typing that way applies to them. I then explain that it means they are yelling and/or emphasizing what is capped but without seeing the entire e-mail or knowing the person or their relationship with them, I cannot know what level of emphasis was intended.
See that’s the rub. When you cap or bold you leave the level of emphasis up to the recipient! These folks all knew some emphasis was in order — but really weren’t sure how much. I think they knew exactly how much but didn’t like it….
What I discuss all the time is that formatting is a source of many a misunderstanding because senders are not making sure their meaning or intent when doing so is how they want to be perceived. They assume the other side will know what level of emphasis they meant. Not so — in my experience the other side will always apply more emphasis than supposedly intended thereby another misunderstanding may now commence!
Many type in all caps, bold and increase font size, then get upset when the other side perceives the intent those actions relay. Since the inception of e-mail (before Judith BTW) typing in all caps was a way of accentuating your meaning. Yelling, screaming, whatever you want to call it, typing in caps was to make a point.
After all these years, it seems folks still do not realize that what words they choose to use and how they choose to type them, makes a difference. Know that when formatting is used it can affect how the intent of your e-mail will be perceived.
Perception:
tr.v. per·ceived, per·ceiv·ing, per·ceives1. To become aware of directly through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing.
2. To achieve understanding of; apprehend.
When it comes to your e-mails how does the person on the other side comprehend your intent or meaning? By the words you choose, how you use them and how you may decide to format them. If you bold certain terms, make them red in color and a larger font – what do you think the person on the other side is going to perceive? That you are making a point — to say the least. So don’t get miffed when their reply assumed you were doing just that.
I guess the bottom line is whether you like it or not – these perceptions will be there. I am of the belief that having a strong vocabulary and command of the English language negates the need for any formatting. Call me wacky!
“Nihil est in intellectu quod non fuit prius in sensu.”
(“Nothing is in the understanding,
which was not first perceived by some of the senses.”)
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Can’t we all just get along? If someone yells at me (implied or actual) , my first instinct is to yell back. I am not sure it is an etiquette issue. Some of us were taught that yelling doesn’t get you anywhere and to use skills like coping and problem solving to try to resolve any issue. So maybe it is a life skills issue or rather not having these skills.
Hey, Cristi:
Yes, the first reaction is to respond in kind — but that is rarely prudent or productive. When “coping” with these type of e-mailers, don’t respond emotionally — instead *kill* them with kindness! If you can’t do that, maybe you are better off not responding at all!
This is definitely a conflict. See, I have issues with this too. I have a cousin that likes to send me messages in all caps, and even though I know he’s not yelling at me, it still gets on my nerves because I know that all caps means someone is yelling. I just don’t understand why in the world he can’t just format his messages in regular caps. Although, most of the time, when I do get into arguments with friends online, they don’t really use all caps, I can just tell they’re using an angry tone by the choice of words they use. It’s all about how you approach a conversation. Re-reading what you have typed/written before you send it would make a big difference, so then you would know how your messages sound.
Hey, Thomas:
Great minds thinks alike! ;-) Those who type in all caps are simply lazy — just like those who type in all small case.
Another tip in addition to re-reading your message before sending — read it out loud!
I do believe that all caps can be used to emphasis somethin, but if used in the wrong way (using caps in the whole e-mail) it can be taking as yelling. Which may not be the direction the actual person was going in but has been taking that way by the reader.
Hey, Jessica:
Of course selective capping can be used for emphasis — but you are still leaving the level of emphasis up to the person on the other side, right? And being caps tend to indicate a raised voice — why leave that to interpretation? When I want to add emphasis I’ll use asterisks. Doing so provides emphasis without the perception of raising my voice.
For example: I *really* do not believe that you have to use caps to add emphasis.
E-mails are easily misinterpreted when lots of capital letters and explanation points are used. Please …… be kind with emails. It is easy to start a complete misunderstanding by BOLDING words, unnecessarily underlining words or overemphasing words by changing font sizes.
Hey, Deane:
Use the power of your words to reflect emphasis! One has to wonder if you have to rely on formatting to make a point if you even have a point to make, right? ;-)
I think that typing in caps can mean that someone is “yelling”, but I agree it can just be used as a calm-tempered emphasis. It seems that one might read quicker, or at least have their attention drawn faster to a sentence that IS TYPED LIKE THIS.
Hey, Amanda:
I agree — however, since the beginning of e-mail typing in all caps has indicated yelling. That is what it is… Can’t change history.
So if you are a clear communicator and can use caps without giving that perception — great. However, in my experience when folks cap — they intend to relay that are raising their voice. And, being you cannot control ingrained perceptions, why take the risk?
Hey, Judith:
I completely agree. If you communicate clearly you can get your point across without having to use the “yelling” all caps to emphasize something. Also if it is something you are stressing, why not just use italics or bold the font??
Hey, Justin!
Here-here! What I do for emphasis is use asterisks. This way recipients *really* know I mean emphasis without having to indicate a raised voice.
Thanks for the support!
A big pet peave of mine is when people type in all caps. I agree that it would seem that the sender is coming across to imply something stronger than typing like normal. Although a past employer of mine would always type in all caps because she thought it looked better. I tried to express to her before that is does not and it actually makes it harder on the eyes to read. She would always say that she is trying to get her point across strongly as well. I tried over and over to tell her that the whole point of sending the email should imply that you are trying to get a message out to someone and that if there was something specific that needed to be stated then highlight, underline, or bold just that one part of her email. To this day she still types in all caps. Oh well.
Hey, Elizabeth:
While you tried, you can’t teach someone Writing 101 — especially if they have no desire to learn.
I do believe that many e-mailers inability to communicate with the written word with courtesy and clarity is a reflection on our educational system. If you have a broad vocabulary and work on your writing skills, there is no need for any sort of formatting for emphasis because your words will speak for themselves! ;-)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
GO AWAY!!
I believe it just matters what the content is in the all caps. In one instant it could mean that you are just trying to get your point across the easiest way possible.The other hand is the bad meaning they are just mad and want to yell at you. If it was me being the one yelling at you I would try everything to get your phone number so you can either hear my frustration or happiness.
Hey, Parker:
Well, I guess I have to say the obvious. Those who wonder if they are being yelled at aren’t those who are having nice greetings or well wishes typed to them in all caps. So of course, what is being type is what matters. Being one cannot offer too many good wishes no one is concerned about how “loud” you are yelling Happy Birthday! But type anything else not as obvious and you leave the level of emphasis up to the recipient — which is risky at best.
Elizabeth Singleton touched on the point that typing in CAPS makes the text harder to read. Our minds are conditioned to read what we expect to appear and the mix of upper-case and lower-case letters is expected in English. Written languages are visualized as they are read: read as they have been learned.
When my eyes cannot fixate on what is expected they either slow down to read, or stop reading. My mind must slow down to visualize an unusual formation. With me, the writer has less than a 50/50 chance that I will continue. It depends on my perception of more than just the page; but, of the writer, as well.
If a point of interest was not recognized in the subject line, chances are good that it will not be read. If browsing in a forum and tricked into reading it gets flagged: not read.
Typing in CAPS is not accepted in business. Nor are the tricky use of fonts, formats, colors and quotes. Once it is learned, it is rude to continue.
The use of CAPS may be ignorance at first, its’ continued use after having it pointed out may be arrogance. Some people just cannot be told anything… their perception of how they think they are viewed is most important in their minds.
Hey, David:
That about sums it up! Couldn’t have said it better and appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. My experience in having championed the topic of E-mail Etiquette for well over a decade is summarized succinctly in the last sentence of your post. If you don’t mind, I would like to use your comment in a post over on my Business E-mail Etiquette Blog.
Thank you for stopping by — great stuff! ;-)