How to Style Legislative Terms

How to Style Legislative Terms How to Style Legislative Terms How to Style Legislative Terms By Mark Nichol Capitalization style for words and phrases related to legislation and international agreements is fairly straightforward, but here are some notes about treatment: Constitutions The phrase â€Å"US Constitution† (or â€Å"United States Constitution,† though the form with initials alone is sufficient) should be capitalized as such, as should names of state constitutions (â€Å"the California Constitution,† for example), but the word on its own is lowercased even as a subsequent reference to a specific document. The same is true of a word for components of a constitution, such as article. Names of specific amendments to the US Constitution are capitalized, but whether words or numerals are used to indicate them is contingent on which authority is used: The Chicago Manual of Style, the style manual of record for book publishers, calls for generally spelling out numbers up to one hundred, but the Associated Press Stylebook, which prescribes style for newspapers (some magazines and many Web sites adhere to it as well), uses numerals for 10 and up. So, write â€Å"Thirteenth Amendment† or â€Å"13th Amendment† according to the style your self-selected or externally appointed style guide recommends. Proposed amendments to the Constitution are often identified by their chief proponent (for example, â€Å"the Bricker Amendment†) or their aims (â€Å"the Equal Rights Amendment,† though some people argue that because there is no such amendment, only a movement to pass one, it should not be validated with capitalization). Bills and Acts A proposal for a new law enacted by the US Congress is offered as a bill. A bill proposed in the House of Representatives is given the body’s initials and a number (HR 99), followed by the name of the bill; a Senate is identified similarly (S 13). (As with US and other abbreviations, the initials are often followed by periods, but this style is unnecessary.) This style isn’t exactly mirrored in state and local legislation; for example, in the California Assembly, the local equivalent of the House of Representatives, a bill is abbreviated AB (for â€Å"Assembly Bill.†) If passed, the bill becomes an act, such as the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010. (Note that the year of enactment is often but not always part of the official name of the act.) In generic usage, even to a specific act, the word act is lowercased, though many legislative bodies and associated publications capitalize it when it refers to a specific act, as in â€Å"The Act would reverse a long-standing military policy that discriminates against gay service personnel.† Many other names for legislation exist, including code, ordinance, and statute. These words are capitalized as part of the name of a body of laws, such as â€Å"Civil Code† or â€Å"Municipal Code,† but are otherwise lowercased. Treaties and Such Nomenclature for treaties includes formal and informal styles. For example, one notable example’s formal name is the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, but the treaty associated with the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks is informally called the SALT treaty (with treaty lowercased because that is not the official name). A similar international understanding is referred to as an agreement, as in â€Å"the Sykes-Picot Agreement.† Then there is an armistice, which is merely a cessation of hostilities that may or may not be followed by a peace treaty. Many notable armistices have occurred, requiring specific nomenclature such as â€Å"the Korean War Armistice Agreement,† but the default event, that formalizing the end of World War I, is referred to simply as â€Å"the Armistice.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Possessive of Proper Names Ending in SWhat is the Difference Between Metaphor and Simile?

Precedent vs. Precedence

Precedent vs. Precedence Precedent vs. Precedence Precedent vs. Precedence By Maeve Maddox A passage in a newspaper article prompted this email from a reader: Im grimacing at a Virginia newspaper passage:the first paid event held at the commons area, which might set precedence for future events I assume the author is not saying that this might make the future events come first. Please discuss the difference between precedents and precedence. The similarity of pronunciation is perhaps one cause of confusion between precedents [PRES-ih-dents] and precedence [PRES-ih-dence], but the error also occurs with precedence and singular precedent. The words are closely related in origin and meaning. Among the meanings of Latin praecÄ“dÄ“ns are â€Å"a person who goes in front,† â€Å"a person who ranks above,† and â€Å"a prior event.† The noun precedence may have originated as an erroneous spelling of the plural of precedent, but it has acquired a distinct meaning of its own. Precedence means, â€Å"the fact of being above or ahead of another or others in order, rank, or importance.† A common idiom is â€Å"to take precedence,† meaning â€Å"to enjoy the right of preceding others in ceremonies and social formalities.† A site on diplomatic protocol for the country of Saint Lucia provides an example of this usage: The Prime Minister, like the Governor-General, as the Head of Government, is entitled to certain privileges and courtesies.   He/she has the right of precedence in all circumstances, except when the Governor-General is in attendance. Things as well as people may â€Å"take precedence† in the sense of being esteemed above something else. An example of this use occurs in a speech by a prime minister of Singapore: For a religious person, conscience and religious conviction take precedence over the laws of the state, but in a multi-religious society like ours, it becomes crucial to keep religion strictly separate from politics. A precedent is â€Å"a previous instance taken as an example or rule by which to be guided in similar cases or circumstances.† A common idiom is â€Å"to set a precedent.† In a legal context, a precedent is a judicial decision that constitutes an authoritative example for subsequent similar cases. For example: â€Å"Griswold v. Connecticut  served as an important precedent in the Roe v. Wade  decision.† Here, with corrections, are some typical errors in the use of precedence for precedent: INCORRECT: A court ruling expected soon- stemming from public access to pretrial information in the William Cruse murder case- may set a precedence in what can be reported in criminal cases before trials. CORRECT : A court ruling expected soon- stemming from public access to pretrial information in the William Cruse murder case- may set a precedent in what can be reported in criminal cases before trials. INCORRECT: If the studio achieves anywhere near the same amount of success theyve seen with Cinderella, which has grossed nearly $160 million since its  March 13 release, it may set a precedence for more live-action flicks to come. CORRECT : If the studio achieves anywhere near the same amount of success theyve seen with Cinderella, which has grossed nearly $160 million since its  March 13 release, it may set a precedent for more live-action flicks to come. INCORRECT: The Kyoto Protocol has set  a significant precedence  for climate target negotiations in the future, and particularly with respect to differentiation of targets between  countries. CORRECT : The Kyoto Protocol has set  a significant precedent for climate target negotiations in the future, and particularly with respect to differentiation of targets between  countries. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of Adjectives5 Brainstorming Strategies for WritersBail Out vs. Bale Out