WHY WE USE ALL CAPS TO SHOUT, with Glenn Fleishman

February 19
27 mins

Episode Description

1161. Today, we look at the history of writing in all-uppercase letters. Tech historian Glenn Fleishman explains how capitals transitioned from a sign of importance to a convention for shouting. Plus, we discuss his research tracking the association between yelling and capital letters back to 1856 and why early newspapers used all capitals to make tiny type seem larger.

Glenn Fleishman's website.

🔗 Join the Grammar Girl Patreon.

🔗 Share your familect recording in Speakpipe or by leaving a voicemail at 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475)

🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter.

🔗 Take our advertising survey

🔗 Get the edited transcript.

🔗 Get Grammar Girl books

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

  • Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend, Maram Elnagheeb
  • Director of Podcast: Holly Hutchings
  • Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
  • Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes, Rebekah Sebastian
  • Podcast Associate: Maram Elnagheeb

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTubeTikTokFacebook. ThreadsInstagramLinkedInMastodonBluesky.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

See all episodes

Never lose your place, on any device

Create a free account to sync, back up, and get personal recommendations.