[Editors] website on the web site

[James Wolken]

Gayle,

I'm a devotee of the Chicago Manual of Style for a myriad of reasons, not 
the least of which is that they simply are the best.  Technically, Web is 
the shortened version of World Wide Web Consortium, and hence is a proper 
noun of a product name.  The way Coke is short for Coca-Cola.  The CMS and 
I would opine that Web site should be two words & capitalized.  If only 
because you can have a Web site, a Web editor, a Web mess, etc.

Common currency has already given coin to website as one word, but 'tis 
technically a slang usage, and best saved for informal writing. Unless one 
is a hip-hop artist who employs creative spelling to make a (valid) 
socio-economic point, one should stick to the basic rules.  There once was 
a day when the Web couldn't appear without the words "New Economy" next to 
it; alas, that idea has faded, and so too the notion that the Web suddenly 
makes of grammar a whole new ballgame...er, ball game.

For a fascinating discussion of "Web site" and other "online" words, view 
the CMS question & answer page 
at:  http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/cmosfaq.html

Best,
Jim Wolken

At 02:24 PM 9/22/2003 -0400, Gayle Sherman wrote:
>Greetings, editors,
>I have a question about "web site":  it has been typed as two words in the 
>NYTImes, WSJ, etc., but I see on today's MIT home page, in the News 
>section, that one word does it all.  Is this just MIT being trendy?  I'm 
>wondering if the pub I'm working on should include website or web site 
>information, and appreciate your insights.  Thanks.
>         -Gayle
>
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