http://www.englishrules.com/writing/2005/capital-and-capitol/ Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:26:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.englishrules.com/writing/2005/capital-and-capitol/#comment-355 Karl Swedberg Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:11:23 +0000 http://www.englishrules.com/writing/2005/capital-and-capitol/#comment-355 Thanks for the explanation, Tag! I always love a good etymology lesson. Thanks for the explanation, Tag! I always love a good etymology lesson.

]]> http://www.englishrules.com/writing/2005/capital-and-capitol/#comment-354 tag Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:04:03 +0000 http://www.englishrules.com/writing/2005/capital-and-capitol/#comment-354 This is one of those times where your Latin lessons come in handy. The Latin word for head is "capitas." That is where we get capital punishment, per capita distribution and capital cities. The seat of government in ancient Rome was located on the Capitoline Hill. The building located there was referred to as The Capitol. To the ancient Romans this was as natural and distinguishable as our distinction between Washington state and Washington,DC, which are similar but distinct and on oposite sides of the continent. So when you talk about the building in either the capital of Washington or the capital in Washington, you call it The Capitol Building. This is one of those times where your Latin lessons come in handy. The Latin word for head is “capitas.” That is where we get capital punishment, per capita distribution and capital cities.
The seat of government in ancient Rome was located on the Capitoline Hill. The building located there was referred to as The Capitol. To the ancient Romans this was as natural and distinguishable as our distinction between Washington state and Washington,DC, which are similar but distinct and on oposite sides of the continent.
So when you talk about the building in either the capital of Washington or the capital in Washington, you call it The Capitol Building.

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