Dear Sirs,
I'd appreciate more clarification on the May Q&A re Section 8.167 (3). This answer (pasted below) leaves two copyeditors with different ears no clear way to resolve a disagreement. For instance, the examples given below may seem correct to your ear, but to mine they are both off. Were we working on the same busy copy desk, you and I would have no other rule to help us resolve this -- and our co-workers would watch with growing amusement as we muttered "ALL About EVE!" "No, All ABOUT Eve!" for hours at one another. Can you give us a few tips for resolving "ear" conflicts by rule?


Q. Section 8.167 (3) of the 15th Manual of Style says that, when applying headline style, a preposition should be capitalized if it is stressed (A River Runs Through It). Please clarify what is meant by “stressed.” Furthermore, how would you capitalize “One Nation under God”? Thank you.

A. We are talking about how it sounds to the ear—admittedly, a somewhat murky rule. A river runs through it? A river runs through it? No—a river runs through it. Your “under” is likewise a good candidate for capping, for the same reason. Other examples:

A Man about the House vs. All About Eve

Desire under the Elms vs. One Nation Under God