A minor writing question

[8letters]

I'm writing a story where the main character had belonged to a group of twenty or so friends that she calls "The Gang". When she refers to that group of friends, so I use:

I had always know that my membership in "The Gang" was treacherous.

Or

I had always know that my membership in The Gang was treacherous.

Or

I had always know that my membership in "the gang" was treacherous.

Or

I had always know that my membership in the gang was treacherous.

Edit: See longer excerpt further down.

 

[Nezhul]

I'd go with capitalized Gang and decapitalized "the"

Reason being, "Gang" clearly is used to name a very certain group of people, it's not so much about the meaning of the word than that it refers to a single certain group.

so I'd go with:

I had always known that my membership in the Gang was treacherous.

But English is not my native language, so you may wanna check in with someone else too.

 

[oggbashan]

I'd agree with Nezhul except that I would use a capital letter on The. (and known, of course).

So your first version. "The Gang" is the specific group you are mentioning.

 

[laptopwriter]

Sorry to throw a monkey wrench in the works but...

The Gang or the Gang... neither is a proper noun or name so it doesn't get capitalized. She calls them the gang, that's all. If you want to set if off in quotes, fine, but it's not necessary.

One other thing. In every instance you use "know" the word should be "known."

 

[oggbashan]

I'm writing a story where the main character had belonged to a group of twenty or so friends that she calls "The Gang". When she refers to that group of friends, so I use:

I had always known that my membership in "The Gang" was treacherous.

The Gang or the Gang... neither is a proper noun or name so it doesn't get capitalized. She calls them the gang, that's all. If you want to set if off in quotes, fine, but it's not necessary.
...

I had assumed that The Gang is a proper name and so should be capitalized but it is arguable that it isn't proper.

But on looking again at the sentence, however it is punctuated, it seems confused.

In what way is membership 'treacherous'?

Is it because she isn't really agreeing with the gang's objectives and therefore might betray them?

Or is it that by belonging to the gang she is betraying someone else?

Or is membership not treacherous but unwise? Do they engage in profligate consumption of cream cakes and therefore ruin her diet plan?

 

[8letters]

In what way is membership 'treacherous'?

She was in a group of the social elite of her high school were you had to be good-looking, popular and from a well-off family when her parents were financially struggling. She knew she was viewed as a social climber by many members of the gang (or The Gang or the Gang or "the gang").

 

[sr71plt]

If emphasis is put on the "The" when spoken and/or those involved would always include the "The" and would capitalize it if they wrote it, then it should be: The Gang. You'd only put it in quotes the first time mentioned to make clear the "The" goes with the name. There's no other reason to put this classification of noun in quotes. After that just: The Gang.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxD0Ke7SS6g

 

[CyranoJ]

She was in a group of the social elite of her high school were you had to be good-looking, popular and from a well-off family when her parents were financially struggling. She knew she was viewed as a social climber by many members of the gang (or The Gang or the Gang or "the gang").

I was confused by "treacherous," too. I would call that situation "tenuous."

 

[8letters]

If emphasis is put on the "The" when spoken and/or those involved would always include the "The" and would capitalize it if they wrote it, then it should be: The Gang. You'd only put it in quotes the first time mentioned to make clear the "The" goes with the name. There's no other reason to put this classification of noun in quotes. After that just: The Gang.

Thanks. I'll do that.

I was confused by "treacherous," too. I would call that situation "tenuous."

You're probably right. I'll go with that.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Why are y'all hung up on the word treacherous in that sentence...it can always be explained in the next one.

adjective
1. characterized by faithlessness or readiness to betray trust; traitorous.
2. deceptive, untrustworthy, or unreliable.
3. unstable or insecure, as footing.
4. dangerous; hazardous:
a treacherous climb.

I had always known that my membership in The Gang was treacherous. The last two members who betrayed them were never seen again.

 

[laptopwriter]

Seeing it writting out by Zeb_Carter

Only makes me think I'm right about it not being capitalized. Is it really a name? Did they all get together and decide they would name their group, The Gang? Do they call themselves, The Gang?

Or, is it just something she calls the group, like a term of endearment? You don't capitalize honey or sweetheart in the middle of a sentence. It's the same thing unless they have actually name themselves, The Gang.

 

[sr71plt]

"Writting out"? Really?

If the character wants to assert a formal name for it, she can--and the OP indicates she did.

 

[Bramblethorn]

The Gang or the Gang... neither is a proper noun or name so it doesn't get capitalized. She calls them the gang, that's all. If you want to set if off in quotes, fine, but it's not necessary.

Common nouns or short phrases that are repeatedly used as names for a particular thing sometimes acquire the status of proper nouns.

For example, any history of Australia will make mention of the First Fleet. It was the first British fleet to arrive here, bringing settlers, but "First Fleet" is now used as a proper noun.

US examples would include the Mayflower Pilgrims, or the First Amendment.

So, yeah, "the Gang" or "The Gang" can both be handled as proper nouns, if that's the name it has. It's like naming a cat Felix, but without the disguise of a second language.

 

[plesmore]

I had assumed that The Gang is a proper name and so should be capitalized but it is arguable that it isn't proper.

But on looking again at the sentence, however it is punctuated, it seems confused.

In what way is membership 'treacherous'?

Is it because she isn't really agreeing with the gang's objectives and therefore might betray them?

Or is it that by belonging to the gang she is betraying someone else?

Or is membership not treacherous but unwise? Do they engage in profligate consumption of cream cakes and therefore ruin her diet plan?

It would seem that regardless of how treacherous the situation might be, the use of the definite article would allow the capitalization of 'gang' even though one might not want to capitalize 'horse' if referred to as 'the horse' unless 'the horse' were to refer to a particular and exclusive group.

 

[KindofHere]

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[8letters]

Longer excerpt:

“None of The Gang would talk to me today.”

I belonged to a group of twenty or so of the most popular kids in my high school with Drew and Taylor. Or had belonged. To get into “The Gang”, you had to be good looking AND popular AND have money. I’d always felt a little insecure about being a part of The Gang as my parents didn’t have money, but I had managed to stay in The Gang for four years. We had lunch every day in “our spot”. Non-members were given the silent treatment if they tried to join us. Today, I got the silent treatment.

Michael said, “Then they weren’t really your friends.”

That was what hurt. I had joined The Gang freshman year and had hung out every day with them for almost four years. For them to treat me now like an unworthy, like a loser, was very painful.

"The Gang" doesn't look right to me. Then again, "the gang" didn't look right to me either.

 

[laptopwriter]

Damn, I get tired of sr's personal attacks!

Yes, she can write it anyway she wants but she asked a question and I believe I have just as much right to answer as you do.

Bramblethorn; I believe the difference here is that, unlike your examples, she is the only one calling her group of friends, the gang.

 

[NotWise]

Longer excerpt:

"The Gang" doesn't look right to me. Then again, "the gang" didn't look right to me either.

Given the longer excerpt, I prefer no caps and no quotes. You might also use the term a little less, as it seems to be repeated quite a bit in the excerpt. You could easily get away with 'them' in some instances without risking ambiguity.

 

[sr71plt]

"Damn, I get tired of sr's personal attacks!"

Perhaps if you refrained from it yourself.

Is it a personal attack to point out that someone giving writing advice is being illiterate? ("Writting out") What I'm tired of is folks giving guidance who have no experience/skill in what they are giving guidance on and thereby giving bum advice.

 

[CyranoJ]

Longer excerpt:

"The Gang" doesn't look right to me. Then again, "the gang" didn't look right to me either.

The Gang, without scare quotes, gives the impression that the character thinks of this group as An Entity deserving of a proper noun. It effectively flags up the psychological importance of this group to her. That's a perfectly acceptable device, and using it without quotes avoids implying that anyone else necessarily calls them this or thinks of them this way; it's more clearly an idiosyncrasy of the narrator.

 

[KindofHere]

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[TxRad]

I refuse this line of thought ... there is writing and there is proper writing and then there is writing people want to read.

Writing should be manipulated however it must to present your ideas.

If want to type ... 'ron is an asshole' and write 'ron' in lower case 3/4 the time, there could be a reason. Is it right or wrong? Depends on your audience. If you have no audience, then yeah, it's wrong for most people.

Since Ron is a proper name, your argument makes no sense. You can do it all you want but it is still wrong.

 

[holliday1960]

Since Ron is a proper name, your argument makes no sense. You can do it all you want but it is still wrong.

This entire thread is just priceless! Doesn't anyone besides me see the humor in it? Besides, why pick on poor Ron?

 

[KindofHere]

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