Uh-oh
The editorial page in this morning’s Baltimore Sun quotes a line of “The Star-Spangled Banner” thus: “Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave.” But Francis Scott Key wrote “O say.”
Oh is an exclamation by which a number of emotional reactions—surprise, disappointment, anger, excitement—can be expressed. O is used in direct address, as in a prayer.* “The Star-Spangled Banner,” in addressing the listener, uses the latter form.
To keep the distinction in mind, think how “O God” differs from “Oh God”:
“O God, give me strength to endure these minor frustrations calmly.”
“Oh God, I’ve locked my keys in the car again.”
*In Baltimore, of course, the O’s has quite a different sense.
Comments
O John Oh My!
Posted by: Susan Ramey | March 5, 2011 12:23 PM
Who knew?
Someone on the edit page has been hanging with Christine Aguilera.
Posted by: Jim Callahan | March 5, 2011 12:24 PM
Hmm...... here in The City of Angels (L.A.) w/ at last count roughly 53% of our current population's mother tongue being Spanish, one could make a case for "José can you see by the dawn's early light....", and "José does that star-spangled banner yet wave", the Spanglish version of F. S. Key's oft butchered national anthem. HA!
I'm pretty convinced that those anti-immigration (read anti-Mexican, and Central American) zealots residing in Arizona might take major umbrage w/ this, what they would undoubtedly view, as an insulting bastardization of a sacred lyrical homage to their welcoming America. Chill out folks.
Pop diva Christine Aguilara, of Ecudoran ancestry on her father's side, had a hard enough time remembering the 'Banner's' lyrics at this year's Super Bowl halftime show last month. HER 'bomb' was definitely bursting 'on-air', broadcast to hundreds-of-thousands of TV viewers around the globe. If she's had a 'wardrobe malfunction' a la Janet Jackson, we might have totally missed her lyrical flub. Just sayin'.
"The Star-spangled Banner" lyricist, Francis Scott Key , if he were still living, might have opted for Ms. Alicia Keys, rather than the troubled Aguilara........kinda keepin' it in the family, give, or take an "s". HA!
ALEX
Posted by: ALEX MCCRAE | March 5, 2011 1:56 PM
Although I would never actually say this out loud or anything, it's sort of a shame that we don't all learn enough Latin to recognize the vocative case.
Posted by: mike | March 5, 2011 2:13 PM
Of course, part of the problem with "O" and "oh" is that historically they were the same word, and they've only become differentiated in more modern times. In older texts one might find "O" where the modern rules would call for "oh".
Posted by: Jonathon | March 5, 2011 10:34 PM
‘Oh’ and ‘O’. It is lowercase if it doesn’t start the sentence, and it is typically followed by a comma (Oh, why I did I have to ask?) (The scenery is so beautiful, but, oh, I can’t describe it.)
The vocative O, a form of classically stylized direct address, is always capitalized and typically unpunctuated. (O Jerusalem)
5.197, Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed.
Posted by: H Devaraja Rao | March 6, 2011 5:33 AM
Perhaps this should have been titled: "How about them O's?"
Posted by: Rolig | March 7, 2011 5:21 AM
Rolig,
How about The Story of "O"........... of course, sans the whips, chains and other sundry instruments of pain/ pleasure infliction. HA!
I confess, that was a 'Sade' joke. Forgive me.
ALEX
Posted by: ALEX MCCRAE | March 7, 2011 12:35 PM