Thursday, May 28, 2015

What is the origin of "uppercase" and "lowercase"?


In the days of typesetting, compositors stored their type in different type cases. These compositors arranged the type such that capital letters were found in the upper type case while lowercase letters were in the lower case. Over time, these upper and lower designations became a method for differentiating capital and miniscule letters.

Why do shampoo bottles have French translations?


Shampoo bottles found in the U.S. typically provide both English and French translations. While not commonly spoken in the U.S., French is pervasive in Canada. In order to save on production and distribution costs, shampoo companies often use the same bottles in the U.S. and Canada. Since Canada's Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act requires both French and English translations on products sold in Canada, shampoo companies include both languages.