Copyedit question, re: partscaster

[Apostata]

Hi all,

I'm working on a piece where someone refers to their work-in-progress guitar as their "partscaster", a term which most here would be familiar with, even if you haven't bothered building your own guitar from parts before.

My question is for any aspiring copyeditors out there: for clarity's sake, given that this is geared to the general reader, should the suggested spelling be "partscaster" or, to clue them in more to the portmanteau, "Partscaster". I'm not sure which might throw the reader for a loop more.

Cheers and thanks in advance.

 

[Cozmik Cowboy]

Well, I last did actual copyediting for our college paper about 1975, but I have retained my facility with the langue, and in fact sharpened it with the massive amount of writing required for a couple of history degrees, so I will weigh in:

As it is a descriptive term and not an actual model name, I would (and do) go with "partscaster".

 

[soulman969]

Since I refuse to use the term period as a reader I would have no preference but IMHO the non-capitalized version seems more correct.

 

[Raiyn]

As it is a descriptive term and not an actual model name, I would (and do) go with "partscaster".

Agreed. It's not a trademarked model or brand even if it typically describes a guitar based wholly or partially on Fender style parts.

Having said that, I think I've used the capitalized version in my signature.

EDIT: Yup, I sure did.

 

[Apostata]

Thanks everyone (esp @Cozmik Cowboy)!