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In some articles (scientific) I see the word Web site and specially Web page, I don't know what to use in my paper. (Web site or website) and (Web page or web page or "webpage") please note "Web" in the first phrase is in upper case.

I prefer the later one and used that. Is it any difference?

Ahmad
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  • Well, "website" is a compound word,and sometimes the rules for compound words are very ambiguous. Both "website" and "web site" are correct. Do a google search for "is website a compound word?" you get loads of good result with lots of explanation to clear your doubt. – NANDAGOPAL Jul 07 '15 at 15:22
  • Are you asking whether to write an upper case W or a lower case w? Or are you asking whether to write it as one or two words? Or are you asking whether to write site or page? – kasperd Jul 07 '15 at 18:23
  • @kasperd both, it is also a question, why Web page with upper case? but I don't ask whether to write site or page, they are just two examples. – Ahmad Jul 07 '15 at 18:33

1 Answers1

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English tends to build new compound nouns by simply writing them as separate words with a blank. Once the compound is established (and the original parts somewhat "forgotten"), it's often written as one word or hyphenated. (Examples: shoelaces, aircraft...) Other languages, German for example, are notorious for very long compunds like this and this, that are made up and written as one word directly. Perhaps the way your native language deals with compounds explains your (or other authors') personal preference and sense of "right"?

Web site / website seems to be somewhat in a transitional stage, being seen as an "entity" that web page hasn't reached yet. Depending on which dictionary you check you will find web site and website, but only web page, not webpage.

Edit regarding the use of capital letter 'W' for "Web site":

According to common English rules, you should use a capital letter only at the beginning of the sentence and for proper nouns. Website is not a proper noun (as opposed to the Internet), hence not capitalized. According to your source the spelling "Web site" (and the less questionable "web site") is an anachronism from the 1990s that is still in use by the NYT and some other conservative print media in the US while most others (including the online sections of the NYT!) today use "website". "Web site" / "web site" is only alive in AmE and even there it's used in the minority of cases. So unless you are writing for the NYT (and even then, they have editors), be contemporary, international and play it safe by using "website".

Stephie
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  • It is a complete answer, just you didn't point why a big W – Ahmad Jul 07 '15 at 18:36
  • Yes, but I have seen in documents they use a capital letter for it. As I read already, it originates in the way New York Times used it! – Ahmad Jul 07 '15 at 18:49
  • I add the link to my comment. – Ahmad Jul 07 '15 at 18:53
  • Thank you, just I thought maybe web is like Internet as you said. but it seems it's not – Ahmad Jul 07 '15 at 19:03
  • Despite their awarded diplomas in the art of writing, you'd be surprised at how many editors and journalists in the United States make English mistakes. For instance, "an" is still often coupled with words that begin with an "H" sound, even though this is improper. I'd advise against treating material from news sources as if it were error-free or even a higher authority on grammar. – Crazy Eyes Jul 07 '15 at 20:27
  • The 'Web' in Web site is a proper noun. When you say "the Web" you are using a shortened form of the World Wide Web (or "WWW") created by Tim Berners-Lee. It's similar to how The United States is often abbreviated as the States (notice that States is always a proper noun whenever it is used to refer to the US, even if the writer forgot to capitalize it) – Brandin Jul 23 '15 at 14:25