RAMUNĖ VASKELAITĖ

Institute of the Lithuanian Language

doi.org/10.35321/bkalba.2022.95.01

THE SPELLING OF ASTROLOGICAL NAMES IN PRINTED PUBLICATIONS

KEYWORDS: spelling, astrological names, capital letter.

ABSTRACT

This article continues research into the spelling of astrological names. Having examined spelling tendencies on astrology websites in an earlier issue of Bendrinė kalba, this study focuses on spelling in printed publications—the conventional medium in which the standard language is used. By selecting 10 books on astrology, the study seeks to determine whether the spelling tendencies that began to emerge from online usage are universal, while also deepening the analysis of the factors that shape them.

ABSTRACT

The paper continues the research of writing astrological names. After examining (in Bendrinė kalba) the tendencies of their writing on astrology websites, the focus here is given on writing in printed publications, which are the usual environment for the functioning of the standard language. Based on 10 books on astrology, the aim is to assess the extent to which astrological names writing tendencies are common to websites and printed publications, and at the same time to deepen the analysis of the factors that determine it.

INTRODUCTION

In an article published in an earlier issue of Bendrinė kalba, The Spelling of Astrological Names on Astrology Websites (Vaskelaitė 2021), attention was drawn to a wholly unexamined subject: the spelling of astrological names (hereafter ALP). It emerged that many ALP tend to function as proper names, but their spelling varies. However, the spelling tendencies in that article were examined solely on the basis of astrology websites operating online. Yet online usage, as its studies show (e.g., Miliūnaitė 2008, 2010, 2018; Tamulionienė 2015), and as is readily apparent from usage itself,

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Certain features are often characteristic of them: insufficient or complete lack of language editing, spelling errors, neglected proofreading, and so on. Therefore, although only those websites that do not lie beyond the bounds of standard-language use were selected for analysis¹, once it had been carried out, the idea was raised that the universality of the tendencies identified could be established more confidently only by examining the writing of ALP elsewhere too, for example in printed publications, which are the usual medium in which the standard language functions.

This article undertakes to put that idea into practice: it examines the writing of ALP in printed publications, specifically in books on astrology. These books vary in type: some are reference works covering numerous astrological concepts, while others focus more narrowly on explaining the signs of the Zodiac. Nevertheless, there are not many of the former, and concepts are also covered in some of the latter; therefore, both types of publication will be included in the analysis. A total of 10 books are considered, four of which were written in Lithuanian and six translated. Books in this field are translated into Lithuanian not only from English, so the analysis also includes three translations from German, one from French, and two from English. They are all listed in the sources.

The publications considered include both recent works and those from an earlier period. More precisely, the period covered is 22 years: from 1998, when Erika Sauer’s Didžioji horoskopų knyga was published, to 2020, when Loreta Stonkutė’s Astrologijos vadovėlis appeared. Language norms and their codification change, so in another case selecting such a long period would be problematic, since usage in earlier years may no longer be relevant from the perspective of current standard-language norms. But the codification of ALP writing has not changed, and, more generally, orthographic-level norms are considered more stable than norms at other levels of language (see Pupkis 1980: 23), probably because there is an effort not to alter them frequently². Already in the earlier article

¹ In her comprehensive monograph on internet language, Rita Miliūnaitė notes that the internet divides into two domains: restricted use, where greater attention is paid to security and reliability (online media, banking, e-commerce, and so on), and free use (social networks, blogs); standard language is used and more closely monitored in the former (Miliūnaitė 2018: 139). Although this conditional classification does not mention websites as a genre, selecting astrology websites for the earlier article published in an issue of Bendrinės kalbos already showed that astrology websites on the internet vary in their adherence to standard-language norms.

² Štai ir atnaujintų rašybos taisyklių rinkinyje (Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022) paliekamos galioti iki tol galiojusių rašybos taisyklių nuostatos. Tai nurodoma ir komentare: „Patvirtintose atnaujintose rašybos taisyklėse pateikiamos galiojančių taisyklių nuostatos, jos iš esmės nekeičiamo(s) (išskyrus vieną kitą išimtį), o tikslinamos arba papildomos tais atvejais, kurie dar nebuvo reglamentuoti“ (K).

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On the subject of ALP writing, the author has reviewed in Astrologinių pavadinimų rašymas astrologijos svetainėse that the norms for writing proper names are set out in Lietuvių kalbos rašyboje ir skyryboje (Vaskelaitė 2021: 5–10), whose second revised edition was published in 1992, thus before the appearance of Erika Sauer’s Didžioji horoskopų knyga. A new set of orthographic-level norms, Rasuolė Vladarskienė and Palmira Zemlevičiūtė’s Lietuvių kalbos rašyba: taisyklės, komentarai, patarimai, was published only recently, in 2022, and thus later than the most recent (2020) source analyzed in this article. Accordingly, if ideal correspondence between codified norms and actual usage prevailed, ALP should be written uniformly in all the books selected for analysis, especially since, as is customary for publications issued by publishing houses, they are edited by language editors. Language editors are identified in all the sources selected for analysis.

However, in this case, correspondence between codified norms and actual usage is impossible, if only because the norms for writing ALP have not been codified. In the 1992 edition of Lietuvių kalbos rašybos ir skyrybos, norms for writing proper names are established, but they are organized according to groups of objects being named; ALP are not distinguished as a group, nor are such names mentioned among the groups specified. It therefore remains unclear which of the formulated rules for writing proper names should be followed when writing ALP. This uncertainty has already been raised and identified as a factor behind variation in usage (Vaskelaitė 2021). However, ALP—apart from the names of the signs of the Zodiac—are not mentioned even in the new set of spelling rules (Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022), so the question of how they should be written remains relevant both for codification and for language-use practice. It is therefore decided to pursue the issue further, now drawing on material from printed publications. The analysis should be relevant not only to ALP but also, more generally, to the codification of proper-name writing and to usage practices.

The author has already drawn attention to the fact that in Lithuanian linguistics the terms pavadinimas and vardas are used quite inconsistently—both synonymously and as distinct terms, with the distinction drawn on varying grounds (Vaskelaitė 2021: 3–4).³

³ For example, the rules for writing symbolic names use the term pavadinimai, referring here to simbolinius pavadinimus and tiesioginės reikšmės pavadinimus (VŽ 2004). Works on lexicology distinguish between gyvų objektų vardai and negyvų objektų vardai (Jakaitienė 2010: 269–270). The new set of spelling rules seems to attempt to distinguish vardus from pavadinimus according to whether a generic noun is used, while also noting that the distinction between the meanings of vardo and pavadinimo is conditional, and that in standard language the meanings of vardo and pavadinimo are closely related and partly overlap (Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022: 96).

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This article adopts one term, namely astrological names, abbreviated as ALP. It will cover proper names characteristic of astrology or written as proper names, including individual names (the term name will be used only if that is the term used in the source under discussion). Proper names are customarily divided into names with a literal meaning and symbolic names (written in quotation marks)⁴, but the latter will not be included, particularly since symbolic ALP are used very rarely, as was evident from the websites and is also evident from the sources selected for this study.

The aim of this study is to examine tendencies in the writing of ALP in publications on astrology and to assess the extent to which they correspond to the tendencies and their determining factors that emerged from online usage. Thus, the starting point for this analysis is the earlier analysis, which showed that some ALP are written only with an initial capital, while the capitalization of others varies. ALP will therefore be examined in this article accordingly: the first section discusses ALP written only with an initial capital, that is, cases of non-variable spelling, while the second considers cases in which the capitalization of ALP varies. Both sets will be compared with the writing practices identified on websites, which should reveal commonalities or differences between tendencies in websites and publications, while also confirming or rejecting conclusions drawn from websites about the factors determining ALP spelling and supplementing the analysis with new insights. As will become clear, the main methods used in this study are analysis and comparison, with synthesis used to formulate generalizations.

1. NON-VARIABLE SPELLING

In astrology websites, the names of zodiac signs and planets emerged as entirely non-variable with respect to the use of capital letters. Although the online language-use environment may exhibit the characteristics mentioned earlier, it was observed that the names of these two groups are written with an initial capital only on websites, even when, like other ALP, they are not mentioned in connection with the convention of capitalizing proper names.

The names of zodiac signs are widely used in all 10 publications, and here too they are written only with an initial capital, so it will suffice to give just a few examples:

⁴ The new set of spelling rules also distinguishes mixed proper names—names of mixed structure consisting of both a literal name and a symbolic name, e.g., Alytaus plaukimo klubas „Dzūkijos vandenis“ (Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022: 96).

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When Pisces speak, it is hard to get a word in TT 270; Be that as it may, Taurus, Aries and Scorpio – the zodiac signs with the most children AKK 38; Incidentally, Stalin (Sagittarius) began preparing for his terrible career by studying theology in a monastery TT 168; This is where the names of the zodiac signs originated: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces DAŽ 22. In publications, too, the names of zodiac signs are used with two meanings: they designate divisions of the Zodiac and also certain generalized types of character or behavioral traits, determined in Western astrology by which division of the Zodiac the Sun was in when a person was born (see Vaskelaitė 2021: 19). But capitalization is not a means of differentiating these two meanings. For example, a capital letter is used both in the sentence when the Moon is in Taurus, the throat is very sensitive <...> MP 85, which refers to the division of the Zodiac in which the Moon is located at certain times, and in the sentence Then Taurus realizes that life has not been lived in vain AKK 37, which refers to a person born while the Sun was in Taurus—or, more precisely, to a generalized type of people born at that time. As on websites, the meanings are sometimes differentiated by syntactic means, for example, the division of the Zodiac is named with a two-word phrase (It is very good if the flowers of this herb are gathered when the Moon is in the sign of Taurus MP 85), while the type, especially in publications from earlier periods, is expressed by noun phrases (It must be admitted that Leo men behave like true gentlemen DHK 111; Aries person is a good worker DHK 49) or otherwise (Because of this quality, people born under the sign of Taurus are reliable and prudent friends DAŽ 64; The state of the soul for a Cancer person is always a priority TT 140). Nevertheless, such syntactic means of differentiating meanings are often not used, and both the division of the Zodiac and the type are designated by a single-word name; compare, for example: The Sun enters the first sign of the Zodiac—Aries TT 95 and The weakest Aries's point is the head DAŽ 57; At present Saturn is in Capricorn, so for almost all Capricornsthis is a very difficult time AV 354. Whether used alone or in phrases, the names Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces are written only with a capital letter.

Planet names, too, are written only with an initial capital, as on websites. Planets are also one of the main objects of astrology, so their names are particularly frequent in publications, e.g.: Thus Mercury rules the sign of Virgo, Jupiter—the sign of Pisces Z 77; A favorable position of Jupitermeant honor and wealth, while an equally favorable position of Saturn meant unlimited power at first, followed by a fall DAŽ 21. They too mostly function as one-word forms, and such names

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Cases of usage such as It is believed that there are ways to restore a person’s vitality—one must strengthen their ties with the planet Mars occur rarely. It has already been noted that in astrology the Sun is also considered a planet, although in astronomy it is called a star, and the Moon is likewise considered a planet, although in astronomy it is called Earth’s satellite; attention has also been drawn to the fact that these differing perspectives do not lead to differences in spelling—the Sun and the Moon are also capitalized when used as names of astrological planets (Vaskelaitė 2021: 13–14). The material from the publications fully confirms this, e.g.: Children actually sense very well those adults who have a strong Sun; they always want to play with them AV 65; There are people whose horoscope has the Moon stronger than the Sun TT 38. Few celestial bodies other than planets are mentioned, not only on astrology websites but also in print publications; where they are mentioned, their names are written only with an initial capital, for example, asteroid names: But Chiron was already known to astrologers in the third century AV 35; When Proserpina entered into a square aspect with Pluto (1933–1934), the world faced the threat of annihilation AV 166.

In publications, as on websites, planets and Zodiac signs are also mentioned as actual celestial bodies—that is, as astronomical objects—for example: The Moon – Earth’s satellite TT 39; Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun DHK 219; The Zodiac constellations rise across the sky in the following order: Aries, Taurus, Gemini <...> Z 24. Since, unlike ALP, the spelling standard for astronomical names is codified, prescribing capitalization, an earlier study considered whether this factor might contribute to consistency in the spelling of planet and Zodiac-sign names in astrological texts as well (see Vaskelaitė 2021: 5–10). However, website texts had already shown that celestial bodies are mentioned not only in an astronomical but also in a mythological sense (Vaskelaitė 2020: 12); thus, consistency in spelling may be influenced by the codification of spelling standards or by spelling traditions for mythological names, as well as by those for astronomical names. The close connection between astrology and mythology is also evident in the publications. Jupiter, for instance, is described both as the largest planet in the Solar System and as the supreme Roman god of the sky and storms, whose Greek mythological counterpart is Zeus (AV 85); Saturn—as the Roman god of time and agriculture, Chronos in Greek mythology (AV 42); Venus—as the Roman goddess of love, passion, and gardens, the Greek Aphrodite (AV 31), and so on. Mythological counterparts in other cultures are also named, such as Shiva, corresponding to the vibration of Uranus in Indian culture (TT 72), and Jupiter’s counterparts, the Lithuanian Perkūnas and the Scandinavian Thor (TT 85), and so on. One publication, in which Zodiac signs are discussed as archetypes, also identifies

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and mythological equivalents of the Zodiac signs; for example, in Indian symbolism, Parabrachmanas embodies Aries (TT 98). The names of such deities or other beings are written with an initial capital only, as in You are a knight of truth, fighting against evil forces and injustice like Prometheus <...> AKK 102; the mythological symbol of Mercury is the nymph Maia MP 19; and the energy of Taurus is associated with the goddess Lakshmi, the god Vishnu’s wife (AV 55), including names that coincide with those of planets or other celestial bodies, e.g.: In Roman mythology, this is the god Saturn, who was the protector of time and agriculture (AV 42); In Roman mythologyMercury is the god of trade, eloquence, travelers, and commerce (AV 79); The god Mars was the god of spring, agriculture, and thus also war (AV 25). The Sun and the Moon are no exception: not only these names but also their equivalents in other cultures are written with an initial capital only, e.g.: Therefore, he is often depicted as a sun god, for example,Mithra (TT 16); the Greek moon goddess was Selene (AV 48); in India, the moon god is Soma or Chandra (AV 48). The norm for writing the names of mythological beings is codified, likewise stipulating capitalization, and these names have a long tradition of use; this would seem to make them at least as significant a factor in the consistent spelling of these ALP as the codification of the spelling norms for astronomical names.

However, astrology websites had already made it clear that, in meaning, ALP correspond neither to astronomical nor to mythological names, and they do not necessarily coincide in form either (Vaskelaitė 2021: 11–22)⁵. In astrological texts, planets and Zodiac signs are discussed most extensively not in an astronomical or mythological sense but in an astrological one—as particular symbols, or, more precisely, clusters of symbolic meanings. This symbolism is explained especially extensively in publications, e.g.: In astrology, the planet Jupiter symbolizes good fortune in the broad sense. It is the great benefic. Wisdom, religiousness, and ideals, but also honor and wealth DHK 231; In astrology, Venus, like the Greek goddess of the same name, symbolizes love, sexuality, harmony, and beauty DHK 223; Taurus symbolizes fertilization and creation TT 114; for Cancer Cancer is a symbol of closeness, warmth, and emotional well-being AKK 58. Thus, symbolism too may be a factor that supports consistency in the spelling of these names.

This hypothesis, which was not formulated when examining the spelling of ALP on astrology websites, is prompted by the spelling of Eastern-astrology names used in publications. Few of these occurred on websites, since the focus was on

⁵ The differences in meaning between ALP and astronomical names are discussed in greater detail in the author’s article on astrological terms (Vaskelaitė 2020). It should be noted that the article deals primarily with common-noun ALP.

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which develop Western astrology, and are used more often in publications. Indeed, one notes that laying out the basic principles of Chinese astrology is much more complicated than those of Western astrology, because Chinese astrology was influenced by different philosophical and religious systems and by the nature religions professed by the many peoples living in China; Chinese astrology is therefore heterogeneous (DAŽ 166)⁶. One of the oldest systems mentioned is based on the Moon’s journey: the Moon travels along segments of a trajectory, or lunar mansions, which also bear animal names: Crocodile, Dragon, Badger, Fox, Dog, Hare, Rat, Leopard, Tiger, Pig, etc. (DAŽ 172–176). Clearly, the animal names are symbols, and the use of a capital letter for these ALPs is probably determined by the need to distinguish them from common animal names. They are consistently written with a capital, e.g., From mist-shrouded plains Rat will rise to sunlit heights <...> DAŽ 178. Indeed, like the names of the divisions of the Western Zodiac, the names of the divisions of the Chinese Zodiac are also used to designate character types, and in such cases there is an even greater need to distinguish the name of a symbolic animal from that of a real animal. Thus, they are written only with a capital, e.g.: The mysterious Chinese astrology will tell you whether you are a brave Tiger, a loyal Dog, a slow, calm Ox, or a cheerful Monkey DAŽ 165; Among this type Snakes there are many art connoisseurs and museum workers DAŽ 201; The Chinese are always delighted when a Hare is born into the family DAŽ 198; Drive them out, Pig RVA⁷; If your child is a Dragon, they will love giving orders <...> RVA. In one publication, the Chinese and Western Zodiac signs are combined, which particularly highlights the uniform capitalization of their names, e.g.: You are an Aries according to Western astrology and a Tiger according to Chinese astrology RVA; All Snakes are very beautiful, but the one with Ox’s horns is so rare and exotic that it is hard to describe RVA. Since years in the Chinese calendar are also named after animals, two-word year names occur, and when writing them, as with two-word names of Western horoscope Zodiac signs (Gemini sign, Pisces sign, etc.), the capital letter is retained, e.g.: But if your business partner was born in the year of the Hare, that is a completely different matter <...> RVA 10; For example, 1999 (the year of the Cat) was celebrated on February 16; 2000 (the year of the Dragon) – February 5; 2001 (the year of the Snake) – January 24; 2002 (the year of the Horse) – Februa-

⁶ “If we take a closer look at even a few books on Chinese astrology, we will notice that they differ markedly from one another” (DAŽ 166).

⁷ Because of the particular features of this publication, page numbers are not given everywhere; consequently, they will likewise not always be indicated when it is cited.

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ruary 12 MP 24. Incidentally, both sets of names are also explicitly described as symbols: Eastern astrology is directly related to the year of your birth and the 12 animals. Western astrology, whose founders were the Babylonians, is also based on 12 symbols, but here everything depends on the month of your birth RVA 12. In the Avesta⁸, days of the lunar month are named after animals (and other spirits), so two-word day names occur, and the capital letter is retained in writing them as well, e.g.: It was precisely on Rooster’s day that Pythagoras observed silence AV 235; Suppose that a person was born on Leopard’s day <…> AV 332. Another publication lists the totems and antitotems of the Zoroastrian horoscope, and that mention also illustrates capitalization: Cobra, Werewolf, Toad, Fly, Snake, Seagull, Mole, Rat, Tapeworm, Jumper G 149–150. But if a comparison with the corresponding animal or object is used to bring out the characteristics of divisions of the Western or Eastern Zodiac, or of character types, the name of that animal or object is written with a lowercase letter; compare: Your Moon is in the sign of Scorpio, while your vessel is quiet and mysterious <…> and the Zodiac sign Scorpio is associated with an arachnid—scorpion AKG 208; The need for independence compels Leo to protest against the will of society and old traditions. But the lion is the king of beasts, not of people TT 172. Or, for example, the description of Leopard Day according to the Avesta tradition reads: The day is truly reflected by the leopard in its leap AV 231; the description of Fountain Day reads: Just as a fountainspouts its own water upward, so a person on this day brings forth what lies within them AV 237. Thus, in these cases the capital letter is an indispensable means of distinguishing meanings, and this is probably why capitalization is so consistent. However, the writing of most other ALPs exhibits greater or lesser variation.

2. VARIABLE SPELLING

The use of ALPs on websites revealed three types of variation—those related to the boundary between proper and common names, those arising from the possibility of stylistic capitalization, and those related to uncertainties in codification. Of course, variation in the spelling of a particular name may also be determined by several factors. Thus, we will first discuss ALPs according to the factors that have begun to emerge on websites, and in the concluding section we will look for links or commonalities among these factors.

⁸ Avesta—the Zoroastrian holy scripture, a collection of ancient Persian religious texts. Five books have survived, comprising Zarathustra’s hymns, cosmogonic myths, prayers to deities, spirits of natural forces, etc. (VLEe). In astrological texts, the Avesta is referred to as Persian astrology.

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2.1. Fluctuations related to the boundary between proper and common names

The Zodiako sign names discussed above would be the result of a common noun becoming a proper noun: the parts of the Zodiako named after animals, and the name became a proper noun. However, language is also characterized by a tendency in the opposite direction, mentioned in grammars or works on lexicology, namely, the transformation of proper nouns into common nouns (e.g., LKG 1965: 163; Jakaitienė 2010: 66). For example, the three-volume Lietuvių kalbos gramatikoje states: “There is no strict boundary between common and proper nouns. As soon as a proper noun begins to be used as a generalized name for a group of similar things, it passes into the category of common nouns <...>” (LKG 1965: 163). This regularity is also upheld in works that provide spelling norms (Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022: 78). It is probably on this basis that spelling norms are established for certain individual words as well. For instance, Lietuvių kalbos rašyboje ir skyryboje states that when the words saulė, mėnulis and žemė are used not as astronomical names, they should be written with a lowercase initial, or that the word visata should be written with a lowercase initial (LKRS 1992: 63). The State Commission of the Lithuanian Language’s Consultation Bank also lists zodiakas, galaktika as words to be written with a lowercase initial in non-astronomical texts (KB). But the regularity of proper nouns becoming common nouns is general; thus it would seem that it is not only astronomical names but also ALP that may tend to pass from one lexical category to another. Of course, the transition is not instantaneous, so spelling fluctuations may occur for some time.

In astrology texts, however, the process seems more complicated. Material from publications suggests that the name Zodiakas, which collectively denotes the twelve Zodiako signs, is entirely disinclined to become a common noun. Instances of lowercase spelling occurred only on websites (see Vaskelaitė 2021: 18–22), so fluctuations in the spelling of this word can be identified only by comparing material from publications and websites. In all 10 books, the word Zodiakas is written only with a capital initial, e.g.: However, Zodiakas is based on the movement of the Sun DAŽ 18; And Zodiakas is the boundary that encloses our universe, just as the serpent of matter encloses the spirit Z 19. This is also how it is written in two-word combinations, the most frequent of which is Zodiako ratas, e.g.: Now let us briefly forget this story and look closely at the Zodiako ratą Z 74; Thus the whole Zodiako ratas turns <...> DHŽ 24; Now let us examine how the Zodiako juosta practically affects our daily lives Z 17. In publications, as on websites, Zodiakas is associated with the Zodiako constellations, that is, astronomical objects, so in this case too the factor behind capitalization could be the links between astronomy and astrology. It is true that the distinction is also emphasized: this is the path of the Sun,

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the Moon, and the planets, as seen from Earth, whereas astronomically the Sun is considered a stationary star; the astrological Zodiakas is divided into twelve equal parts, but these do not coincide with the Zodiako constellations, although their names are the same (DHK 21)⁹. The fact that constellations and Zodiako periods with the same names coincided only in part two thousand years ago¹⁰ becomes an object of criticism of astrology (DHK 23), but astrology texts show that astrology does not claim to make astronomical calculations. Here, Zodiakas, like the signs that make it up, is a symbol, a whole composed of symbolic parts. In one place it is described as a sequence of primary principles: <...> let us imagine our life, the world, and the primeval forces active within it as a circle in the infinity of cosmic power. The circle consists of twelve Zodiako signs (from Aries to Pisces). Therefore, understand Zodiakas as a sequence of twelve primary principles. They fill both the entire Cosmos and every person. Separate parts, following one after another, reflect a universal, higher law. Each of these twelve primeval principles arises from the preceding one and continues to develop AKK 105.

The difference between an astronomical and an astrological object is also indicated by the word combinations used to refer to the parts of Zodiakas: astronomical objects are referred to as Zodiako žvaigždynai, and astrological ones as Zodiako ženklai. In these two-word combinations, Zodiakas is also written only with a capital initial, e.g.: On the other hand, you know that planets gain great strength or weaken depending on the Zodiako sign through which they are moving at that time <...> Z 25; Aries is the first Zodiako sign TT 86; It is difficult to live opposite Leo, the most powerful Zodiako sign AKG 297. Like the specific names of Zodiako signs, the two-word combination Zodiako ženklas (ženklai) is also used in two senses: it denotes a part of the symbolic circle and, at the same time, a generalized type based on which of those parts the Sun was in when a person was born. But it is capitalized in both

⁹ Although the names of the Zodiako signs are associated with the Greeks, it still seems unclear whether the names were first given to the Zodiako signs or to the Zodiako constellations. This uncertainty was expressed in the book Saulė keliauja žvėrių taku, published in 1976: “It is not known whether names based on imagined figures were first given to the constellations and only later became established for the parts of Zodiakas, or whether the hours were named first, followed by the parts of Zodiakas and the constellations.” Nevertheless, it adds: “Scientists tend to think that the shapes of the constellations provided the impetus for the names of the parts of Zodiakas. Supposedly, ancient astronomers joined several bright stars into a figure and suddenly saw that the figure resembled a Lion. Then they named both the constellation and the part of Zodiakas Lion” (Kalონaitis 1976: 17). One of the sources analyzed makes a firmer claim: “Thousands of years ago, the twelve periods of the ecliptic were named after the constellations, most of which had animal names” (DHK 22).

¹⁰ Then, at the beginning of spring, the Sun would travel into the constellation Aries; now the spring equinox has shifted.

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in cases, cf. An astrologer divides the circle into twelve sectors of approximately 30°, which we call Zodiac signs. The sector in which the Sun is located at the time of our birth is our special Zodiac sign DHK 21, even though works that set out spelling norms recommend writing the word Zodiac, when used to mean a person's character, with a lowercase initial, for example, What's your zodiac sign? (KB; Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022: 25). In astrology publications, this possibility of a proper name becoming a common noun is not applied; moreover, for the meaning of a type that generalizes certain character traits, they use only the two-word phrase Zodiac sign. Thus, there is a tendency to choose a universal spelling. On the basis of websites, the hypothesis was raised that in astrology there is a close link between the phrase Zodiac sign used with one meaning and the other (character traits are the expression, at the human level, of the energy embodied by one or another part of the Zodiac), and that differentiating the meanings through different spellings would be difficult (Vaskelaitė 2021: 21). Attempts to do so, as became clear, result in inconsistent spelling. Publications avoid this inconsistency by using only Zodiac sign. Capitalization is used even in three-word phrases found in a couple of publications, such as On April 21, the Sun astrologically enters the Taurus Zodiac sign <...> DHK 62 or Your karma, inherited from your father, is most strongly influenced by your Sun in the Sagittarius Zodiac sign AKK 101, although on the basis of websites it was considered that perhaps in such cases the word Zodiac or the phrase Zodiac sign might tend to become common names (Vaskelaitė 2021: 22).

In astrology texts, the words sun, moon, earth are likewise not inclined to function as common nouns, although normative publications anticipate a tendency for these words—which are discussed, admittedly, on the basis of astronomical names only—to become common nouns. For instance, both the earlier and the new set of spelling rules state that when these words are not used as proper names for astronomical celestial bodies, they should be written with lowercase initials (LKRS 1992: 63; Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022: 88). This differentiation is not generally applied either on websites or in publications, and the overall tendencies would confirm the reasons for capitalizing these names that emerged from the websites. First, in astrology the Sun and Moon are planets, which encourages writing both names in the same way as the names of other astrological planets. Earth does not belong to the set of astrological planets; in astrology it is the point of reference from which the movement of the planets is observed. This is also emphasized explicitly: In astrology, everything is observed from Earth DHK 274; For an astrologer, Earth is a fixed point of reference from which the movement of the Sun and Moon (but not Earth!) from East to West is observed DAŽ 21.

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However, Earth is also mentioned as an astronomical planet, e.g.: Our Earth is also a planet DHK 37–38. Moreover, the publications reveal the symbolic meaning of this object, which did not emerge from the websites. For example: And farther below is Earth, the symbol of realization on the material plane Z 127. All the more so, the Sun and Moon are symbols in astrology, as can be seen in this explanation: The Sun symbolizes the source of your spirit and the energy that sustains your life and individual ego AKK 69; In astrology, the Moon also symbolizes changeability DHK 215. Thus, the capitalization of the names of these objects is encouraged by their connection with astronomy, their symbolism, and the links with mythology that emerged in Section 1—the same factors that determine the capitalization of the names of other astronomical planets.

However, the sources analyzed are not scholarly works, so these objects are also mentioned in other senses characteristic of general usage. For example, the Sun and Moon as lights visible in the sky, the Earth as opposed to the sky, and so on. On the basis of the spelling norm codified for astronomical names, in such cases one might expect an exception to be made—that the same words be written with lowercase initials. In books, as on websites, there is little inclination to apply such differentiation of meanings, and it would also be difficult to apply, as in the following case: Precisely the Sun reveals the divine principle in a person, granting the individual the immortality of the spirit. However, the Sun was worshipped by people only after agriculture had developed TT 167. Thus, even when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are mentioned not as planets, these names are mostly written with initial capitals, e.g.: For example, it is still winter in March, and yet on some days spring can be felt because of the Sun, birds, and flowers Z 106; An impulse was needed—the Sun’s ray, so that life might rise again to vigorous living TT 96; We must not forget that through our feet we are constantly in contact with the Earth and the Earth’s currents Z 88. Lowercase spellings occur only sporadically, e.g.: We receive a great deal of energy by watching the rising or setting sun, when it is near the horizon and does not dazzle the eyes AV 65; Something descends from heaven to sinful earth and that something is Taurus TT 119; Together with the sun, reflecting the impulses of the heart and character traits, the Moon describes the general style of behavior MP 11.

A factor contributing to uniform spelling was also identified in the website-based analysis of the spelling of astronomical event names. It was observed that the names of equinoxes and solstices, as well as Moon phases—which in astronomical texts and general usage are written with lowercase initials—are capitalized on astrology websites: Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, New Moon, Full Moon, etc. (Vaskelaitė 2021: 22–25). As a factor in this spelling, besides the writing habits of ALP-

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due to the lack of differentiation, the importance of these events from an astrological point of view was discerned—they are important astrological events, some of them comparable to holidays. However, it was observed that when they are also discussed from an astronomical point of view in the same texts, or mentioned with meanings characteristic of general usage (e.g., the autumnal equinox—as the end of the warm part of the year), lowercase spelling prevails, which would also indicate a preference for a universal spelling convention. In the publications, these names are written only with lowercase letters, although, on the other hand, they are not discussed as astrological events or holidays. They are mentioned as astronomical or natural phenomena, e.g.: When the Moon lies on a line between the Sun and the Earth, we see its dark side—then comes new moon. When the Earth lies on a line between the Moon and the Sun, we see the full moon TT 39; Just as the Sun is at its zenith, the all-encompassing life force reaches its peak in summer; during the summer solstice, night barely has time to unfurl its dark veil DAŽ 13. One publication gives much attention to the phases of the Moon, linking them to mythology as well, but discusses them more as a physical phenomenon; this is probably why the names are written in lowercase throughout the publication, e.g.: It is not known why the full moon affects the psyche and physiology of many animals on Earth MP 18; From the new moon to the full moon, the Moon is called waxing, and after the full moon—waning MP 6; Drinking alcoholic beverages during the full moon is strictly prohibited, because an excessive dose of alcohol could lead to tragedy MP 39. It is true that one publication also mentions the astrological significance of the full moon: We are more cheerful and energetic during the new moon, and more irritable during the full moon. Astrologically, the full moon is a period of the strongest, most unstable emotions TT 37. Nevertheless, context probably prevails in this case too, and the name mentioned in its astrological sense is likewise written in lowercase.

A preference for uniform spelling is also evident in the way the names of principles or elements are written in some publications. The concept of the world's emergence from several material principles, developed in philosophy or religion, is also developed in astrology¹¹; thus, the four material principles from which the world was created are mentioned here too, e.g.: From heat-dryness came fire, from heat-moisture—air, from moisture-cold—water, and from cold-dryness—earth DAŽ 31; Above is the atmosphere, also made up of two principles: air and fire (rays of light permeating the air) Z 59. But what matters to astrology, of course, is not material substances or chemical elements, but symbols that represent different energies or domains in general—the elements: It is clear that astrology views the concept of an element diffe

¹¹ This concept was developed by the Greek philosophers Empedocles, Plato, and Aristotle. Medieval alchemists drew on the ancient doctrine of the elements, which influenced Renaissance philosophy. The doctrine of the elements is characteristic of ancient Indian philosophy and various religious doctrines (VLEe).

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rs differently from chemistry. The latter calls material substances elements, whereas the elements of astrology denote the basic qualities of people, things, and the course of events DAŽ 31. For instance, water is associated with feelings: For example, the water element is associated with the realms of feelings and the soul <...> DAŽ 31. In some places, these elements are described as fundamental cosmic principles: It is obvious that the Sun (fire), the Moon (water), the wind (air), and the earth should be understood not only as the four material principles familiar to us, but also as fundamental cosmic principles from which matter is composed Z 11. Each is considered to be represented by three Zodiac signs.

Mention of material principles would seem to call for lowercase spelling, while as symbols these names, like those discussed in section 1, would seem to require an initial capital. Some examples suggest that an attempt is made to observe this distinction. For example, after discussing the primordial elements from which the world arose, the text says that In the Zodiac, the elements are arranged in the following order: fire, earth, air, water, whereas in the following sentence it is already Thus, Aries is a Fire sign, Taurus is an Earth sign, Gemini an Air sign, and so on DAŽ 31. On the other hand, these principles are mentioned not as chemical elements but as philosophical concepts that summarize different forms of matter, and perhaps this is why capitalized spelling generally tends to prevail, e.g.: The four phases of the Moon are associated with the four elements—Fire, Earth, Air, Water MP 36; and Fire people lack patience TT 26. Only two publications adopt lowercase spelling as the universal convention, e.g.: Gemini is an air sign, and everyone knows that air moves, blows, and changes RVA; Now let us examine the fire trine Z 116. Nevertheless, fluctuations are generally hard to avoid, e.g.: Thus, Aries is a Fire sign, Taurus is an Earth sign, Gemini an Air sign, and so on DAŽ 31 and Like a fire sign, she immediately senses every change <...> DAŽ 35; The signs of Fire and Air endure this period with the greatest difficulty, especially Aries AV 319 and Being a fire sign, Sagittarius enjoys sports AV 114. This would highlight the uncertainty about how the names of the elements should be written. The same uncertainty arises with the names of the elements in Chinese astrology. There, Zodiac animals are associated with five elements, producing combinations such as Wood Rooster, Fire Rooster, Earth Rooster, Metal Rooster, Water Rooster, Wood Horse, Fire Horse, and so on. One publication spells them this way, e.g.: The argumentative Fire Rooster does not seek a practical solution to the matter <...> DAŽ 234; This is the complete opposite of the Wood Rabbit DAŽ 198. Elsewhere, however, the name of the element is written with a lowercase initial, e.g.: metal Horse, water Horse, wood Horse RVA 10.

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Variability is also evident in the spelling of the names of another ALP group, although it scarcely emerged from the website data. It was only conjectured that capitalization might be characteristic of the names of horoscope points (Vaskelaitė 2021: 17), but publications, especially those from the earlier period, clearly show this tendency. In them, both Ascendentas and Descendentas, which names the opposing horoscope point, are capitalized, for example: The most important point of the horoscope’s ecliptic is the Ascendentas DHK 40; The horizontal axis passes through the Ascendentas and the Descendentas DHK 270; The first house begins at the entry point, which is particularly significant and is therefore called the Ascendentas, abbreviated as Asc; in Latin, ascendum means to rise DAŽ 152; Its cusp is called the Descendentas, abbreviated as DC; in Latin, descendere means to descend DAŽ 152.

In some publications, the term designating the angles formed between planets is also written with an initial capital, e.g.: Aspects, Before we begin examining all the details of the solar horoscope with the characteristics of the twelve Zodiac types and discussing the planets, Ascendants, Aspects and houses (dwellings), we would like to offer a few tips on how to draw up a horoscope yourself DHK 43; A conjunction is an aspect, when celestial bodies have the same longitude <...> DHK 39; In astrology, the mutual harmony, complementarity, or tension arising between the Sun and Moon is defined by certain rules, the so-called teaching on Aspects MP 12. It is true that the term is also written with a lowercase initial nearby, but in one publication even the names of aspect types are written with capitals, e.g.: At the beginning of your investigations, limit yourself to the major aspects—Trine, Sextile, Quadrant, Opposition and Conjunction DAŽ 161; If, for example, the Moon forms a conjunction with the Descendant, it is considered exceptionally strong DAŽ 162. The names of other horoscope elements are also written with an initial capital, e.g.: This deviation is called Orb DAŽ 157. As noted, not all publications are reference works, so such terms do not appear in all of them, but it is generally clear that in astrology publications the names of horoscope elements are commonly written with an initial capital. When discussing the horoscope, even words such as ecliptic, horizon and others are capitalized, e.g.: We only need to know how far it is from the Eclipticzero point, i.e., what longitude DAŽ 158; When drawing up a birth horoscope, it is important to know the values in degrees of the geographical longitude and latitude of the place of birth, so that on the Meridian, intersecting the Zodiac sign or the Ecliptic, the corresponding time of birth could be determined Medium Coeli DHK 270; The first house, like the following six, is below the Horizon. The seventh begins at the Horizon in the west DAŽ 152.

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This spelling is more characteristic of publications from the earlier period (1998 and 1999)¹², and this seems to indicate a shift from it to lowercase spelling. Nevertheless, it is doubtful whether these cases can be regarded as a process by which a proper name becomes a common noun. First, discussions of this process usually cite names that have lost their individual meaning, such as personal names (donkichotas, donžuanas, brailis), names of mythological beings (fortūna, flora, fauna), and animal names (brisius) (Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022: 81), whereas these words are names without individual meaning. This would instead point to a tendency to capitalize the names of astrological objects, as with the names of astronomical objects. Second, even if this spelling is more pronounced in publications from the earlier period, cases of variation also occur in more recent ones. For instance, the 2020 publication Astrologijos vadovėlyje uses both What is an ascendant? AV 176, and Nevertheless, the greatest influence on appearance is exerted by the ascendant AV 264, as well as Nevertheless, most often the Ascendentas influences AV 264, The Ascendentas falling here will emphasize those traits most strongly AV 264. Conversely, publications from the earlier period also contain instances of lowercase spelling, for example: Geminis may be taciturn and withdrawn if their Sun stands alone, while the Moon and the ascendant are in Capricorn DAŽ 53; The astrologer calls this apparent path of the Sun the ecliptic DHK 21; It is very important in which Zodiac sign the conjunction DHK 276. This, in turn, would highlight the uncertainty surrounding how ALP should be written. The provision that terms should be written in lowercase was formulated only in the new set of spelling rules (Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022: 105–106). On the other hand, the relationship between a term and a proper name (proper noun) is neither examined nor named in spelling-rule collections or more generally.

In earlier work, noting the spelling of two word combinations naming horoscope points, which are used as unadapted Latinisms, and the close connection between astrological terminology and Latin, it was conjectured that the tradition of writing names in Latin in running text, whether connected or unconnected, might influence the use of capital letters (Vaskelaitė 2021: 18). These Latinisms are also used in publications, for example: Many astrologers regard Medium Coeli (abbreviated MC) as the second most important factor after the Ascendentas <...> DHK 269; Mars and Medium Coeli make it easy to achieve the goal DHK 295. In one of the publications, the—

¹² And one might conclude that it is quite old, since many such names are also capitalized in Saulė Katiliūtė-Jonynienė’s Astrologija, published in 1994Astrologijoje, for example: Lithuania’s Ascendentas in Cancer describes the people of Lithuania; they are family-oriented and emotional, and friendly when combined with Aquarius—A 108; When calculating the horoscope time for a person born in the south, below the Equator, use the same formula A 101. This publication is not among the sources selected for analysis, since the aim was to select only those sources that identify a language editor.

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The Latin name of yet another horoscope point is also given: Life Point (Pars Vitae) begins its journey from the zero degree of Aries at the moment of birth <…> AV 218. However, Lithuanian or non-Lithuanian equivalents of these Latinisms are also used in the publications. It can be seen that when Lithuanian equivalents are mentioned, only the first word is capitalized, or even both words are written in lowercase, e.g.: The tenth house (dwelling) cusp is abbreviated MC or Medium Coeli, middle of the sky, while the opposite cusp of the fourth house (dwelling) is IC or Imum Coeli, i.e. bottom of the sky DAŽ 152. Non-Lithuanian equivalents, however, are written only with an initial capital, e.g.: Thus Medium Coeli is Zenith in the celestial vault directly above us DHK 269; For example, at noon it is at the Zenith above our birthplace on the great circle (otherwise called the Meridian), which passes through the pole and precisely this Zenith DHK 269; The point opposite MC is called Imum Coeli (abbreviated IC), or Nadir DHK 270. This would allow us to surmise that writing with a capital letter may be influenced not only by the tradition of writing Latin names, but also by tendencies in the spelling of horoscope-point names or ALP in general in other languages, especially since many astrology books are translations. Of course, a separate study would be needed to confirm or reject this assumption.

The name Ephemeris Tables could be regarded as a more evident example of a proper name becoming a common noun. These are tables that indicate the precise position of the planets in the Zodiac each day (DAŽ 158). The official two-word name is written with the first word beginning with a capital letter. However, a one-word name is also used, and it is written in lowercase, e.g.: To find out the positions of the planets, we need special tables called ephemerides, from which we can determine the corresponding sidereal time DHK 44. There are also variations, however, e.g.: As seen from Earth, the constellations form angles with one another that can be measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds using the Ephemerides DHK 273. Nevertheless, this name is used rather rarely, because the object it designates—the instrument astrologers used to draw up horoscopes—has become obsolete. Horoscopes are now drawn up using astrological software.

2.2. The stylistic writing factor

The study of texts on astrology websites had already brought to light a feature characteristic of astrological texts: the use of capital letters for stylistic reasons, that is, words denoting concepts accorded special significance or respect are written with a capital letter (Vaskelaitė 2021: 28–31). In the publications, too, there are many instances

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them, when capitalization is motivated by such reasons, e.g.: A child is born when Fate sets the cosmic clock in motion MP 128; Higher Beings verdict must be accepted Z 48; from the perspective of medical astrology, a person is a particle of the microcosm, living according to Karma and Macrocosm laws MP 106; Seeing Jupiter's wisdom, the people around him regard him as their own Teacher and authority AV 83; We have one Mother, one Homeland and one Sun in the sky... TT 25.

This feature of astrological texts prompted the assumption that stylistic capitalization may also influence at least some tendencies in the writing of ALP, and that the capitalization patterns in the publications would bear out this assumption. Indeed, in the publications the Sun and Moon are mentioned not only as astrological planets, but also as the most important planets (e.g., Astrologers constantly encounter the mysterious influence of the Moon on human feelings. Since ancient times it has been assigned to one of the two main planets—the luminaries (the other is the Sun) DHK 215), which may also contribute to these words being written with capital letters. The factor of respect probably contributes as well to the tendency to capitalize Earth. The possibility of stylistic capitalization contrasts with the possibility of proper words becoming common nouns, and this too would explain why the latter is difficult to apply in astrological texts.

Some words are probably capitalized solely for stylistic reasons. For example, one book writes Sky: When a child cries out for the first time, Sky places its stamp on the child’s etheric body and sets the horoscope, in which the entire fate is recorded, Z 16. The word Universe seems to have no special astrological meaning, and is probably therefore written in lowercase more often than the Sun, Moon, or Earth (e.g.: Human beings evolved together with the universe Z 23; Love is the universe’s main “currency” AV 63), yet there are also many instances of capitalization, e.g.: You may feel at one with the Universe AV 159; Surely, standing beneath a starry sky, you feel that you are a tiny part of the mighty Universe’s part? TT 11; Yet a human being is a particle of a large living organism, that is, of the Universe, a particle. To be happy and healthy, one must learn to keep in step with the cosmic rhythm, the Universe’s laws of harmony MP 4.

Didžiąja dažnai rašoma ir Kosmosas, Gamta, pvz.: Žmonės, gyvenantys Žemėje, naiviai galvoja, kad Kosmose nėra gyvybės, nėra protingų būtybių MP 18; Koks tolimas ir paslaptingas tas mirguliuojantis Kosmoso pasaulis TT 11; Pagrindinis Kosmoso elementas – Zodiako ženklas MP 106; Mat Gamta – didžioji mūsų mokytoja AKK 34; Visi juk esame Gamtos, Visatos, Kosmoso dalelės MP 4. Viename leidinyje didžiąja parašomas net ir žodis žvaigždės (pvz., Saulės, Mėnulio ir Žvaigždžių magnetinių laukų srovės, praeidamos per naujagimio kūną, visam gyvenimui savitai išdėsto elektronus bei

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protons in the atoms of the body, blood, and bones MP 95), although elsewhere it, like a constellation, planet, or asteroid, functions as a common noun, cf.: A person who has a cluster of stars in one of the Water signs can successfully pursue a chosen career path <...> DHK 34.

The stylistic option of capitalization in publications applies not only to words but also to phrases, e.g.: It is associated with the Cosmic Fire MP 125; Already in the first month, the heart of a baby who has yet to develop a face or limbs is beating, determining its Path of Life MP 125; Let your thoughts be about Cosmic Love – and harmony will visit your baby MP 128. Admittedly, capitalization is not uniform: in other cases, only the first word begins with a capital letter, e.g.: That is why Aries is called the Warrior of Light AV 106; The Supreme Power helps such people TT 282. Such uneven capitalization was also evident in astrology websites (Vaskelaitė 2021: 30–31), alongside inconsistencies and uncertainties in the codified rules (8–10). But publications also make extensive use of various mythological and biblical names, so it is not so easy to determine when a capital letter is used for stylistic reasons and when it is used because a rule for writing a mythological name or title is being applied. For instance, capitalization of the word Chaos is probably encouraged by the latter factor (e.g., Thus myths proclaim that the world arose from Chaos, and life was born in water TT 278), whereas capitalization of, for example, Cosmos or Universe may be encouraged by either factor.

2.3. Fluctuations associated with uncertainties in codification

The fluctuations in the writing of ALP discussed so far, and the factors behind them, are mainly related to the first word of a name. However, the tendencies reviewed in the previous article showed that astrology texts also exhibit fluctuations related to the writing of other words in ALP. It became clear that when writing multiword names, there is variation over which rule for writing proper names to apply. The review noted that two principal rules had been set out in Lithuanian Spelling and Punctuation, which provides spelling norms: capitalize the first word (and proper names contained within it), or capitalize every word of the name (see Vaskelaitė 2021: 5–10). The criterion for applying them is the object being named: most names are written according to the first rule (e.g., the Great Northern War, New Year, Mother’s Day), while names of persons and mythological beings, animals, geographical, topographical, and astronomical objects follow the second rule (e.g., Jean-Jacques Rousseau, God the Father, Zeus the Thunderer,

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the Great Bear, the Milky Way¹³. This principle remains in force in the updated spelling rules as well, in R. Vladarskienė and P. Zemlevičiūtė’s Lithuanian Spelling. The codification works suggest that the rule of capitalizing the first word is more general, whereas capitalizing every word is an exception made for certain name groups, although its rationale is unclear.

In any case, when listing groups of names to be written according to one rule or the other, codification works do not mention the ALP group, so it is unclear which rule to apply. In the previous article, based on material from astrology websites, the author identified this as an uncertainty in codification, more precisely, a lack of codification for the writing of ALP, and considered it a possible factor behind fluctuations in the writing of multiword names (Vaskelaitė 2021). These fluctuations were particularly evident in two groups of names: compound horoscope-point names corresponding to the single-word names Rahu and Ketu, which are written both as Ascending Karmic Lunar Node, Descending Karmic Lunar Node and as Ascending karmic Lunar Node, Descending karmic Lunar Node, as well as ascending karmic Lunar Node, descending karmic Lunar Node (Vaskelaitė 2021: 14–18); and names of years according to the Chinese calendar, which are written both as Year of the White Metal Ox and as Year of the Metal White Ox (Vaskelaitė 2021: 27).

Multiword names of years according to the Chinese calendar do not occur in publications (only the aforementioned two-word ones, such as Year of the Rabbit, and so on), whereas multiword names corresponding to Rahu and Ketu do occur. Their capitalization, however, would point more to variation in the first word of the name, cf.: Until karmic maturity, a person is advised to live according to their personal Ketu (descending karmic Lunar Node) in the horoscope <...> AV 223; and the day when the Moon passes through the Descending Node is considered unlucky by many MP 159; Leaning toward the Ascending Node side, a person may deny their accumulated experience, their roots MP 158; Hence, movement upward—following the Ascending, and downward—following the Descending—has acquired a karmic interpretation MP 157. However, these terms are not used in all publications, and those that are used, as the examples show, are abbreviated, so it may be that these circumstances account for the absence of instances of the varied capitalization of other words in the names that was evident on websites.

¹³ The article reviewed the Recommendation on the Capitalization of Certain Religious Names, Terms, and Titles (VLKK 2004), which would suggest that most religious titles should also be written according to the latter rule, e.g.: New Testament, Good News, Vetus Latina, Sacrament of the Eucharist, First Communion (Vaskelaitė 2021: 5–10).

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However, publications also use further synonyms for Rahu and Ketu, and variation emerges in how they are written. The pair in use, the North Lunar Node and the South Lunar Node, admittedly, also shows variation only in the first word; compare: We call these points the South Descending Lunar Node (or the karmic planet Ketu) and the North Ascending Lunar Node (or the karmic planet Rahu) AV 168 and The lunar nodes move counterclockwise: the North Lunar Node (the point closest to the North Pole) is also known as the ascending node, or Rahu, while the South Lunar Node (the point closest to the South Pole) is known as the descending node, or Ketu AS. However, in another pair of synonyms for Rahu and Ketu, the second word is written inconsistently; compare: There are ascending lunar nodes, called the Dragon’s Head, and descending nodes—the Dragon’s tail DAŽ 51, in the 12th house we may also find the mafia; the Dragon’s tail is here, while Pluto in Cancer in conjunction with Mars in Libra A 109 and the Dragon’s Head dominance indicates evolution, a difficult path of spiritual development, whereas the Dragon’s Tail, conversely, indicates a descent, the involution of the soul MP 157–158.

This variation might seem to be related to uncertainty about the exception for a related word envisaged by the codification. The rule for writing proper names, which stipulates that every word be written with a capital letter, also provides that a related word included in a name is written with a lowercase letter, for example, Blue Tranquility Sea. Thus, the correct forms are Great Bear Wagon, Milky Way, but North Star, Andromeda Nebula, Curonian Spit, because sea, star, spit are related words, whereas Wagon, Way are not, although both sets are common nouns (see Vaskelaitė 2021: 7). Writing Dragon Head in one place and Dragon head elsewhere might indicate difficulty distinguishing a related word from a common noun. But other two-word names in use do not seem to present such difficulties. For instance, the second word of the frequently used name Lunar node is not written with a capital letter. Section 1 showed that there is no variation in the writing of two-word names of Zodiac signs (Virgo sign, etc.), nor in names of periods according to Eastern traditions (Year of the Hare, Day of the Leopard, etc.). Publications also use more names for astrological periods, and their related word is likewise written with a lowercase letter, e.g.: The Age of Aries that preceded the Age of Pisces was marked by the religion of Moses; before it, the Age of Taurus was marked by the religions of Egypt and Babylon Z 107; In the astrological calendar, particular attention is paid to the Moon's days, interpretations of which have now become widespread through books and various publications MP 45; Its basis is the solar year MP 19.

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It is not clear, however, whether these names are written according to the rule that provides for an exception for a generic term, or according to the rule that capitalizes the first word, since the two rules yield the same spelling for two-word names; this was identified in the previous article as a factor in their relatively consistent spelling (Vaskelaitė 2021: 27). The spelling of two-word names for periods, horoscope points, or figures would not establish which of the two rules is being applied, e.g., In J. Assange’s horoscope we can also see the Great Trine formed by red lines connecting Venus, Mars, and Proserpina AV 202, A particularly sensitive planet is the T-square planet, which is at the vertex of the right angle AV 388, This is the so-called Fixed Cross AV 73, Astrology calculates the Life Point G 49, Look for people who have the Love Formula in their horoscope AV 375, Look for couples with the Stamp of Happiness or Unhappiness AV 375; especially since the spelling of one-word horoscope-point names (Ascendant, Aspect, Nadir, etc.) also coincides under both rules. Only the longer names used on websites revealed fluctuation between the two rules, such as Ascending Karmic Lunar Node and Ascending karmic Lunar Node. If that uncertainty does arise, then the spelling of Dragon’s Head, but Great Trine or Stamp of Happiness, could be attributable to it.

Since Rahu and Ketu are described not only as horoscope points but also as fictitious (nonexistent) planets, and are explained in astrological texts from an astronomical perspective as well, an earlier study suggested that the writing of multiword equivalents for Rahu and Ketu with each word capitalized may be encouraged by analogy with the spelling of astronomical names. Astronomical explanations are also given in publications, e.g.: The lunar nodes are not celestial bodies; they are points at which the orbits of the Moon, revolving around the Earth, and the Earth, revolving around the Sun, intersect AS; Where the Moon’s orbit crosses the Earth’s orbit, now passing below the plane of the Earth’s orbit and now emerging from beneath it, are the so-called lunar nodes. It passes below—the Descending Node; it emerges—the Ascending Node MP 159. Thus, the analogy with the spelling of astronomical names may also influence the spelling of equivalents for Rahu and Ketu such as Dragon’s Head, Dragon’s Tail. However, publications would also reveal another factor—the application of the rules for mythological names.

In two publications, these names are directly associated with mythology. One states that the Dragon is a mythological symbol adopted by Western astrology from Eastern astrological schools (MM 157–158), while another explains that, according to Indian mythology, these are parts of a demon’s body: Ketu is the demon’s body,

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Rahu—his head (AV 168)¹⁴. Thus, in writing these two names, an attempt may be made to apply the rule for writing mythological names rather than astronomical ones, a rule that makes no exception for the generic term; cf.: God the Father, Zeus the Thunderer, Santa Claus (LKRS 1992: 60–62)¹⁵. All the more so because the two-word names of yet another pair of horoscope points, which are likewise explained mythologically, are written in the same way, e.g.: In astrology, these two pluses are symbolized by two planets—White Moon (Selene) and Black Moon (Lilith) MP 140; A person serves evil, but at the moments when the Black Moon returns, he receives his reward MP 144; The Greek moon goddess was Selene. In her name, astrology now refers to the White Moon AV 48¹⁶. It is true that the second word of these names is written with a capital letter in astrological texts. But two-word names for totems and antitotems are also written this way (Golden Deer, Mountain Ram, White Bear, Brown Bear, Warty Toad, Jungle Cat, Man-eating Cat, Black Widow and others, G 148–150), as is the name used in another publication, Gorgon Medusa (e.g., The symbol is the goddess Gorgon, who gave birth to Gorgon Medusa MP 39). Thus, the rule for writing the names of mythological beings may also be applied when writing Dragon’s Head, Dragon’s Tail.

However, the spelling of other names of mythological beings consisting of two or more words varies. In some, all words are capitalized, e.g., The most revered figure in ancient human culture was, of course, the Great Mother Goddess MP 42, There are many reasons confirming the connection between the Great Goddess and the Moon MP 42, yet the same publication also has The wild lioness is a Great Mother’s symbol TT 166, and The nature of Pisces is associated with the archetype of the Great Mother...<> TT 283; cf. also: In mythology, this role is played by the Sky Father, known by different names in different countries TT 232; In the esoteric tradition, this strongman is a great fighter against the Black Dragon <...> T 114. The names of objects are likewise written inconsistently; cf.: Gemini, the third sign of the Zodiac, also symbolizes a phase of the cosmic process—the Wheel of Change, that is, the moment when pure creative power splits in two, so that one part begins to predominate while the other breaks into a multitude of diverse phenomena

¹⁴ In the myth of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, this demon stole the nectar of immortality and managed to take a sip, but Vishnu, seeing this, hurled his weapon and cut off the demon’s head. Since the nectar of immortality had already touched the demon’s head, it remained immortal (AV 168).

¹⁵ It is not changed even in the revised spelling rules: the names of deities, mythological beings and religious figures (Aphrodite, Hades, Urania, God the Father), as well as secondary or metaphorical ones, such as Lamb of God, Good Shepherd, Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Zeus the Thunderer, are to be written with capital letters (Vladarskienė, Zemlevičiūtė 2022: 78–79).

¹⁶ Selene is identified as a character from ancient mythology (MP 6, 37), whereas Lilith is described as a female demon and also as Adam’s first wife (MP 142).

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TT 124, It depends only on the person himself, on his purity, what fruit he will pluck from the Tree of Knowledge AV 232; and Genesis reports that the Garden of Eden, Paradise, was planted with all kinds of trees, but only two are mentioned: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil Z 65, the Primordial Ocean, or World Ocean, is the cradle of humanity TT 278.

The norm for writing the names of mythological beings is codified as requiring every word to begin with a capital letter; thus, spellings such as Sky Father or Great Mother would indicate difficulties in applying it. However, only the norm for writing names has been codified, while mythological objects, like astrological objects, are not mentioned in the codification of rules for writing proper names; thus, variation in the spelling of their names may result from a lack of codification. The Recommendation on the Capitalization of Certain Religious Names, Terms, and Titles (VLKK 2004) covers only the spelling of religious names and, as already discussed in an earlier study (see Vaskelaitė 2021: 89), it also raises questions. Publications on astrology highlight the close connection between astrological and mythological names; therefore, this uncertainty in codification may also contribute to variation in the spelling of ALP.

SUMMARY

An analysis of ALP spelling based on material from printed publications essentially confirms the tendencies revealed by the study of texts on astrology websites. This shows that these tendencies are not determined by characteristics that may be specific to the online language-use environment, such as spelling and proofreading errors, lack of language editing, insufficient editing, and the like. By confirming these tendencies, the publications also corroborate conclusions drawn from online usage about the factors behind them, while allowing for a deeper analysis of those factors.

This data source likewise shows that the spelling of some ALP does not vary. These are the names of Zodiac signs and planets widely used in astrological texts: Gemini, Cancer, Leo and others; Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and others. Although syntactic variants occur, in terms of capitalization these names can be considered established. Since these names have both astronomical and astrological counterparts, the tradition or codification of writing astronomical and mythological names may be considered a factor in their stabilization. However, while highlighting names characteristic of Eastern astrological traditions as well (Hare, Snake, Pig and others), the publications also reveal another factor that determines consistency in writing: the differentiating function performed by capitalization.

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Where there is no marked difference in meaning, publications, like websites, tend to favor a universal spelling. Only with the names of the equinoxes, solstices, and phases of the Moon does the conventional spelling with a lowercase letter in astronomy and general usage prevail (spring equinox, summer solstice; new moon, full moon), whereas in other cases the spelling customary in astrological texts, with a capital letter, tends to be chosen as the universal spelling. This is how Sun, Earth, Moon are written—both when these words are used as astrological names and when they are used with meanings customary in general usage. Because of the close connection between their meanings, Zodiac, Zodiac sign are also written only with a capital letter. Capitalization also tends to be chosen as the universal spelling for the names of the elements (Fire, Air; Fire sign, Air sign). This explains why the tendency, endorsed in standard-setting works, for proper nouns to become common nouns is more difficult to apply in astrological texts than in general usage. Moreover, the possibility of using a capital letter for stylistic effect runs counter to this tendency. An attempt to apply it in astrological texts gives rise to spelling variation.

Variation between capitalization and lowercase spelling is also caused by a lack of codification or by ambiguities in it. This contributes to inconsistent spelling of the names of the elements. Variation in the spelling of horoscope component names is also associated with ambiguities in codification. Some are individual names (Rahu – Dragon’s Head, Ketu – Dragon’s Tail, Lilith – Black Moon, Selena – White Moon), while others are common nouns (ascending karmic lunar node, ascendant, aspects, ecliptic, zenith, etc.), yet both types are written with a capital letter. The material from the publications does not rule out the hypothesis that this may be influenced by conventions for writing Latin names in continuous or discontinuous text, but it also lends support to the hypothesis that the spelling of these names in other languages may have an influence. Further research would be needed to confirm or reject either hypothesis.

The codification of the spelling of proper names does not cover the spelling of ALP, but it does prescribe a standard for the spelling of astronomical object names. Astrology is related to astronomy; therefore, the convention for spelling astronomical names may be applied in astrological texts. On the other hand, astrology and astronomy have ancient, shared roots, so common spelling practices in these two fields may have arisen independently. However, the study of publications also reveals a close connection between astrology and mythology, as well as similar variation in the spelling of names. This highlights another factor that may influence ALP spelling tendencies: ambiguities in the codification of mythological names.

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ŠALTINIAI

AKK – Bauer Erich 2005: Astrologinės karmos knyga. Žvaigždės atskleidžia likimo paslaptis, iš vokiečių k. vertė R. Rukšėnas, redagavo A. Gečiauskienė, Vilnius: Mūsų knyga.

AS – Spiller Jan 2009: Astrologija sielai. Mėnulio mazgai ir asmenybės evoliucija, iš anglų k. vertė A. Tobulevičienė, redaktorės A. Puidokienė, D. Svetikienė, Vilnius: Alma littera.

AV – Stonkutė Loreta 2020: Astrologijos vadovėlis, redagavo S. Zujūtė, N. Butkienė, Kaunas: Mijalba.

DAŽ – Bogun Werner 1999: Didysis astrologijos žinynas, iš vokiečių k. vertė M. Rindokienė, redagavo M. Penkauskienė, Vilnius: Lektūra.

DHK – Sauer Erika 1998: Didžioji horokopų knyga, iš vok. kalbos vertė J. Lukienė, redagavo S. Petkienė, Vilnius: Lektūra.

G – Stonkutė Loreta 2016: Genoskopas: giminės paslaptys astrologijoje, redagavo R. Buinickienė, Kaunas: Mijalba.

MP – Azanovas Sergejus 2005: Mėnulio paslaptys, kalbos redaktorė O. Lipinskienė, leidėjas UAB „Medicina visiems“.

RVA – Richard Craze 2001: Rytų ir Vakarų astrologija: vartyk ir derink, iš anglų kalbos vertė L. Tamūnas, redaktorė I. Čiužauskatė, Vilnius: Alma littera.

TT – Zalatorienė Angelina 2019: Apie tave ir tavo žvaigždę, redaktorė J. Girčienė, Vilnius: Alma littera.

Z – Aïvanhov Omraam Mikhaël 2013: Zodiakas – žmogaus ir visatos raktas, iš prancūzų kalbos vertė Z. Ardickas, redagavo A. Rondomanskis, Kaunas: Mijalba.

LITERATŪRA

J a k a i t i e n ė E v a l d a 2010: Leksikologija, 2-as pakart. leid., Vilnius: Vilniaus universitetas.

K – Lietuvių kalbos rašybos taisyklių komentaras (2022-01-17). Prieiga internete: http://www.vlkk.lt/naujienos/pakomisiu-naujienos/lietuviu-kalbos-rasybos-taisykliu-komentaras.

K a l o n a i t i s R o m a s 1976: Saulė eina žvėrių ratu. Zodiako mitų pėdsakais, Vilnius: Vaga.

KB – Valstybinės lietuvių kalbos komisijos Konsultacijų bankas. Prieiga internete: http://www.vlkk.lt/konsultacijos/2523-dideji-grizulo-ratai-didziosios-raides (žiūrėta 2022-03-21).

LKG 1965: Lietuvių kalbos gramatika 1, Vilnius: Mokslas.

LKRS 1992: Lietuvių kalbos rašyba ir skyryba, 2-asis patais. fotograf. leid., Vilnius: Mokslas.

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Miliūnaitė Rita 2008: Pirmasis žvilgsnis į tinklaraščių kalbą. – Kalbos kultūra 81, 20–49.

Miliūnaitė Rita 2010: Laikraštinė ir interneto žiniasklaida: turinio bendrumas, kalbos takoskyra. – Gimtoji kalba 7, 3–17.

Miliūnaitė Rita 2018: Kalbos normos ir jų savireguliacija interneto bendruomenėje, Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos institutas.

Pupkis Aldonas 1980: Kalbos kultūros pagrindai, Vilnius: Mokslas.

Tamulionienė Aurelija 2015: Būdingiausios rašybos klaidos mokinių rašiniuose ir tinklaraščiuose. – Bendrinė kalba 87, 1–15. Prieiga internete: http://www.bendrinekalba.lt/Straipsniai/88/Tamulioniene_BK_88_straipsnis.pdf.

Vaskelaitė Ramunė 2020: Vienažodė astrologijos terminija kilmės požiūriu. – Terminologija 27, 128–163. Prieiga internete: http://journals.lki.lt/terminologija/article/view/2029/2120.

Vaskelaitė Ramunė 2021: Astrologinių pavadinimų rašymas astrologijos svetainėse. – Bendrinė kalba 94, 1–36. Prieiga internete: https://journals.lki.lt/bendrinekalba/article/view/2034/2266.

Vladarskienė Ras įolė, Zemlevičiūtė Palmira 2022: Lietuvių kalbos rašyba: taisyklės, komentarai, patarimai. Prieiga internete: http://www.vlkk.lt/aktualiausios-temos/rasyba/apie-rasyba (žiūrėta 2022-03-21).

VLEe – Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija, 2001–2020. Prieiga internete: http://www.vle.lt.

VLKK 2004: Rekomendacija dėl kai kurių religinių vardų, terminų, pavadinimų rašymo didžiąja raide. Prieiga internete: http://www.vlkk.lt/vlkk-nutarimai/projektai/kai-kuriu-religiniu-vardu-terminu-pavadinimu-rasymas-didziaja-raide.

VŽ 2004: Valstybinės lietuvių kalbos komisijos nutarimas Dėl įmonių, įstaigų ir organizacijų simbolinių pavadinimų darymo taisyklių patvirtinimo (2004 vasario 2 d., Nr. N-2 (91)). – Valstybės žinios, 2004, Nr. 27-867.

Gauta 2022 04 05 Priimta 2022 06 02

RAMUNĖ VASKELAITĖ

WRITING OF ASTROLOGICAL NAMES IN PRINTED PUBLICATIONS

Summary

The paper deals with the research of writing astrological names (ANs), which was started by the author in the previous issue of the Bendrinė kalba. After analyzing the writing of ANs on astrology websites, this paper analyzes their writing in printed publications which are the usual environment for the functioning of a

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standard language. Based on 10 books on astrology, the aim is to assess the extent to which ANs writing tendencies are common to websites and printed publications, and to determine whether they are influenced by the online environment. The paper reveals the similarity of writing tendencies and confirms the results of previous work showing that only a part of the ANs writing is invariant. The writing of others, like on astrology sites, is variant, and this variability is determined by several factors. By confirming the factors which began to emerge in the previous work, this work leads to a deeper and more substantiated analysis of the factors, and complements it with new insights.

KEYWORDS: writing, astrological names, capital letter.

RAMUNĖ VASKELAITĖ

Lietuvių kalbos institutas

Petro Vile išio g. 5, LT-10308 Vilnius

[email protected]

RAMUNĖ VASKELAITĖ

ASTROLOGINIŲ PAVADINIMŲ RAŠYMAS SPAUSDINTUOSE LEIDINIUOSE

S a n t r a u k a

Straipsnyje analizuojamas ankstesniame Bendrinės kalbos numeryje autorės pradėtas nagrinėti objektas – astrologinių pavadinimų (ALP) rašymas. Ankstesniame straipsnyje aptarus rašymą internete veikiančiose astrologijos svetainėse, šiame straipsnyje nagrinėjamas rašymas spausdintuose leidiniuose – įprastinėje bendrinės kalbos funkcionavimo terpėje. Taip siekiama įsitikinti ėmusių ryškėti ALP rašymo polinkių universalumu ir kartu nustatyti, ar jiems turi įtakos internetinė kalbos vartojimo terpė. Tyrimas atskleidžia rašymo polinkių panašumą ir patvirtina, kad nusistovėjęs tik dalies ALP rašymas. Kitų pavadinimų rašymas, kaip ir astrologijos svetainėse, yra svyruojantis, o svyravimai lemiami kelių veiksnių. Patvirtindamas ankstesniame straipsnyje ėmusius ryškėti svyravimų veiksnius, šis straipsnis leidžia veiksnių analizę pagilinti, labiau pagrįsti, o kartu ją papildo naujomis įžvalgomis.

ESMINIAI ŽODŽIAI: rašymas, astrologiniai pavadinimai, didžioji raidė.

RAMUNĖ VASKELAITĖ

Lietuvių kalbos institutas

Petro Vileišio g. 5, LT-10308 Vilnius

[email protected]

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