IT'S strange how names for things stick, even though they don't seem to have any connection, until you look for the reason.

Artists, writers, publishers, newspaper staff etc, all use the description 'upper case' and 'lower case' for the letters of the alphabet in use in any piece of writing, and most will know how they became to be called by these names. I dare say there will be some newcomers who use the term but don't know, and so just to get started, I'll clarify the position.

Once upon a time, and not so long ago either, printed material was made by people called compositors who stood at huge racks of individual letters, picking each separate letter out by hand and putting it into place in the printing frame, so that ultimately one had a page of reading matter, be it a book, or a notice or whatever. Brown's Printers of Malton, Len Knaggs whose place was down Castlegate, and Boak's of Pickering all operated this system of personalised typesetting, as did every other printer in the land at this time.

The letters or 'fonts' as they were known were in large racks, holding the different styles of letters in an easy-to-select order, because many letters in our language are used more than others. These racks were tilted towards the compositor for quick access, and always the CAPITAL LETTERS (like that) were kept in a sectioned case at the top of the rack, known as the upper case. The small 'everyday' letters (like this), lived in the lower case, and that was standard practice throughout the land. Thus, the letters themselves became to be known as upper and lower case letters.

Now, having sorted that one out, we come to road signs - you know the big ones we are familiar with, and you may have wondered why they are all written in lower case letters. Some folk might have 'wondered', others might not have given much thought to it, but to be honest, I didn't know the reason until I was reading one of my recent aircraft books. It seems that cockpit notices and lettering within the cockpit which needs to be read quickly and easily are all now in lower case lettering, because the human brain can read and accept the meaning of lower case letters (of which we see more every day) much quicker than reading capital letters. Thus cockpit efficiency is increased and names alongside instruments now read, for instance, 'knots fuel canopy brakes jettison' instead of 'knots fuel etc'. Even the actual 'style' of the letters themselves is of importance. No need for fancy styles. Readability is the need, and reference is made to the "smoother legibility of Granby Condensed". So there! This of course rubbed off onto traffic signs, which is why you now see them as they are. To quote my reference, now forgotten: "The super legibility of lower case style is now accepted for high speed signs".

* If you think back a short while you may remember the erection of a memorial to the Canadian airmen who served this country at Wombleton, when a ceremony was held there, and a gathering at Kirkbymoorside of those interested from around the UK and from Canada. Being associated with the RCAFA Aero Camino Wing of Santa Barbara, California which is made up of Canadians and others, I sent photos and a report of that event, as well as a programme, and I see in this month's magazine 'Flarepath' our editor has included a print-out of an RAF hymn we sang at Wombleton on that day, "Lord of earth, the sea and air". The music was played by Swinton Band and Gus, our editor, has delighted me by including this credit along with the hymn itself. So Swinton Band reaches the States.

He also dropped me a note to say that the info I sent would be better in the actual Canadian Air Force Magazine 'Airforce', which circulates the whole of Canada amongst ex-air force personnel. So the memorial photo and write-up, of an event which started in the mind of Tony Clarke, then Mayor of Kirkby, has now rightly reached the hands of those who he worked so hard to honour. Haven't got my copy yet, but it's on its way Wombleton and Kirkbymoorside reache Canada.

Incidentally, the Royal Canadian Air Force Association continues to use that name, at least in our Aero Camino Wing, but sadly, in Canada itself, the French-dominated government decided that the word 'royal' should be dropped, and it is now just the Air Force Association of Canada. I suppose it depends wherein your roots lie, whether it bothers you or not, but to those thousands whose youth was spent here in the Old Country, and where they grew up, it will always be 'Royal'.

* A new expression I came across this week. I bought a bar of chocolate at Woolies - an impulse buy - just happened to be passing. Well, that's my excuse, and the young lady who served me, whose name badge said 'Mary', another grand name, chatted about sweets, especially at this time of year. And she referred to an increase in the sale of sweets for 'comfort eating'. I expect that's the kind where you sit over the fire on a winter's night and tuck in to the goodies. Can't beat it! Comfort. Certainly.

* On chocolate etc. "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it". Oscar Wilde (1854-1900).

Updated: 11:01 Thursday, November 15, 2001