Rules for compositors and readers at the University Press, Oxford · Oxford University Press
SMALL CAPITALS
Put a hair space between the letters of contractions in small capitals: A.U.C. Anno urbis conditae A.D. Anno Domini A.H. Anno Hegirae A.M. Anno mundi B.C. Before Christ. a.m.[42] (ante meridiem), p.m.{42} (post meridiem), should be lower-case, except in lines of caps. or small caps. When small caps, are used at foot of title-page, print thus: M DCCCC IV[43] Text references to caps. in plates and woodcuts to be in small caps. The first word in each chapter of a book is to be in small caps. and the first line usually indented one em; but this does not apply to works in which the matter is broken up into many sections, nor to cases where large initials are used. (See p. 50 as to indentation.) [42] It is a common error to suppose that these initials stand for ante-meridian and post-meridian. Thus, Charles Dickens represents one of his characters in _Pickwick_ as saying ‘Curious circumstance about those initials, sir,’ said Mr. Magnus. ‘You will observe—P.M.—post meridian. In hasty notes to intimate acquaintance, I sometimes sign myself “Afternoon”. It amuses my friends very much, Mr. Pickwick.’—DICKENS, _Pickwick Papers_, p. 367. Oxford edit., 1903.—H. H. [43] ‘Or better M CM IV’—J. A. H. M.
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