The first latin script which consisted of both majuscule and minuscule letters (lowercase and uppercase, or small and capital letters) is Carolingian minuscule. It is a fact. But what is unknown to me (and as far as I know is unknown to all scholars) is the first purpose or first use of capital letters. Does anybody know any clear evidence that reveals the first application of capital letters. Was it used, for the first time, to distinguish the word and the names of God? Is it a biblical and christian effect? Or was it used to apply clarity for dividing sentences and paragraphs? Or the first use of capital was to highlight all proper names? Which of these applications was the first one?
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4I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is not about English.– GEdgarCommented May 31, 2019 at 1:08
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There are many questions here discussing about the etymology of English words which backs to latin. So vote to close all of them first.– ConnoisseurCommented May 31, 2019 at 1:15
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2I think the capital letters came first. Lower case was brought in later. Your question seems to imply the opposite. If capital letters came first, they were introduced for whatever the first pieces of writing recorded.– LawrenceCommented May 31, 2019 at 1:29
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1@GEdgar Isn't it about English though? Otherwise, how do you explain the Lindisfarne Gospels being written in majuscule?– Laurel ♦Commented May 31, 2019 at 1:36
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1Why do you think the distinction between minuscle and majuscle did not exist before Carolingian? Merovingian example: bl.uk/britishlibrary/~/media/bl/global/… P.S. This would be a nice question for latin.stackexchange.com !– Cerberus - Reinstate MonicaCommented Jun 1, 2019 at 1:03
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