lbone (asker) Dec 14, 2007:

The next build of the product with this case conversion function is about to release. Any answerers or commmeters interested in it are welcome to contact me (site message or email) for a free license.

lbone (asker) Dec 14, 2007:

The next build of the product with this case conversion function is about to release. Any answers or commmeters interested in it are welcome to contact me (site message or email) for a free license.

lbone (asker) Dec 13, 2007:

Sorry, it should be "not all function/structure/grammatical words or prepositions/conjunctions are non-capitalized".

lbone (asker) Dec 13, 2007:

Thank you, all answerers and commenters, for your very helpful answers and detailed explanations! I like the answer "non-capitalized words" more than others. I think not all function/structure/grammatical words or prepositions/conjunctions are capitalized. Prepositions longer than 4 characters, such as "between" and "among" are often capitalized, and it is the same for subordinating conjunctions such as "because", "although", etc. So I think a more general term like this "non-capitalized words" is better. I know there are many different rules, but these are part of the rules adopted by this product. About Shirley's suggestion of "lowercase words", I am afraid it does not distinguish between lowercased words in general and these special lowercase words.

Shirley Lao Dec 11, 2007:

However, if end-users' feedback is required for executing this case-conversion function (e.g. the spell-check function of Microsoft Word), then I believe an explanatory note for the categories to be case converted is more useful.

Shirley Lao Dec 11, 2007:

If the case-conversion function of this software is executed automatically without requiring any feedback from the end-users, I believe the term "lowercase words" is good enough. Refer to http://download.imatix.com/mop/beginning.html

Ted Langley (X) Dec 11, 2007:

"Ordinary" people are unlikely to know which categories of words are included in "lowercase words" (prepositions/articles/conjunctions in your examples) unless this is explained in your text.They won't know how to predict which ones will be in lower case.

lbone (asker) Dec 11, 2007:

Thank you for your suggestion, Shirley. I haven't expected you and orientalhorizon also appear here. If you think "lowercase words" is a fine answer, I suggest you add it as an answer waiting for comments. I am not an expert on this topic. I am waiting for both answers and comments on the suggested answers.

Shirley Lao Dec 11, 2007:

Why don't you just use "lowercase words"? This term is very common and natural. I believe everyone should have no difficulty with it.

Tony M Dec 10, 2007:

You may well 'need' it, but I don't think such a word probably exists, at least, not in everyday parlance! I think Peter's suggestion of 'structure words' is the closest you'll get; I know other people who have referred to them as 'lubrication words'!

lbone (asker) Dec 10, 2007:

Thank you for your answers. It seems I need to add some notes. I know what they are (I know their definition, at least in general). What I need is a term in a word (or a phrase, if necessary) to call them together. This is to be used in the brief introduction of a software product with a relevant case conversion function. I need a term to be presented to the vast number of ordinary people, so general people can understand what I am talking about just from this name/term, without or with very few additional explanations. It is not a term to be used by very little number of linguists.