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I have heard that a word like "I" is considered a word but why? is every other letter considered a word too?

I have used Grammarly and Microsoft word to write and noticed that every single letter(alone) is considered as a word but based on the definition of oxford dictionaries a word is "a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and typically shown with a space on either side when written or printed." so why are they considered as a word?

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    There are no rules in English about the number of letters required to comprise a word. The letter I, when capitalised, is considered a word because it is sufficient to refer to the speaker. Given the impact of texting on the language, you may well find future authors writing: Y r u asking about I?
    – Ronald Sole
    Commented Mar 18, 2021 at 23:58
  • I haven't noticed it in Grammarly and Microsoft. Probably, they are "counting" every letter, when written with a space on either side, as a word. It doesn't necessarily mean they are meaningful words.
    – Ammu
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 0:04
  • @Ammu of course all the letters are meaningful words. The context of a sentence makes a word not meaningful, not the word. How would any of us, have learnt English, without the names of the letters of the Alphabet?
    – Brad
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 5:08
  • @RonaldSole, why exactly should it be capitalized instead of just being "i" to be considered a word?
    – pobig43001
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 10:02
  • @Ammu, sorry I edited the question by adding "alone"
    – pobig43001
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 10:17

3 Answers 3

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1. "I" is obviously a word because it is a personal pronoun. "A" is the indefinite article.

2. Strictly speaking, every letter is a word. "M" is the name of the letter "m" and is a noun.

m (2) noun (ms, m's) the thirteenth letter of the alphabet. (Lexico: https://www.lexico.com/definition/m )

3. But if you are asking whether the letters are words when they are used to make up longer words then no. For example, if I write the word "globe", none of the individual letters within that word is serving as a word.

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  • Even when they are not capitalized or should they be capitalized for them to be considered as a word?
    – pobig43001
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 10:04
  • @pobig43001 Lexico's entry is headed "M (also m)". Merriam-Webster's is headed "m (often capitalized)". So in short, yes. Capitalisation isn't mandatory.
    – rjpond
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 10:09
  • thank you so much but what does "headed" mean?
    – pobig43001
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 10:11
  • "Titled". One of the definitions of the verb "head" is "to give a title or caption to".
    – rjpond
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 10:12
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All the letters of the Alphabet are names once capitalised. I would personally consider that a name is a word.

Nouns; A noun is a word that represents a person, place, or thing. Everything we can see or talk about is represented by a word. That word is called a "noun." You might find it useful to think of a noun as a "naming word."

However, I would suggest that most letters except "a" are never used on there own, except as the name for their character which is mostly used when learning English.

Also note, J and K joined L and M in the Alphabet, would not be marked incorrect by any spell checker

Ref Grammar- Monster... What are nouns

Ref CED J** noun** [C] (LETTER); the tenth letter of the English alphabet

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  • Why should they be capitalized to be considered a word? are all letters considered as words when not capitalized?
    – pobig43001
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 10:03
  • @pobig43001 I would suggest that most letters except "a" are never used on there own, except as the name for their character which is mostly used when learning English. As you are aware a name is normally capitalised.
    – Brad
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 10:43
  • so are non capitalized letters considered as nouns(I think they are not)? if not then are they words?
    – pobig43001
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 14:50
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There are only two words in standard English that are only one letter: “I” and “a.” Those are two regular words that just happen to be only one letter long. No other single letters are English words.

Sometimes people do use nonstandard abbreviations or slang terms, such as writing “are” as “r” because they happen to be pronounced the same. But “r” is not a real English word.

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    In the dictionary a letter is denoted as a noun. To me a noun is a word.
    – Brad
    Commented Mar 19, 2021 at 5:02

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