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Discussion Groups / English Usage / July 2009How to hyphenate
When asked: > The odd thin there is that the Old Testament is much more liberal on > divorce than Jesus was. Who do you listen to? I replied: The usual arrangement is that Christians listen to whatever best suits their already arrived at beliefs. Should I have hyphenated 'already arrived at'? And, if so, how?  SignatureWhich of the seven heavens / Was responsible her smile / Wouldn't be sure but attested / That, whoever it was, a god / Worth kneeling-to for a while / Had tabernacled and rested. > When asked: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Should I have hyphenated 'already arrived at'? And, if so, how? I'd go with "already-arrived-at", but what you wrote is unambiguous even without any hyphens. Signature--------------------------- | BBB b \ Barbara at LivingHistory stop co stop uk | B B aa rrr b | | BBB a a r bbb | Quidquid latine dictum sit, | B B a a r b b | altum viditur. | BBB aa a r bbb | ----------------------------- > When asked: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Should I have hyphenated 'already arrived at'? And, if so, how? It's clear enought what you mean without hyphens, but probably "already-arrived-at" would be better if you insist on that wording. I would write "The usual arrangement is that Christians listen to whatever best suits the beliefs they had already arrived at", or, better, "The usual arrangement is that Christians listen to whatever best suits the beliefs they had already", or "The usual arrangement is that Christians listen to whatever best suits their preconceptions." Signatureathel [...] > The usual arrangement is that Christians listen to whatever best suits > their already arrived at beliefs. > > Should I have hyphenated 'already arrived at'? And, if so, how? Thus: "already arrived-at". No hyphen appears after "already" because it is solely an adverb, and adverbs need not be hyphenated in compound modifiers (with the exception--to avoid confusion--of "well", which can also be an adjective). Compare "a very well-to-do man", "a really red-hot deal". SignatureCordially, Eric Walker, Owlcroft House http://owlcroft.com/english/ > [...] > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > modifiers (with the exception--to avoid confusion--of "well", which can > also be an adjective). Yes. You are right. I withdraw the first part of my earlier answer. Signatureathel >> [...] >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Yes. You are right. I withdraw the first part of my earlier answer. I don't think you should. "Already" is not an adverb in this sentence - it would be, if the sentence was "...their already arrived beliefs.". But it isn't, and "arrived" is not a verb either. The construct "already-arrived-at" is a compound adjective, which modifies 'beliefs'. SignatureYou'd be crazy to e-mail me with the crazy. But leave the div alone. >>> [...] >>> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > construct "already-arrived-at" is a compound adjective, which modifies > 'beliefs'. "Arrived-at" is adjectival, "already" modifies it, hence "already" is an adverb. As someone or t'other once wisely observed "adverb" is the dustbin of grammar: the term includes three fairly distinct categories of function. The first is what can be called the "true adverb": a word that modulates the sense of a verb. The second, usually called a "sentence adverb" but, I suggest, better called something like an "adclausal"), modulates the sense of an entire thought, a clause. The third, with no special name (perhaps to be called a "paramodifier") modulates the sense of an adjective or another adverb. "Already" here is an "adverb" of the third sort. SignatureCordially, Eric Walker, Owlcroft House http://owlcroft.com/english/ >When asked: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >The usual arrangement is that Christians listen to whatever best suits >their already arrived at beliefs. I can't help with your hyphenation. But I think your answer has less meat than meets the eye. That's pretty much what everyone does on every issue, except for the time before they first form an opinion and the before they occasionally change an opinion. They reach conclusions, what you call "already arrived at beliefs" by listening to one or more sources, thinking about it, and then they go by their beliefs. Your description of their behaviour has the tone of cynicism. Is that what you intended? But if so, you're only complaint here must be that they reach there beliefs before the last minute. Isn't that generally a good thing? That they could think about it calmly when they personally weren't affected? And then when they are personally affected and may be upset even, so it's difficult to think, they go by the belief they formed when they were calm. >Should I have hyphenated 'already arrived at'? And, if so, how? SignaturePosters should say where they live, and for which area they are asking questions. I have lived in Western Pa. 10 years Indianapolis 10 years Chicago 6 years Brooklyn, NY 12 years Baltimore 26 years > >When asked: > > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Your description of their behaviour has the tone of cynicism. Is that > what you intended? Yes. > But if so, you're only complaint here must be > that they reach there beliefs before the last minute. Isn't that > generally a good thing? That they could think about it calmly when > they personally weren't affected? And then when they are personally > affected and may be upset even, so it's difficult to think, they go by > the belief they formed when they were calm. That's a good point... but I don't agree with it. SignatureWhich of the seven heavens / Was responsible her smile / Wouldn't be sure but attested / That, whoever it was, a god / Worth kneeling-to for a while / Had tabernacled and rested. > ...you're only complaint... Ouch! > ...that they reach there beliefs... Ouch! SignatureMarshall Price of Miami marshallprice@att.net http://marshallprice.wordpress.com |
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