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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004Fictional
Is "make-believe" hyphenated or is that an en dash hiding in there?  SignatureSimon R. Hughes "Simon R. Hughes" <a57998.not.this.bit@yahoo.no> wrote... > Is "make-believe" hyphenated or is that an en dash hiding in > there? It's a hyphen. The en-dash should be reserved for things like 1960-61. Matti > "Simon R. Hughes" <a57998.not.this.bit@yahoo.no> wrote... >> Is "make-believe" hyphenated or is that an en dash hiding in >> there? > > It's a hyphen. The en-dash should be reserved for things like 1960-61. Or things like "win-win situation". Isn't that the same structure as "make-believe"? SignatureSimon R. Hughes "Simon R. Hughes" <a57998.not.this.bit@yahoo.no> wrote... > > "Simon R. Hughes" <a57998.not.this.bit@yahoo.no> wrote... > >> Is "make-believe" hyphenated or is that an en dash hiding in [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Or things like "win-win situation". Isn't that the same structure > as "make-believe"? I don't understand. Why do you think these examples differ from other cases where a hyphen is used? Let's rewind a bit here. There are theoretically two differences in the appearance of these marks. The hyphen is usually shorter and frequently lower. The difference in vertical position is due to the characteristics of the glyphs expected to be found on either side -- if these are (modern "non-lining") digits or majuscules (capitals) then the en-dash is more appropriate because it's higher. In the examples you give the letters on either side are minuscules, so a hyphen is the one to choose. This stuff only matters in typographical contexts where these differences are apparent, of course! Matti >> "Simon R. Hughes" <a57998.not.this.bit@yahoo.no> wrote... >>> Is "make-believe" hyphenated or is that an en dash hiding in [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Or things like "win-win situation". Is it? I'd us a hyphen in "win-win situation". It doesn't represent a span or range, and neither of the two items it connects is longer than a word. > Isn't that the same structure as "make-believe"? I don't think so. "Make-believe" is the common case of a multi-word phrase that needs to be converted into a single word when it (for example) changes part of speech. ("Let's make believe I'm a hungry hyena." "I don't like playing make-believe.") "Win-win" connects two items into a single word, but those two items don't form a single constituent together in unhyphenated contexts. -Aaron J. Dinkin Dr. Whom >>> "Simon R. Hughes" <a57998.not.this.bit@yahoo.no> wrote... >>>> Is "make-believe" hyphenated or is that an en dash hiding in [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > span or range, and neither of the two items it connects is longer than a > word. It represents a range. On the one hand, you can win; on the other, you can win. >> Isn't that the same structure as "make-believe"? > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > items into a single word, but those two items don't form a single > constituent together in unhyphenated contexts. SignatureSimon R. Hughes >> Is it? I'd us a hyphen in "win-win situation". It doesn't represent a >> span or range, and neither of the two items it connects is longer than a >> word. > > It represents a range. On the one hand, you can win; on the > other, you can win. That - 'a situation in which you are guaranteed to win' - isn't what "win-win situation" means. It's 'a situation in which it's possible for both parties to benefit'. -Aaron J. Dinkin Dr. Whom > >> Is it? I'd us a hyphen in "win-win situation". It doesn't represent a > >> span or range, and neither of the two items it connects is longer than a [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > "win-win situation" means. It's 'a situation in which it's possible for > both parties to benefit'. Hold on there. Are you folks suggesting that an en-dash should be used in words or phrases that represent non-numerical ranges? Such as, perhaps: In modern Western countries, the political spectrum usually is described along left-right lines. He'd heard the whole alpha-omega of our dispute. Our instruments picked up no light in the red-violet range. -skipka >>>> Is it? I'd us a hyphen in "win-win situation". It doesn't represent a >>>> span or range, and neither of the two items it connects is longer than a [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > He'd heard the whole alpha-omega of our dispute. > Our instruments picked up no light in the red-violet range. Yes. 3.20 En dashes are used to join coordinate or contrasting pairs (the Brussels-Paris route, a current-voltage graph, the height-depth ratio). These are not subject to hyphen rules. <http://europa.eu.int/comm/translation/writing/style_guides/english/main_en.htm#t ocref2_14> SignatureSimon R. Hughes > "Simon R. Hughes" <a57998.not.this.bit@yahoo.no> wrote... > > Is "make-believe" hyphenated or is that an en dash hiding in > > there? Hyphen. > It's a hyphen. The en-dash should be reserved for things like 1960-61. Indeed, the en-dash is used in place of "to" in number ranges. But it is also used in place of a hyphen in a compound adjective when one of the elements is an open, or multi-word, compound. Compare: an award<hyphen>winning actress an Academy Award<en>winning actress The en-dash is no mere typographical frill: it signals the presence of an open compound that might otherwise be missed. I wish I could think of an example without capitals, but alas.... -skipka |
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