Re: dashes---causing problems or solving them?

rvw — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 22:37:41 GMT

I like the dash. It lets one add emphasis and (dramatic) pauses.

I think the summary in Webster's Third New International Dictionary is excellent:

7. THE DASH

7.0 In its function in writing and in the speech intonation to which it corresponds, the dash is similar to the comma and the colon, and a pair of dashes is similar to parentheses.

7.1 A dash usually marks an abrupt change or suspension in the thought or structure of a snetence <If you will listen I will explain -- but perhaps another time will be better.> <The mountain we climbed is higher than -- oh, never mind how high it is.> <He was -- how shall I put it -- a controversial figure to say the least.> <"Yes, but I -- er -- I'll have to --" and he stopped hopelessly.>

7.2 A dash often makes parenthetic, appositional, or explanatory matter stand out clearly or emphatically <Three of the country's most important products -- oil, steel, and wheat -- are produced in greater quantities than ever before.> <Two of our group -- Eddie and John -- came walking down the street.> <He is willing to discuss all problems -- those he has solved and those for which there is no immediate solution.>

7.3 A dash often occurs before a summarizing statement or clause <Oil, steel, and wheat -- these are the sinews of industrialization.>

7.4 A dash sometimes sets off appositional or parenthetic matter that is introduced by such expressions as namely, for example, that is <Sports develop two valuable traits -- namely, self-control and the ability to make quick decisions.>

7.5 A dash often mechanically precedes the name of an author or source at the end of a quoted passage <There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune --William Shakespeare> <"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" --Genesis 1:1

7.6 A long dash often functions as a notational device to indicate the omission of a word or of letters in a word <yelling ---- loudly> <Mr. M---- of New York> <go to the d----l>

7.7 A short dash -- slightly larger than a hyphen -- often serves as an arbitrary equivalent of to and including between numbers or dates and in compounding capitalized two-word names with the hyphen <pages 40-98> <the decade 1951-60> <the New York-Lisbon plane>

Therefore, before John could go to school, he had to prepare his school supplies; only then could he leave home--making the first day of school a memorable one. A dash is needed. Making has no referent; there is a shift in sentence structure.

He regarded these people--ones who have come from different backgrounds--as the best of the best. Commas could be used around the appositional clause, but it would stand out less.

He suffered for ten years--being ridiculed, slandered and rejected, and even deserted by his family. A comma could be used, but again, I think the effect would be lessened.

This was the second age--the Age of Kings. A comma or (less likely) a colon could be used.

The cursed, the punished, or the blessed--with him, there is no such parlance! A dash is needed because of the abrupt change in thought and sentence structure.

So it was proved that Veronica didn't to school--if you still think so, aren't you blind? As above.

Larry shouldn't climb the mountain--not that he could do so, even if he tried. As above, though a comma might work.

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Re: dashes---causing problems or solving them?