Search results for 'tag:Hyphens' matching tag 'Hyphens'

Re: Correct punctuation with technical numbers and abbreviations

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:29:38 GMT

Thank you. I continued to research the issue and came across similar results. From what I think I understand the "4" and "GB" represent a compound modifier for "RAM" and generally require the hyphen. As for why I have seen MHz or GHz without a hyphen so often is it generally has been used in relation to processors, which generally are discussed as, Intel Xeon E5430 Processor (2.66 GHz, 1333 FSB) with a quad-core. The frequency is not used as a compound modifier. If is was used as, 2.66 GHz Intel Xeon E5430 Processor, then I think the hyphen would be required.

Is that correct reasoning?

Normal 0 false false false

Re: hyphenate or do not hyphenate

Clive — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:00:09 GMT

Hi,
All my efforts seem to have two or more hyphens. These are OK. I didn't mean that you wouldn't normally have two or more hyphens in a sentence, I meant in one hyphenated 'word', eg 'left-hand drive' is OK, but 'left-hand-drive doesn't seem so natural.

1.Color-coordinated front and rear bumpers, fender flares, door cladding and running boars (color-keyed standard with Millennium Silver, available with Imperial Jade Mica)

For the first part of this, I would write it as: Color-coodinated, front-and-rear bumpers I wouldn't hyphenate front and rear.

2. Color-keyed heated power outside mirrors

For this, I would write it as: Color-keyed and heated-power outside mirrors (I don't know what 'color-keyed' means if you ask me)I definitely wouldn't hypenate heated and power because the meanings are not connected. They are heated mirrors. They have power (ie powered adjustment). It is not the power that is heated. It is the mirrors that are heated.

3. How about this, not from the list? I don't know if all the hyphenation is correctly done, but it doesn't surely look refined as a whole in my view (if that can be said of a phrase).

12-volt-powered, twin-handle, alternate-power hand drill I'd just say '12 volt' rather than '12-volt-powered', although '12-volt' doesn't seem wrong either.

You're right that long strings of hyphenated adjectives do not look very stylish.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: hyphenate or do not hyphenate

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:07:02 GMT

Thank you. I will tackle what looks to be easy ones from the first-post examples:

All my efforts seem to have two or more hyphens.

1.Color-coordinated front and rear bumpers, fender flares, door cladding and running boars (color-keyed standard with Millennium Silver, available with Imperial Jade Mica)

For the first part of this, I would write it as: Color-coodinated, front-and-rear bumpers

2. Color-keyed heated power outside mirrors

For this, I would write it as: Color-keyed and heated-power outside mirrors (I don't know what 'color-keyed' means if you ask me)

3. How about this, not from the list? I don't know if all the hyphenation is correctly done, but it doesn't surely look refined as a whole in my view (if that can be said of a phrase).

12-volt-powered, twin-handle, alternate-power hand drill

Correct punctuation with technical numbers and abbreviations

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:47:45 GMT

I have noticed for years many variations of punctuation when you combine numbers and capacity abbreviations. I read a lot of technical stuff and I do not and I can not find (searching the web) a reference to the correct usage.
Which is correct?

4GB RAM, no space between 4 and G
4 GB RAM, space between 4 and G
4-GB RAM, hyphen between 4 and G

Is there a hard and fast rule?

Now with MHz it seems to be consistent, there is always a space between the number and the MHz. Why?

Re: hyphenate or do not hyphenate

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:00:51 GMT

Thank you.

Can anyone with an eager heart to learn possibly get a grip on "how-to's" of the "tricks," as you seemed to have referred to? How can they go about taking the first step?

What should one do if they find themselves in the position of having to write something like ones noted previously? One hyphen in a phrase -- as you seemed to have recommended, then what? Should a person just imitate what they could find and see and go from there?E

Re: hyphenate or do not hyphenate

Clive — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:18:09 GMT

Hi,

When to hyphenate can sometimes be a bit tricky, but here are a couple of very general comments to consider.

I don't think people today hyphenate as much as they used to.

When you see a phrase with two or more hyphens, look carefully because it is likely to be unnatural.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: when to hyphenate adjectives and when not

Grammar Geek — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:08:34 GMT

Anonymous
a combination of higher-ed administrations

This is not a comparative: it's short for "higher education"

When you have two words that modify a noun, you often (usually) hyphenate them. Higher-education administrators, full-time students, 30-foot pole.

When they do not modify a noun you usually do NOT hyphenate. He chose a career in higher education, she goes to school full time, the pole measured 30 feet. (Note that it changed to singular when it modified the noun, but that's a different story.). Use a dictionary to see which words take the hyphen all the time, even when not modifying a noun.

(Also, do not use a hyphen with adverbs that end in -ly, like "highly paid job.")

Re: "all-hyphenated" noun

Clive — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 05:25:14 GMT

Hi,

Thank you so much.

You asked/said:

I think certain words like "am" or "so" are not hyphenated when used as part of a hyphenated noun or a hyphenated adjective. Why is that? I'm not sure what you mean. Can you give some sentences that include the kind of thing you are talking about?

I believe I have used the same or a similar example in another post about adjectives.

He has this I'm-so good-and-I-deserve-it-all attitude.

Would you say the hyphenation is properly done? From what I have learned/saw, "be" verbs (possibly all verbs?? I don't know) and words like "so" are not hyphenated. Why is that? If you want to use a string of hyphens like this, I can' think of any reason why you couldn't include such words in the hyphenation.

However, as I tried to make clear before, my advice is not to use hypens like this. It will make your writing seem lazy and clumsy. Just put it all in quotes. Or, if you want to be more formal and precise, structure your meaning in another way. eg he has this attitude that he is so good and that he deserves it all.

Clive

Re: "all-hyphenated" noun

Clive — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:58:17 GMT

Hi,

How would you justify the use of hyphens to denote what seems to be a noun? I wouldn't try to justify it. At best, it's extremely casual, and at worst it's just lazy and unstructured English.

I think this string of words can be thought as a big noun made of little parts.

Could it be in quotations without hyphens and would it make a difference or no difference? It would make it more acceptable and common.

I think a problem might result if put quotation marks around it is that "way" is a noun.Why do you think that? What problem?

Then again, putting quotation marks makes it kind of an uncountable noun and I think we don't need to think about articles unless we are thinking of making it a type or an instance of it.

I think certain words like "am" or "so" are not hyphenated when used as part of a hyphenated noun or a hyphenated adjective. Why is that? I'm not sure what you mean. Can you give some sentences that include the kind of thing you are talking about?

... can dodge the big issue by settling into the cocoon of just-living-my-life-and-doing-what-I-can-in-my-own-little-way.

Could this be this? Yes >>>>>... can dodge the big issue by settling into the cocoon of "just living my life and doing what I can in my own little way."

Is there some reason that you can't just omit the quotation marks altogether?

Best wishes, Clive

Re: adjective

Grammar Geek — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 03:31:12 GMT

You've chosen words/phrases that are hypenated all the time.

The "use the hypen before the noun but not after" rules works only if the two words wouldn't have a hyphen normally.

She is a full-time student. She is going to school full time.