Comments for Punctuation Matters http://www.punctuationmatters.com Punctuation makes your writing more creative and effective – and nicer to read! Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:39:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on The hyphen, dash, n-dash and m-dash by admin http://www.punctuationmatters.com/the-hyphen-dash-n-dash-and-m-dash/#comment-947 admin Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:39:09 +0000 http://www.punctuationmatters.com/?p=8#comment-947 Hi Ben, I don't think you read the whole post... <blockquote>"Break the rules! "Lots of people prefer the way the ‘space-en-dash-space’ looks on a page, and it is used in lots of magazines and papers as a replacement for the proper use of the em-dash. "Sometimes when you submit writing that uses the em-dash people say, “What is that? I don’t like that big long dash thing.” "It is no big deal. "I generally use ‘space-en-dash-space’ instead of the em-dash – just to keep everyone happy."</blockquote> Cheers! Hi Ben,
I don’t think you read the whole post…

“Break the rules!
“Lots of people prefer the way the ‘space-en-dash-space’ looks on a page, and it is used in lots of magazines and papers as a replacement for the proper use of the em-dash.
“Sometimes when you submit writing that uses the em-dash people say, “What is that? I don’t like that big long dash thing.”
“It is no big deal.
“I generally use ‘space-en-dash-space’ instead of the em-dash – just to keep everyone happy.”

Cheers!

]]> Comment on The hyphen, dash, n-dash and m-dash by Ben http://www.punctuationmatters.com/the-hyphen-dash-n-dash-and-m-dash/#comment-946 Ben Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:36:03 +0000 http://www.punctuationmatters.com/?p=8#comment-946 This is brutal. I have always used an En dash to set apart text, a function you attribute to the Em dash. Yet in your website title you have used the En dash in the function you do not endorse! This is brutal. I have always used an En dash to set apart text, a function you attribute to the Em dash. Yet in your website title you have used the En dash in the function you do not endorse!

]]> Comment on The hyphen, dash, n-dash and m-dash by Paul K. Sholar http://www.punctuationmatters.com/the-hyphen-dash-n-dash-and-m-dash/#comment-796 Paul K. Sholar Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:27:08 +0000 http://www.punctuationmatters.com/?p=8#comment-796 More commentary, with sources, for UK usage: http://www.oooforum.org/forum/viewtopic.phtml?t=52480 More commentary, with sources, for UK usage: http://www.oooforum.org/forum/viewtopic.phtml?t=52480

]]> Comment on The hyphen, dash, n-dash and m-dash by Paul K. Sholar http://www.punctuationmatters.com/the-hyphen-dash-n-dash-and-m-dash/#comment-795 Paul K. Sholar Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:21:56 +0000 http://www.punctuationmatters.com/?p=8#comment-795 You neglected to mention the (US) usage for an en dash of signifying a relational (or ratio) term or phrase, such as in the phrase "the Alabama-Georgia border." You neglected to mention the (US) usage for an en dash of signifying a relational (or ratio) term or phrase, such as in the phrase “the Alabama-Georgia border.”

]]> Comment on The hyphen, dash, n-dash and m-dash by admin http://www.punctuationmatters.com/the-hyphen-dash-n-dash-and-m-dash/#comment-622 admin Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:42:40 +0000 http://www.punctuationmatters.com/?p=8#comment-622 Great questions Tem. Using a dash to indicate a zero decimal or null value: I think this is quite old-fashioned—and culturally (or professionally) specific. It's hard to find an authority on it; sort of like deciding whether a comma should be used for a decimal. In most countries today, neither of these is used. Some financial reports still use a dash for empty decimal places. I work in a building full of accountants; they use a decimal point and zeroes, not a dash. It is possible to get programs like Excel to insert a dash in place of zero decimals. I don't see the point in it :-) The difference between a dash and a minus sign: I added a separate post on this: http://www.punctuationmatters.com/the-difference-between-a-dash-and-a-minus-sign/ Cheers. Great questions Tem.

Using a dash to indicate a zero decimal or null value:
I think this is quite old-fashioned—and culturally (or professionally) specific. It’s hard to find an authority on it; sort of like deciding whether a comma should be used for a decimal. In most countries today, neither of these is used. Some financial reports still use a dash for empty decimal places. I work in a building full of accountants; they use a decimal point and zeroes, not a dash. It is possible to get programs like Excel to insert a dash in place of zero decimals. I don’t see the point in it :-)

The difference between a dash and a minus sign:
I added a separate post on this:
http://www.punctuationmatters.com/the-difference-between-a-dash-and-a-minus-sign/

Cheers.

]]> Comment on The hyphen, dash, n-dash and m-dash by TeMc http://www.punctuationmatters.com/the-hyphen-dash-n-dash-and-m-dash/#comment-618 TeMc Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:54:31 +0000 http://www.punctuationmatters.com/?p=8#comment-618 Thanks a lot for this article, this helped me a lot! Two questions though: - What about money/currencies where a dash/hyphen is used to indicate 0 cents ? ie. € 30,- or $ 1.000,- - What about math ? ie. 12 - 5 = 7 Thanks in advance, Tem C. Thanks a lot for this article, this helped me a lot!

Two questions though:
- What about money/currencies where a dash/hyphen is used to indicate 0 cents ?

ie. € 30,- or $ 1.000,-

- What about math ?
ie. 12 – 5 = 7

Thanks in advance,
Tem C.

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