http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Mon, 20 May 2013 14:53:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-234183 lee Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:41:29 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-234183 I think hyphens should be used more often to reflect the origins of the word and make it flow better when reading a text. For example, one could read as "read just" if written without a hyphen in "readjust", or "reel ect" for "reelect." I have seen people (especially American publishers) write commanderinchief, antiestablishment, antiaircraft, preeminent, antiintellectual, and many others where a hyphen was clearly needed to provide clarity and make it easier to read and flow. I am sure there are those who are already writing motherinlaw. When Oxford eliminates hyphens in hypenated words and publishes them, it gives legitimacy and acceptance of those corrupted unhyphenated words. I think hyphens should be used more often to reflect the origins of the word and make it flow better when reading a text. For example, one could read as “read just” if written without a hyphen in “readjust”, or “reel ect” for “reelect.” I have seen people (especially American publishers) write commanderinchief, antiestablishment, antiaircraft, preeminent, antiintellectual, and many others where a hyphen was clearly needed to provide clarity and make it easier to read and flow. I am sure there are those who are already writing motherinlaw. When Oxford eliminates hyphens in hypenated words and publishes them, it gives legitimacy and acceptance of those corrupted unhyphenated words.

]]> http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-155383 Tweets that mention The Lowly Hyphen: Reports of Its Death are Greatly Exaggerated : OUPblog -- Topsy.com Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:03:00 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-155383 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Alexandre Rivest, Alexandre Rivest. Alexandre Rivest said: Apparently the hyphen has been killed from the Enlish language... Sucks. http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/ [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Alexandre Rivest, Alexandre Rivest. Alexandre Rivest said: Apparently the hyphen has been killed from the Enlish language… Sucks. http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/ [...]

]]> http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-125738 Charles W. Mignon Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:32:54 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-125738 Can Mr. Zimmer refer me to an essay on the literary history of the hyphenated compound? Please? I know one exists; please help. Can Mr. Zimmer refer me to an essay on the literary history of the hyphenated compound? Please? I know one exists; please help.

]]> http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-54479 Extending the History of Words: The Case of "Ms." : OUPblog Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:54:22 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-54479 [...] in the hubbub about the new words and disappearing hyphens in the latest edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is a more subtle type of editorial [...] [...] in the hubbub about the new words and disappearing hyphens in the latest edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is a more subtle type of editorial [...]

]]> http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-50227 The Informed Reader - WSJ.com : Hyphens Are Vanishing. Blame E-mail. Sorry, Email. Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:00:11 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/hyphens/#comment-50227 [...] Ben Zimmer, an editor at the Oxford University Press, gives some slightly reassuring historical background on the case of the missing hyphen: As modern English has evolved, some compounds have stayed [...] [...] Ben Zimmer, an editor at the Oxford University Press, gives some slightly reassuring historical background on the case of the missing hyphen: As modern English has evolved, some compounds have stayed [...]

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