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Mmm, dashing. Nate Send a noteboard - 05/10/2011 09:02:53 PM
Two that I noticed, technically. In #8, it should be Have at the start of the question. In #9, there should be a dash between "140" and "character". Otherwise you could be talking about 140 shortcuts for characters.


I was actually researching when it was appropriate to use a dash. Do you know what I found out? There are some general rules about it but, for the most part, it's really a style choice. I guess it's one of those quirky, undefined areas of writing. Or can it ever really be defined?


There are certainly a lot of ways they can be used or not used, and people manage to use every single one of them. In my estimation they're good to use whenever they clear up potential ambiguity, such as in your case. A starker example comes from a movie title, "Eight Legged Freaks". Are they freaks with eight legs or are they eight freaks, all of whom have legs? The title doesn't actually make that clear, even though through context and general agreement we know that it means freaks with eight legs. However, you can completely clear any trouble up with a simple dash. "Eight-Legged Freaks". Voila! So whether or not people agree on how to use them, that is how and when I believe they should be used. Note however that this is a difficult one to remember when writing something, and is often the sort of thing a person only catches when proofreading.
Warder to starry_nite

Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
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Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 06:46:31 PM 1143 Views
I'm not always sure that I'm correct, but.... - 05/10/2011 07:04:13 PM 838 Views
I didn't see any errors - 05/10/2011 07:24:27 PM 823 Views
Re: I didn't see any errors - 06/10/2011 03:14:07 PM 700 Views
You mean ... - 06/10/2011 03:58:32 PM 788 Views
Must ... have ... grammar. - 05/10/2011 07:53:34 PM 1015 Views
For you and Tom as well, the same question about question eight. - 05/10/2011 08:33:39 PM 1300 Views
Tom can probably give you actual terms and correct rules, but here's my take on it. - 05/10/2011 08:43:47 PM 788 Views
That makes sense as far as it goes. - 05/10/2011 09:02:42 PM 824 Views
But do you actually regard them that way? - 05/10/2011 09:08:36 PM 807 Views
Yeah, pretty much. - 05/10/2011 09:25:18 PM 767 Views
Re: Yeah, pretty much. - 05/10/2011 09:29:33 PM 650 Views
OK then. - 05/10/2011 09:59:50 PM 811 Views
You bring up a point that I was researching the other day - 05/10/2011 08:53:40 PM 859 Views
You guys mean a hyphen, not a dash. - 05/10/2011 09:00:25 PM 820 Views
You're right of course! - 05/10/2011 09:13:44 PM 884 Views
I frequently am. - 05/10/2011 09:16:38 PM 893 Views
So I've noticed. - 05/10/2011 09:19:38 PM 804 Views
I like telling people, too. - 05/10/2011 09:34:50 PM 799 Views
You can use charmap. - 05/10/2011 10:21:32 PM 850 Views
Re: You guys mean a hyphen, not a dash. - 06/10/2011 01:15:02 PM 748 Views
Mmm, dashing. - 05/10/2011 09:02:53 PM 801 Views
Emdashing is an entirely different form of punctuation. - 05/10/2011 09:07:36 PM 872 Views
Achtung! Grammatik! :insert Nazi-saluting smiley as the Wehrmacht marches by: - 05/10/2011 08:10:45 PM 915 Views
I love this bit. - 05/10/2011 08:26:52 PM 900 Views
Bring back the BSG! - 05/10/2011 08:55:32 PM 836 Views
Re: your 2nd irritating error for question 2 - 06/10/2011 04:12:49 PM 772 Views
Good poll, especially for this site. - 05/10/2011 08:11:10 PM 925 Views
Re: serial comma. - 05/10/2011 08:31:58 PM 802 Views
Maybe I was being a little anal there. - 05/10/2011 08:35:33 PM 775 Views
Same here - 05/10/2011 08:43:34 PM 680 Views
I think it's conventional to use a comma before "etc". - 05/10/2011 08:55:11 PM 756 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 08:33:06 PM 816 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 08:49:43 PM 876 Views
People should talk in a way that can be understood, else they are not communicating. - 05/10/2011 09:17:37 PM 865 Views
Re: "everyone's". ~winky~ *NM* - 05/10/2011 09:22:18 PM 399 Views
Is it time for my lecture on superfluous apostrophes again? - 05/10/2011 09:43:47 PM 774 Views
You mean your lecture on "superfluous" apostrophes. - 05/10/2011 09:53:31 PM 717 Views
As have I. Multiple times. *NM* - 05/10/2011 09:55:08 PM 382 Views
I am not stubborn, just true to my convictions. - 05/10/2011 09:56:39 PM 967 Views
Unsurprisingly, I don't really agree with you at all on this point. :p - 05/10/2011 10:29:59 PM 860 Views
I do not really think I am "right" on this one so much as "not wrong." - 06/10/2011 12:01:36 AM 780 Views
But contradictions are inherent in the entire English language! - 06/10/2011 01:25:39 AM 767 Views
Sure, but not deliberate ones created by grammarians who know better. - 06/10/2011 05:40:58 AM 780 Views
I'm going to listen to the others. - 06/10/2011 06:17:18 AM 788 Views
Like I say, I appreciate exceptions when justified (and again, only claiming to be "not wrong." ) - 06/10/2011 07:26:18 AM 678 Views
But you are wrong - 06/10/2011 02:17:40 PM 814 Views
that is OK he is very good at being wrong *NM* - 06/10/2011 03:43:23 PM 412 Views
I disagree. - 07/10/2011 12:15:14 AM 757 Views
How utterly unsurprising - 07/10/2011 02:21:38 PM 736 Views
"We want to be nothing if not persistent." - 07/10/2011 02:39:19 PM 786 Views
Doesn't matter. - 07/10/2011 03:12:14 PM 794 Views
What. - 06/10/2011 06:17:41 PM 862 Views
You called? - 05/10/2011 08:53:54 PM 851 Views
Grammar schmammar! - 05/10/2011 09:01:47 PM 885 Views
Wongy tip #77 - 05/10/2011 11:15:12 PM 750 Views
#1) I do not use NetSpeak while playing games, texting or using social media. - 05/10/2011 11:34:12 PM 754 Views
What about NateSpeak? *NM* - 06/10/2011 04:01:08 PM 368 Views
I did use that once to tell the story of you and CNRedDragon going to see Ice Princess. *NM* - 07/10/2011 01:46:50 AM 388 Views
A timeless classic. - 07/10/2011 01:53:36 AM 725 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 06/10/2011 01:17:28 AM 778 Views
Yes. - 06/10/2011 06:53:46 AM 715 Views
I forgot about "of" for "have." - 06/10/2011 07:31:11 AM 754 Views
I try - 06/10/2011 09:18:29 AM 808 Views
I freebase split infinitives on a regular basis. - 06/10/2011 01:53:36 PM 684 Views
The split infinitive is not grammatically incorrect. - 06/10/2011 02:04:34 PM 773 Views
I wish more people knew this. - 06/10/2011 07:38:46 PM 710 Views
Junky Grammar. - 06/10/2011 04:24:01 PM 706 Views

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