When do we add an hyphen (-) to a complex adjective word?
When do we add an hyphen (-) to a complex adjective word?
Here's are a few examples:
This is an Xbox-compatible game.
This is a Creation-Kit-compatible 3d asset.
This is a SkyRe-compatible Skyrim mod.
More often than not all these examples are used without a hyphen or hyphens. Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
hyphens
edited 13 mins ago
Jasper
18.3k43670
asked 1 hour ago
repomonsterrepomonster
1,005116
add a comment |
When do we add an hyphen (-) to a complex adjective word?
Here's are a few examples:
This is an Xbox-compatible game.
This is a Creation-Kit-compatible 3d asset.
This is a SkyRe-compatible Skyrim mod.
More often than not all these examples are used without a hyphen or hyphens. Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
hyphens
edited 13 mins ago
Jasper
18.3k43670
asked 1 hour ago
repomonsterrepomonster
1,005116
add a comment |
When do we add an hyphen (-) to a complex adjective word?
Here's are a few examples:
This is an Xbox-compatible game.
This is a Creation-Kit-compatible 3d asset.
This is a SkyRe-compatible Skyrim mod.
More often than not all these examples are used without a hyphen or hyphens. Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
hyphens
edited 13 mins ago
Jasper
18.3k43670
asked 1 hour ago
repomonsterrepomonster
1,005116
When do we add an hyphen (-) to a complex adjective word?
Here's are a few examples:
This is an Xbox-compatible game.
This is a Creation-Kit-compatible 3d asset.
This is a SkyRe-compatible Skyrim mod.
More often than not all these examples are used without a hyphen or hyphens. Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
hyphens
hyphens
edited 13 mins ago
Jasper
18.3k43670
asked 1 hour ago
repomonsterrepomonster
1,005116
edited 13 mins ago
Jasper
18.3k43670
asked 1 hour ago
repomonsterrepomonster
1,005116
edited 13 mins ago
Jasper
18.3k43670
edited 13 mins ago
Jasper
18.3k43670
edited 13 mins ago
Jasper
18.3k43670
18.3k43670
asked 1 hour ago
repomonsterrepomonster
1,005116
asked 1 hour ago
repomonsterrepomonster
1,005116
asked 1 hour ago
repomonsterrepomonster
1,005116
1,005116
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
This is not a question of grammar, but of style. Writers use hyphens with compound adjectives to avoid ambiguity so that the reader does not have to read and re-read a sentence to garner the meaning from it.
Consider:
John was a white bearded man.
Someone might try to parse this sentence at first to mean he was a white man who had a beard.
John was a white-bearded man.
This makes it quite clear that John was a man with a white beard, not a white man with a beard.
answered 1 hour ago
RobustoRobusto
11.9k22941
1
So both can mean the same thing, but the other is more precise in its meaning?
– repomonster
1 hour ago
1
Yes. Consider hyphenating compound adjectives as providing a courtesy to your readers.
– Robusto
1 hour ago
"John was a white-bearded man" does not rule out the possibility that John was a white man with a white beard.
– Jasper
11 mins ago
add a comment |
Robusto's answer is correct, I'm just adding another thought.
You asked:
Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
Robusto didn't quite address that question head on. While there is a lot of flexibility in punctuation, I would say any professional editor worth his or her salt would correct 'white bearded' to 'white-bearded'. Leaving out the hyphen is not optional.
Yes, in informal contexts, writers very often leave out the hyphens, either because they are unsure how to use them, or they forget. But that's not the same as saying they are optional. They are making a mistake which can lead to misunderstandings, and knowing how and why to use hyphens in compound adjectives places you at an advantage.
Finally, often with punctuation, we say "well, it doesn't exist in spoken English, so is it really required?"
But in spoken English there is an audible difference between
The white, bearded man.
and
The white-bearded man.
It's subtle, but it's there, and it makes all the difference to the interpretation of the sentence.
answered 46 mins ago
fred2fred2
2,867718
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "481"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f200601%2fwhen-do-we-add-an-hyphen-to-a-complex-adjective-word%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
This is not a question of grammar, but of style. Writers use hyphens with compound adjectives to avoid ambiguity so that the reader does not have to read and re-read a sentence to garner the meaning from it.
Consider:
John was a white bearded man.
Someone might try to parse this sentence at first to mean he was a white man who had a beard.
John was a white-bearded man.
This makes it quite clear that John was a man with a white beard, not a white man with a beard.
answered 1 hour ago
RobustoRobusto
11.9k22941
1
So both can mean the same thing, but the other is more precise in its meaning?
– repomonster
1 hour ago
1
Yes. Consider hyphenating compound adjectives as providing a courtesy to your readers.
– Robusto
1 hour ago
"John was a white-bearded man" does not rule out the possibility that John was a white man with a white beard.
– Jasper
11 mins ago
add a comment |
This is not a question of grammar, but of style. Writers use hyphens with compound adjectives to avoid ambiguity so that the reader does not have to read and re-read a sentence to garner the meaning from it.
Consider:
John was a white bearded man.
Someone might try to parse this sentence at first to mean he was a white man who had a beard.
John was a white-bearded man.
This makes it quite clear that John was a man with a white beard, not a white man with a beard.
answered 1 hour ago
RobustoRobusto
11.9k22941
1
So both can mean the same thing, but the other is more precise in its meaning?
– repomonster
1 hour ago
1
Yes. Consider hyphenating compound adjectives as providing a courtesy to your readers.
– Robusto
1 hour ago
"John was a white-bearded man" does not rule out the possibility that John was a white man with a white beard.
– Jasper
11 mins ago
add a comment |
This is not a question of grammar, but of style. Writers use hyphens with compound adjectives to avoid ambiguity so that the reader does not have to read and re-read a sentence to garner the meaning from it.
Consider:
John was a white bearded man.
Someone might try to parse this sentence at first to mean he was a white man who had a beard.
John was a white-bearded man.
This makes it quite clear that John was a man with a white beard, not a white man with a beard.
answered 1 hour ago
RobustoRobusto
11.9k22941
This is not a question of grammar, but of style. Writers use hyphens with compound adjectives to avoid ambiguity so that the reader does not have to read and re-read a sentence to garner the meaning from it.
Consider:
John was a white bearded man.
Someone might try to parse this sentence at first to mean he was a white man who had a beard.
John was a white-bearded man.
This makes it quite clear that John was a man with a white beard, not a white man with a beard.
answered 1 hour ago
RobustoRobusto
11.9k22941
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
RobustoRobusto
11.9k22941
answered 1 hour ago
RobustoRobusto
11.9k22941
answered 1 hour ago
RobustoRobusto
11.9k22941
11.9k22941
1
So both can mean the same thing, but the other is more precise in its meaning?
– repomonster
1 hour ago
1
Yes. Consider hyphenating compound adjectives as providing a courtesy to your readers.
– Robusto
1 hour ago
"John was a white-bearded man" does not rule out the possibility that John was a white man with a white beard.
– Jasper
11 mins ago
add a comment |
1
So both can mean the same thing, but the other is more precise in its meaning?
– repomonster
1 hour ago
1
Yes. Consider hyphenating compound adjectives as providing a courtesy to your readers.
– Robusto
1 hour ago
"John was a white-bearded man" does not rule out the possibility that John was a white man with a white beard.
– Jasper
11 mins ago
1
1
So both can mean the same thing, but the other is more precise in its meaning?
– repomonster
1 hour ago
So both can mean the same thing, but the other is more precise in its meaning?
– repomonster
1 hour ago
1
1
Yes. Consider hyphenating compound adjectives as providing a courtesy to your readers.
– Robusto
1 hour ago
Yes. Consider hyphenating compound adjectives as providing a courtesy to your readers.
– Robusto
1 hour ago
"John was a white-bearded man" does not rule out the possibility that John was a white man with a white beard.
– Jasper
11 mins ago
"John was a white-bearded man" does not rule out the possibility that John was a white man with a white beard.
– Jasper
11 mins ago
add a comment |
Robusto's answer is correct, I'm just adding another thought.
You asked:
Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
Robusto didn't quite address that question head on. While there is a lot of flexibility in punctuation, I would say any professional editor worth his or her salt would correct 'white bearded' to 'white-bearded'. Leaving out the hyphen is not optional.
Yes, in informal contexts, writers very often leave out the hyphens, either because they are unsure how to use them, or they forget. But that's not the same as saying they are optional. They are making a mistake which can lead to misunderstandings, and knowing how and why to use hyphens in compound adjectives places you at an advantage.
Finally, often with punctuation, we say "well, it doesn't exist in spoken English, so is it really required?"
But in spoken English there is an audible difference between
The white, bearded man.
and
The white-bearded man.
It's subtle, but it's there, and it makes all the difference to the interpretation of the sentence.
answered 46 mins ago
fred2fred2
2,867718
add a comment |
Robusto's answer is correct, I'm just adding another thought.
You asked:
Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
Robusto didn't quite address that question head on. While there is a lot of flexibility in punctuation, I would say any professional editor worth his or her salt would correct 'white bearded' to 'white-bearded'. Leaving out the hyphen is not optional.
Yes, in informal contexts, writers very often leave out the hyphens, either because they are unsure how to use them, or they forget. But that's not the same as saying they are optional. They are making a mistake which can lead to misunderstandings, and knowing how and why to use hyphens in compound adjectives places you at an advantage.
Finally, often with punctuation, we say "well, it doesn't exist in spoken English, so is it really required?"
But in spoken English there is an audible difference between
The white, bearded man.
and
The white-bearded man.
It's subtle, but it's there, and it makes all the difference to the interpretation of the sentence.
answered 46 mins ago
fred2fred2
2,867718
add a comment |
Robusto's answer is correct, I'm just adding another thought.
You asked:
Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
Robusto didn't quite address that question head on. While there is a lot of flexibility in punctuation, I would say any professional editor worth his or her salt would correct 'white bearded' to 'white-bearded'. Leaving out the hyphen is not optional.
Yes, in informal contexts, writers very often leave out the hyphens, either because they are unsure how to use them, or they forget. But that's not the same as saying they are optional. They are making a mistake which can lead to misunderstandings, and knowing how and why to use hyphens in compound adjectives places you at an advantage.
Finally, often with punctuation, we say "well, it doesn't exist in spoken English, so is it really required?"
But in spoken English there is an audible difference between
The white, bearded man.
and
The white-bearded man.
It's subtle, but it's there, and it makes all the difference to the interpretation of the sentence.
answered 46 mins ago
fred2fred2
2,867718
Robusto's answer is correct, I'm just adding another thought.
You asked:
Is this a case of people making a grammatical mistake or are both forms completely correct and it's just a matter of preference?
Robusto didn't quite address that question head on. While there is a lot of flexibility in punctuation, I would say any professional editor worth his or her salt would correct 'white bearded' to 'white-bearded'. Leaving out the hyphen is not optional.
Yes, in informal contexts, writers very often leave out the hyphens, either because they are unsure how to use them, or they forget. But that's not the same as saying they are optional. They are making a mistake which can lead to misunderstandings, and knowing how and why to use hyphens in compound adjectives places you at an advantage.
Finally, often with punctuation, we say "well, it doesn't exist in spoken English, so is it really required?"
But in spoken English there is an audible difference between
The white, bearded man.
and
The white-bearded man.
It's subtle, but it's there, and it makes all the difference to the interpretation of the sentence.
answered 46 mins ago
fred2fred2
2,867718
answered 46 mins ago
fred2fred2
2,867718
answered 46 mins ago
fred2fred2
2,867718
answered 46 mins ago
fred2fred2
2,867718
2,867718
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language Learners Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f200601%2fwhen-do-we-add-an-hyphen-to-a-complex-adjective-word%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
