RE: Hyphen in command-line utility?

Subject: RE: Hyphen in command-line utility?
From: "Pinkham, Jim" <Jim -dot- Pinkham -at- voith -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:09:20 -0600


Sonja, I think it's more preference than reference at this juncture,
unless you have a house style or default stylebook that says otherwise.
When uncertain, erring on the side of clarity is the best practice, in
my book.

I do prefer to hyphenate compound modifiers, generally, but even my
increasingly venerable Chicago Manual of Style (13th ed., 6.24 to 6.32)
offers general principles and suggests the trend at that time (1982) was
to "spell compounds solid as soon as acceptance warrants their being
considered permanent compounds." In the latest CMOS, the use of the
hyphen in compound words and names and in word division is discussed in
5.92-93 and in chapter 7, especially 7.33-45 and 7.82-90.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jim -dot- pinkham=voith -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jim -dot- pinkham=voith -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Sonja McShane
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 8:03 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Hyphen in command-line utility?

Hello,



I've just resubscribed after many years away from this list and very
much look forward to being part of it again.



For now, after much searching in archives and the Internet, I need to
know definitively if I should hyphenate "command-line utility". I know
the compound modifier 'command line' can't be misinterpreted if it's not
hyphenated, but I really, really feel the need to hyphenate it anyway.



I very much look forward to some authorative answers, and any references
as well.



Thanks very much,

Sonja



Sonja McShane

Senior Technical Writer

Space-Time Research Pty Ltd

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats
or printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista &
2007 Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as Jim -dot- Pinkham -at- voith -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/jim.pinkham%40voith.c
om


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.


Previous by Author: RE: STC Salary data collection
Next by Author: Re: Framemaker quickstart
Previous by Thread: Re: Hyphen in command-line utility?
Next by Thread: Re: Hyphen in command-line utility?


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads