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Subject:Does hyphenation make reading hard for ESLers? From:Bob Morrisette <Robert -dot- Morrisette -at- EBAY -dot- SUN -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 15 Feb 1996 08:27:14 -0800
Glenda Jeffrey writes:
Someone here claims that when English words are hy-
phenated across lines (like that), people for whom English is a
second language have more difficulty reading and comprehending the
text. Does anybody know if this is true? It would be great if you
could cite a reference.
------------------------------------------------------------
I'm surprised by all this discussion about hyphenation, as
if it is an accepted tool in technical writing. I don't believe
that hyphenation to break words at the end of a line has any
place in technical writing, unless you use narrow columns.
Hyphens are only speed bumps that slow down the reader, ESL
person or not. This is especially true in procedures.
Bob Morrisette
writer -at- sabu -dot- Ebay -dot- sun -dot- com
