Comments on: The en dash and em dash or How two goldfish came into — and quickly exited — my pre-wedding life

By: Nathan R

Nathan R — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:13:59 +0000

Thanks, Sheila. I smiled when I saw yoga and Pilates on your services page. People sometimes look at me funny when I tell them what I do: editing, typesetting, cover design—and children’s storytelling. But I figure a well-rounded person is always going to have some kind of unexpected hobby, right?

Interesting about the dash spaces. I’ve gotta familiarize myself with AP more. I’ve really only gotten familiar with Chicago, APA, and little MLA.

By: bloodywellwrite

bloodywellwrite — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 03:07:44 +0000

Most universities follow the MLA guidelines, but many (not all) journalists, newspapers, magazines and advertising agencies lean toward the AP Stylebook, which has a “dash” section that specifies putting a space on both sides of a dash in all uses except the start of a paragraph and sports agate summaries. It aids the eye when reading and perhaps dramatizes the intended pause. For space issues, though, it can sometimes be a real drag.

BTW, I checked out your design site — you do good work!

By: Nathan R

Nathan R — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 21:28:42 +0000

BloodyWellWrite: When using an em dash, though, almost always include a space on each side of the dash.

Where did this idea come from? I’d never heard it before. In all my university editing classes, and in all the publishing houses I’ve worked for, I’ve never been told to include a space before and after an em dash. I couldn’t find that prescription in Chicago either. Where did you learn it?

By: bloodywellwrite

bloodywellwrite — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:13:30 +0000

Love love love the “fish in the sea” response! And thanks for the kind words — this blog is fun to write and I’m glad that others find my weird sense of humor interesting.

By: Cecile

Cecile — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:44:29 +0000

I really liked your commentary and explanation here.

I had my own adventure with a goldfish named Mark McGrath (lead singer for Sugar Ray). I also thought that tap water was fine, go figure. I think I actually drowned him. I, too, had to flush Mark McGrath down the toilet. It was a sad occasion and I was in complete shock. My daughter came home and wailed, “You killed Mark McGrath! How could you?” All I could tell her was that there so many more fish in the sea!”

Anyway, thanks for your explanation on hyphens, en dashes and em dashes. I love all three and think it makes sense to have different uses for them.

—C

By: Jon Westcot

Jon Westcot — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:15:05 +0000

JJ, let me guess — you also prefer “creative” spelling… as long as the writer tried, it’s correct enough. Right?

WRONG! These formatting rules are there for a reason. They have meaning and purpose. Now, granted, the visual differences between an en-dash and a hyphen are slight, but they do exist. We should not be homogenizing writing standards that have been around since before movable type was invented. Instead, we should be teaching these rules and encouraging their use in all writing. Moreover, teachers at all grade levels should be grading students’ writings not merely on effort but on content, grammar, spelling, and proper punctuation and formatting.

There are times when I weep for the future of education in general and of writing in particular….

By: JJ Townsley

JJ Townsley — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:03:03 +0000

I still vote that we simplify things and combine the emdash, endash, hyphen, all into one functional character, with all the same rules. I see no point in having one line thats few pixels longer than another for only certain purposes!