Hyphen
A hyphen is a punctuation mark represented by a short horizontal line, primarily used to connect two closely related words or to create compound words. It plays a key role in word formation, such as in self-esteem or brother-in-law, and can also appear in writing out numbers, like twenty-two and ninety-seven. Historically, the hyphen's origins trace back to Greek roots and its modern usage is attributed to Johannes Gutenberg's innovations in printing in the 1430s. The hyphen can often be confused with the en dash and em dash, which are longer and serve different purposes. Correct hyphenation can help avoid ambiguity in writing, particularly in instances of compound words containing duplicate letters or vowels. Some words may change in hyphenation over time, as seen with the transition from "e-mail" to "email." Overall, understanding the rules and applications of hyphens is essential for clear written communication.
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Hyphen
A hyphen is a punctuation mark that is most often used between two closely connected words. Hyphens may also be used with date ranges. Some style guides allow the use of a hyphen in place of an en dash, which is slightly longer than a hyphen, because most computer keyboards to not have a dedicated computer key for an en dash.
Overview
The word “hyphen” was derived from the Greek words “hupo,” meaning “under” and “hen,” meaning “one.” However, most texts copied by ancient Medieval scribes do not include a punctuation mark resembling a hyphen.
Scholars generally agree that the modern hyphen was created by Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the printing press in the 1430s. Gutenberg used a straight line between the two words to make their spacing on a page uniform and pleasing to the eye. In time, it became a punctuation mark connecting two words.
In modern times, a hyphen is a short horizontal line placed between or within words or between groups of numbers. It is the shortest of the three main straight-line punctuation marks; an en dash is longer than a hyphen, and an em dash is longer than an en dash. The hyphen’s similarity to an en dash and frequent changes in usage can make it difficult to know if the hyphen is being used correctly.
Hyphens are used when a word must be split at the end of a line of text. In general, words should be split between syllables and should not be split if either part will have a single letter or if only two letters will be carried over to begin the next line.
Hyphens are also used to create compound words, such as in words that combine two separate but related concepts, such as self-esteem, anti-American, half-circle, free-range, and shrink-wrap. Some words are only hyphenated when they are used as an adjective. For example, “We are looking for a pet-friendly apartment.”
Hyphens frequently appear in nouns that convey titles or relationships (editor-in-chief, brother-in-law). Some hyphens are used to avoid confusion when compound words have duplicate letters (hill-like) or two vowels together (co-insurance). This can be confusing because not all compound words are hyphenated and some that start out hyphenated later lose the hyphen. For example, a hyphen was once used in the word “e-mail” but was eventually dropped so that the word is “email.” Using an online dictionary is the best way to ensure correct usage.
Hyphens are also used in writing out numbers (twenty-two, thirty-four, ninety-seven). They are used to replace the words “to” and “through” when used with numbers and when numbers precede a noun, as in the sentence, “I’ll be on a two-week vacation from May 10-24.”
Other uses are to indicate that a word is spelled out (His name is spelled J-a-c-k) and to indicate stammering or stuttering (I’m c-c-c-old).
Bibliography
Craiker, Krystal N. “Hyphenated Words: Usage, Rules, and Examples.” Pro Writing Aid, prowritingaid.com/hyphenated-words. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.
Ellis, Matt. “Compound Words: Open, Closed, or Hyphenated?” Grammarly, 11 Nov. 2022, www.grammarly.com/blog/open-and-closed-compound-words/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.
“The Hyphen.” Butte College, www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/punctuation/hyphen.html. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.
“Hyphens and Dashes.” Education First, 2023, www.ef.edu/english-resources/english-grammar/hyphens-and-dashes/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.
“July and the Hyphen.” English Project, www.englishproject.org/july-and-hyphen. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.
“Punctuation: Hyphens and Dashes.” Western Michigan University Writing Style Guide, 2023, wmich.edu/writing/punctuation/hyphen. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.
“What Are Hyphens ( – ) And How Do You Use Them?” Thesaurus.com, 11 Mar. 2022, www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/hyphen/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.