The Dash

[Caroline Covington]

OK. I'm out of touch.

In technical and science writing, there are NO spaces either before or after the dash.

Diana Hacker, in her 1985 Rules for Writers states, "The Dash... Do not put spaces before or after the dash.

Fowler's (1998, Revised third edition) examples of the dash (p. 197) contain no spaces either before or after the dash.

Yet on the website "Editing Matters" (http://www.sfep.org.uk/pages/magazine_style_guide.asp), they state that the dash should now be an en dash with spaces before and after.

Also, the very kind people that review and edit my stories also place spaces before and after the dash.

God, I hate going against Fowler's... it's my bible.

So, what are your opinions on the dash and why? Please... contain your emotions and try to remain civil over this highly contentious subject.

Caroline

 

[Weird Harold]

Also, the very kind people that review and edit my stories also place spaces before and after the dash.

God, I hate going against Fowler's... it's my bible.

I put spaces before and after an em-dash, because not doing so sometimes confuses MS Word's spelling and grammar check.

However, when push comes to shove, your editor's changes are merely recommendations and it is you who has the final say on whether there will be spaces or not.

 

[Minervous]

According to my Chicago Manual of Style (13th edition, 1982) neither an em dash or an en dash has spaces around it. A 2-em dash might, if it comes at the end of a word, and a 3-em dash would, as it represents an omitted word.

I normally only use the em dash. Overuse it, probably. I never put spaces around it, other than if it falls at the end of a line in poetry.

 

[snooper]

I routinely put spaces round dashes, and round ellipses, since the dash is not part of the preceeding or succeeding word. This distinguishes the use of the dash to break up a sentence from simple hyphenation.

Many of the style guides are written for journalists and the golden rule in a newspaper is to save space and words.

 

[Verdad]

With an en-dash, I'd use spaces to distinguish it from hyphenation, but to the same effect I rather use the em-dash without spaces. I think that's as common in fiction as it is in other kinds of writing. Some prefer it in place of a semicolon, too, wherever possible.

But in the end it boils down to house rules. For Lit purposes, where there's no publisher who'd have a preference one way or the other, I believe whichever version you find more pleasing is right.

Verdad

 

[tanyachrs]

Correct usage is an em dash without spaces but we don't have one on our keyboards and text formats like this forum and email might not carry one over correctly even if you managed to get it in there. The most correct replacement for a real em dash is two hyphens (--) with no spaces, but we've all gotten pretty used to seeing a single hyphen (-) with spaces. If you're going to use a single hyphen, it had better have spaces around it so the reader realizes it's a dash and not a hyphen. Word does pretty well with double hyphens without spaces these days but is likely to turn them into real em dashes automatically so you'll want to check what came over when you upload.

OK alternatives:
some words--some words
some words - some words

poor choices:
some words -- some words
some words-some words

 

[snooper]

... an em dash ... but we don't have one on ... this forum ...

Why do you say we can't have – or — in this forum?

 

[Verdad]

OK alternatives:
some words--some words
some words - some words

poor choices:
some words -- some words
some words-some words

Just what I said, only clearer. : )

I have a question, though. Choice 1 is what I prefer, choice 2 is what I have no trouble accepting, and choice 4 is what I'd reject. What about choice 3, though? (An em-dash with spaces.) While I don't find it too, erm, dashing, is it incorrect?

Verdad

 

[Minervous]

http://www.getitwriteonline.com/archive/091502.htm

 

[tanyachrs]

What about choice 3, though? (An em-dash with spaces.) While I don't find it too, erm, dashing, is it incorrect?

It's technically incorrect. It wouldn't bug me too much if I saw it though.

 

[Seattle Zack]

It all depends on where it's being published, really, guidelines in the style guide of that particular publication or website. We use Chicago at the site where I work, which means em-dash no spaces, but sites like espn.com (I believe they use the AP Guide) use -- with spaces.

For a work of fiction, keeping it consistent throughout would be the main concern.

 

[WhiteWave48]

dashes and hyphens

*****

 

[Primeone]

em-dash

As has been said, it depends where you publish. The Australian Government Publishing Service 'house style' is unspaced em-dash. The house style of Penguin Books in Australia is spaced en-dash.

However, I go along with authors' preference—as long as they do not want a hyphen or two, spaced or unspaced.

Primeone