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Englishnewbie Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

A mini-paper a mini paper?

Hello.

The teacher assigned a mini paper (a mini-paper) on education.

Is there a hyphen here?

Thanks.

I ask because it is a mini-bus...
  

Top answer

Such things are not completely standardized. Merriam-Webster has minibus, miniseries, minipark, miniskirt, ... so, following that model, it's minipaper .

— CalifJim

  • Such things are not completely standardized.
  • Merriam-Webster has minibus, miniseries, minipark, miniskirt, ...
  • so, following that model, it's minipaper .
  • CJ
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3 Answers
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Such things are not completely standardized. Merriam-Webster has

minibus, miniseries, minipark, miniskirt, ...

so, following that model, it's minipaper.

CJ
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It's actually minibus, and there's also miniskirt.

However, those are well-established words.

When we informally preface other words with mini- to mean a smaller or shorter version, we use a hyphen.

So mini-paper would be good.

EDIT: Having just read Jim's reply, I see that we disagree. Great minds don't always think alike.
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Thank you both..

Especially enlightening me further on the complexity of English.

Ignorance is bliss.
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