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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
Attributive use of the hyphen
Have we any guidance to offer on when, and when not, to use an attributive hyphen?
thickly rouged mouth?
thickly-rouged mouth?
middle aged man?
middle-aged man?
the mild mannered man?
the mild-mannered man?
meaty faux tanned flesh?
meaty faux-tanned flesh?
cheaply perfumed skin?
cheaply-perfumed skin?
outdated bleached blonde curls?
outdated bleached-blonde curls?
knee high lace up boots?
knee-high lace-up boots?
ten gallon hat?
ten-gallon hat?
TIA
thickly rouged mouth?
thickly-rouged mouth?
middle aged man?
middle-aged man?
the mild mannered man?
the mild-mannered man?
meaty faux tanned flesh?
meaty faux-tanned flesh?
cheaply perfumed skin?
cheaply-perfumed skin?
outdated bleached blonde curls?
outdated bleached-blonde curls?
knee high lace up boots?
knee-high lace-up boots?
ten gallon hat?
ten-gallon hat?
TIA
Top answer
Father Ignatius wrote on 16 Apr 2005: [nq:1]Have we any guidance to offer on when, and when not, to use an attributive hyphen? thickly rouged mouth? [/nq] We discussed this a few weeks before your incyberation here, padre.
- Father Ignatius wrote on 16 Apr 2005: [nq:1]Have we any guidance to offer on when, and when not, to use an attributive hyphen?
- thickly rouged mouth?
- [/nq] We discussed this a few weeks before your incyberation here, padre.
- Never with adverbs ending in /-ly/ is one rule, it seems.
- [nq:1]middle aged man?
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7 Answers
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Father Ignatius wrote on 16 Apr 2005:
[nq:1]Have we any guidance to offer on when, and when not, to use an attributive hyphen? thickly rouged mouth? thickly-rouged mouth?[/nq]
We discussed this a few weeks before your incyberation here, padre. Never with adverbs ending in /-ly/ is one rule, it seems.
[nq:1]middle aged man? middle-aged man? the mild mannered man? the mild-mannered man?
[nq:1]Have we any guidance to offer on when, and when not, to use an attributive hyphen? thickly rouged mouth? thickly-rouged mouth?[/nq]
We discussed this a few weeks before your incyberation here, padre. Never with adverbs ending in /-ly/ is one rule, it seems.
[nq:1]middle aged man? middle-aged man? the mild mannered man? the mild-mannered man?
00
[nq:1]Have we any guidance to offer on when, and when not, to use an attributive hyphen? thickly rouged mouth? thickly-rouged mouth?[/nq]
No hyphen for compounds with "-ly" adverbs.
[nq:1]middle aged man? middle-aged man?[/nq]
Hyphen. ("There were three aged men. The ones on the left and right were bald, but the middle aged man..")
[nq:1]the mild mannered man? the mild-mannered man
No hyphen for compounds with "-ly" adverbs.
[nq:1]middle aged man? middle-aged man?[/nq]
Hyphen. ("There were three aged men. The ones on the left and right were bald, but the middle aged man..")
[nq:1]the mild mannered man? the mild-mannered man
00
[nq:1]Father Ignatius wrote on 16 Apr 2005: We discussed this a few weeks before your incyberation here, padre.[/nq]
Ach,szo? Thank you; I'll go check out Google groups.
[nq:1]Save for the two no-nos, they-all seem-right to-me.[/nq]
Thank you.
Ach,szo? Thank you; I'll go check out Google groups.
[nq:1]Save for the two no-nos, they-all seem-right to-me.[/nq]
Thank you.
00
[nq:2]Have we any guidance to offer on when, and when not, to use an attributive hyphen? thickly rouged mouth? thickly-rouged mouth?[/nq]
[nq:1]No hyphen for compounds with "-ly" adverbs.[/nq]
Is there a rationale for this rule, or is it pure convention?
Mike Nitabach
[nq:1]No hyphen for compounds with "-ly" adverbs.[/nq]
Is there a rationale for this rule, or is it pure convention?
Mike Nitabach
00
[nq:1]Is there a rationale for this rule, or is it pure convention?[/nq]
Since an adverb doesn't modify a noun, it is an article of general belief that -ly adverbs cannot be mistakenly interpreted as modifying the noun that follows the intervening adjective. If the -ly word can be used as both adjective and adverb, however, the situation isn't quite as clear. "The likely successful contestant"
Since an adverb doesn't modify a noun, it is an article of general belief that -ly adverbs cannot be mistakenly interpreted as modifying the noun that follows the intervening adjective. If the -ly word can be used as both adjective and adverb, however, the situation isn't quite as clear. "The likely successful contestant"
00
[nq:2]middle aged man? middle-aged man?[/nq]
[nq:1]Hyphen. ("There were three aged men. The ones on the left and right were bald, but the middle aged man..")[/nq]
Don't you think it interesting that all men are aged, but not all men are aged?
[nq:2]meaty faux tanned flesh? meaty faux-tanned flesh?[/nq]
[nq:1]Hyphen (and a comma after meaty wouldn't hurt).[/nq]
There's a bit of
[nq:1]Hyphen. ("There were three aged men. The ones on the left and right were bald, but the middle aged man..")[/nq]
Don't you think it interesting that all men are aged, but not all men are aged?
[nq:2]meaty faux tanned flesh? meaty faux-tanned flesh?[/nq]
[nq:1]Hyphen (and a comma after meaty wouldn't hurt).[/nq]
There's a bit of
00
[nq:1] [/nq]
[nq:2]Hyphen (indeed, two, if it's the bleaching rather than the curling that's supposed to be outdated).[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't agree with your paranthetical remark, but I can't put my finger on why.[/nq]
If it was the bleaching, wouldn't it be "outdatedly", with or without a hyphen between b&b? (Not that I hope ever to see it used for real). CDB
[nq:2]Hyphen (indeed, two, if it's the bleaching rather than the curling that's supposed to be outdated).[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't agree with your paranthetical remark, but I can't put my finger on why.[/nq]
If it was the bleaching, wouldn't it be "outdatedly", with or without a hyphen between b&b? (Not that I hope ever to see it used for real). CDB
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