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The17pointscale Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Comma, hyphen, slash, or a combo?

0Hi, everyone.02br
02br
00How would you punctuate this:02br
02br
01font00Clearly, the 02font01a01font00one gene-one protein02font02a01font00 relationship does not apply to schizophrenia. 02font02br
02br
00One gene-one protein relationship? One-gene one-protein relationship? One-gene/one-protein relationship? One gene, one protein relationship? Some other way?02br
02br
00I'm leaning toward separating the 01i00one gene 02i00and 01i00one protein 02i00with a comma because the comma would then serve as a substitution for an implied 01i00and02i00: 01font00Clearly, the 02font01a01font00one gene [and] one protein02font02a01font00 relationship does not apply to schizophrenia.02font02br
02br
01font00Or if you're alienated by the scientific context, there might be the same issue with a sentence like this: 01font00They were a one child, one parent family.02font02font02br
02br
00Thanks for your insight!02br
02br
00-Andrew0-
  

Top answer

1font 00Hi Andrew,02font 02br 02br 00How would you punctuate this:02br 02br 01font 00Clearly, the 02font 01a 01font 00one gene-one protein02font 02a 01font 00 relationship does not apply to schizophrenia. 02font 02br 02br 00One gene-one protein relationship? One-gene one-protein relationship?

— Clive

  • 1font 00Hi Andrew,02font 02br 02br 00How would you punctuate this:02br 02br 01font 00Clearly, the 02font 01a 01font 00one gene-one protein02font 02a 01font 00 relationship does not apply to schizophrenia.
  • 02font 02br 02br 00One gene-one protein relationship?
  • One-gene one-protein relationship?
  • One-gene/one-protein relationship?
  • One gene, one protein relationship?
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2 Answers
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1font00Hi Andrew,02font02br
02br
00How would you punctuate this:02br
02br
01font00Clearly, the 02font01a01font00one gene-one protein02font02a01font00 relationship does not apply to schizophrenia. 0
0
0
0I think I would say "...one gene–one protein relationship...", with an en-dash.02br
02br
00Cf. the use of the en-dash in joint refs, e.g. "...the 17pointscale–MrP hypothesis..."02br
02br
00MrP0-
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