WORD is hyphen happy

Azure Skye · Mar 21, 2007

Or maybe it's just me.

Word keeps telling me I need to put a hypen like so: 27,700-word...

I think it looks better without it because I use another hypen a few words after. I'm sure that is just me though.

So, in or out?

Rolling Thunder · Mar 21, 2007

Try using the word 'well being' a few times. It'll drive you mad.

maestrowork · Mar 21, 2007

If it's a modifier, than you need to hyphen:

"My 27,000-word novella is about a well-intentioned wizard." I can't think of any way "well being" would be used as a modifier.

Rolling Thunder · Mar 21, 2007

Azura is referring to MSWord putting hyphens in during spell/grammer checks, I believe.

Well being is one of those cases mine can't make its mind up on. As soon as I accept 'well-being' it loops back and says change it to 'well being', etc, etc.

SpookyWriter · Mar 21, 2007

Rllgthunder said:
Azura is referring to MSWord putting hyphens in during spell/grammer checks, I believe.

Well being is one of those cases mine can't make its mind up on. As soon as I accept 'well-being' it loops back and says change it to 'well being', etc, etc.

Did you add "well-being" to your MSWord dictionary?

maestrowork · Mar 21, 2007

I can't decide on well-being either. My guts tell me it's one word: it's a compound word, so there should be a hyphen.

SpookyWriter · Mar 21, 2007

maestrowork said:
I can't decide on well-being either. My guts tell me it's one word: it's a compound word, so there should be a hyphen.

Since the well being dry and all, we decided to get some water from the neighbors hose.

Rolling Thunder · Mar 21, 2007

No, didn't add 'well-being' to my dictionary, Spooky. It's just amusing the way WORD taunts me at times.

The two word spelling 'well being' and hyphened version both seem to be liked by FF define mode, Maestro.

Where's my hammer? :Hammer:

maestrowork · Mar 21, 2007

The reminds me of a funny story. I was having a debate over email with someone; and since he ran out of argument, he started to attack my English, and said, "Being is a noun, it means a living thing."

The sentence he was criticizing me for? Something like this:

"You just can't stand the fact that my being here is annoying you."

LOL. I told him he was an idiot.

Rolling Thunder · Mar 21, 2007

That reminds me of the words 'sat down'. I hear plenty of writers scoff at the combination; "Of course you sit 'down'! That's implied. Don't write it that way."

I sat up straight in my chair when I first heard that.

SpookyWriter · Mar 21, 2007

Rllgthunder said:
That reminds me of the words 'sat down'. I hear plenty of writers scoff at the combination; "Of course you sit 'down'! That's implied. Don't write it that way."

I sat up straight in my chair when I first heard that.

It all depends on how tense you are at the moment. :roll:

The Lady · Mar 21, 2007

Rllgthunder said:
Well being is one of those cases mine can't make its mind up on. As soon as I accept 'well-being' it loops back and says change it to 'well being', etc, etc.

I love to get my page free of those underline thingys and I often accept hyphens even where I'm not so sure about it, just to shut the damn machine up (fuguratively speaking). Two seconds later it's back telling me to change it around again. Sometimes I wish I could kill it.

Jamesaritchie · Mar 21, 2007

hyphen

Well-being usually should be hyphenated. There are times, however, when the words "well" and "being" can be side by side and have a different meaning. But if you mean something like "happy, healthy, prosperous," it gets a hyphen.

When in doubt, instead of thinking Word is bonkers, or instead of guessing, check a good dictionary. In this area, Word is usually right. But right or wrong, a dictionary will tell you.

Looks are not as important as proper punctuation, and when you think the two conflict, rewriting is the answer.

Flay · Mar 21, 2007

Azura Skye said:
Or maybe it's just me.

Word keeps telling me I need to put a hypen like so: 27,700-word...

That's standard punctuation.

Sandi LeFaucheur · Mar 21, 2007

The novel is 27,000 words.
The 27,000-word novel is rather short.

I can't decide on well-being either. My guts tell me it's one word: it's a compound word, so there should be a hyphen.

Your guts agree with the Collins dictionary: wellbeing is one word. (But it isn't hyphenated!)

Maryn · Mar 24, 2007

Once again the compound adjective rears its misunderstood head.

If you join two or more words into a single concept which describes or modifies a noun, hyphenate them if they come before the noun, and don't hyphenate if they come after the noun, unless it's needed for clarity.

That's why 27,000-word manuscript is correct, as is manuscript of 27,000 words.

You can test whether you've created a compound adjective by removing one of the words. If it still works just fine, it's not a compound. In this case, neither 27,000 manuscript nor word manuscript makes sense.

award-winning recipe is hyphenated, but simple nutritious recipe is not
hard-soled shoe, but brown oxford shoe
27,000-word manuscript, but brilliant short manuscript

Makes sense, no?

Maryn, who pasted this on the kids' bathroom mirror

WORD is hyphen happy

Azure Skye

Huh?

Rolling Thunder

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Rolling Thunder

SpookyWriter

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

SpookyWriter

Rolling Thunder

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Rolling Thunder

SpookyWriter

The Lady

Critical Member

Jamesaritchie

Flay

Sandi LeFaucheur

Maryn

Not Any More