Playgroup or play-group?

msd · Nov 20, 2014

I did a lot of research on how to use hyphens. I am so confused its not funny. Is it possible to simply avoid them altogether? I'm sure there are some that need them and the spell checker will let me know, however I get the impression that sometimes it's up to me. As long as I always spell it the same way.

Example:

Playgroup or play-group

Bufty · Nov 20, 2014

In the UK it is playgroup if you mean a pre-school children's playgroup.

A good dictionary - not ~~spell checker~~ spellchecker - is your best guide.

If it's a made-up combination it's up to you, and the Editor, but made-up hyphenated words can get tedious very quickly.

msd said:
I did a lot of research on how to use hyphens. I am so confused its not funny. Is it possible to simply avoid them altogether? I'm sure there are some that need them and the spell checker will let me know, however I get the impression that sometimes it's up to me. As long as I always spell it the same way.

Example:

Playgroup or play-group

Maryn · Nov 20, 2014

What my publisher does is pick one up-to-date dictionary (in its case, Merriam Webster's online version, which goes with playgroup) and go with however they spell or hyphenate. You won't be steering yourself wrong to do the same.

With compound nouns, there are always going to be some sources and people who spell it open--still two separate words--some who hyphenate, and some who close it completely (one word). Find a reliable reference, do what it does, and start a list for your own use so you don't have to look things up more than once.

Maryn, whose list grows and grows

King Neptune · Nov 20, 2014

Either what Maryn says, or just write it the way you like.

Rufus Coppertop · Nov 20, 2014

Either what Maryn and/or King Neptune say or what Bufty says. Apart from that I have nothing to say.

Fruitbat · Nov 20, 2014

I didn't look it up but I don't see why it wouldn't just be two words: play group.

blacbird · Nov 21, 2014

Worry more about whether you want to eat pasta or rice tonight. Seriously, this is the most trivial question I've ever seen posted on this site. No agent or editor is ever going to decide on rejection/acceptance based on something like this.

caw

King Neptune · Nov 21, 2014

Fruitbat said:
I didn't look it up but I don't see why it wouldn't just be two words: play group.

It could be.

evilrooster · Nov 22, 2014

blacbird said:
Worry more about whether you want to eat pasta or rice tonight. Seriously, this is the most trivial question I've ever seen posted on this site. No agent or editor is ever going to decide on rejection/acceptance based on something like this.

Yes, but sometimes people's internal editors get entirely blocked by this sort of question. And then it's not trivial, because it's in the way of the writing.

(I get that you mean "don't worry about it; it's just in your head that it's a problem", but our heads are also where we live, you know?)

jaksen · Dec 18, 2014

It's probably going the way of boyfriend, goodbye, daycare, bluebird and other once-hyphenated words. The more we use it and write it as one word, the more it will look and become natural for us to do so.

(Did you know that the novel Moby Dick was once Moby-Dick?)

And here's something I found on several sites concerning hyphenated words. I paraphrase:

'Since the (English) language is not always logical, often inconsistent, and rapidly changing with regard to hyphenated words, always check an up-to-date dictionary.'

Jamesaritchie · Dec 19, 2014

blacbird said:
Worry more about whether you want to eat pasta or rice tonight. Seriously, this is the most trivial question I've ever seen posted on this site. No agent or editor is ever going to decide on rejection/acceptance based on something like this.

caw

Well, in fairness, I think the OP is really wondering whether she uses hyphens correctly, and playgroup is just a test case.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 19, 2014

Bufty said:
If it's a made-up combination it's up to you, and the Editor, but made-up hyphenated words can get tedious very quickly.

Not really. Even made-up words should follow the standard rules for a hyphen. It's always good to give an editor as little to do as you possibly can. He'll love you for it, and curse other writers who don't do the same.

WriteMinded · Dec 21, 2014

We don't have play groups in the U.S. Don't have playgroups, either. So that takes care of that.

Craig McNeil · Dec 21, 2014

The OP is from Montreal. Last I heard it was in Canada which (correct me if I'm wrong here) isn't in the US.

It's playgroup btw.

gingerwoman · Dec 21, 2014

Microsoftt Word sure loves hyphens.

WriteMinded · Dec 22, 2014

gingerwoman said:
Microsoftt Word sure loves hyphens.

It loves those godawful ribbons, too. Should be banned.

blacbird · Dec 22, 2014

gingerwoman said:
Microsoftt Word sure loves hyphens.

Because compound words, those expressing a single concept, generally either need to be hyphenated, or directly combined, for simple clarity. I teach freshman-level English composition, and one of the chief problems I encounter in student writing is the use of words intended to be compounds, but unhyphenated and often, therefore, confusing. The MS-Word grammar checker is nowhere near perfetc, but it can alert you to problems you might not be aware of. Hyphenation is one of these.

caw

Playgroup or play-group?

msd

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Maryn

Baaa!

King Neptune

Rufus Coppertop

Fruitbat

.

blacbird

King Neptune

evilrooster

Wicked chicken

jaksen

Caped Codder

Jamesaritchie

Jamesaritchie

WriteMinded

Derailed

Craig McNeil

Sitting in the shadows

gingerwoman

WriteMinded

Derailed

blacbird