A hyphen or dash between words. Hyphen: em dash. How to type em dash, en dash and hyphen

The difference between a dash and a hyphen is really important issue. If only because the confusion that arises when they are mixed directly relates to typographers, publishers, linguists, writers, typesetters - a huge number professions. To some extent, dashes and hyphens concern each of us, because we are all readers, signers of postcards and speakers of our unique and only Russian language.

Both dashes and hyphens are punctuation marks. Dash- a sign that appeared in our language and writing thanks to the writer Karamzin. There is an alternative name for this sign - em dash. Hyphen– written spelling hyphenation, main function which is the division. A dash is never placed between parts of the same word, for example: brick red. IN in this example A hyphen is used as a sign separating parts of a word. The dash is used between words, that is, not at the lexical level, but at the syntactic level. In this case, the dash is separated from surrounding lexical units (words) by spaces. The hyphen is written together with both the preceding and the following word. The visual differences between a dash and a hyphen include their length: a dash is typographically longer than a hyphen.

Difficult cases of using a hyphen/dash include options with numerical intervals: were there 7-10 people in the room or 7-10 people? Or rather, the second option, since in this case a dash is inserted, but it must be inserted without spaces, contrary to general rule, like this: There were 7–10 people in the room. When marking a list in the text, dashes are also used, not hyphens.

Conclusions website

A dash is placed between words, a hyphen is placed between parts of one word;
A hyphen is visually shorter than a dash;
A hyphen is not separated by spaces; a dash is in most cases separated by a space on both sides;
The hyphen, unlike the dash, is not used as a mark; bulleted list and when designating numerical intervals.

Such a spelling sign as a hyphen came to the Russian language from German (“divis” is a typographic term). And this sign came into German from Latin language(“division”, that is, division).

Many people confuse a hyphen with a punctuation mark such as a dash. And this kind of confusion in writing can distort the meaning of what is written. The difference between these two, at first glance, very similar signs is quite large.

The hyphen means a “unit” sign, and the dash used to be called a “mental separating” sign. It was also called “trait” (not to be confused with “dash”). The dash was first used at the end of the 18th century by the Russian writer N. Karamzin. Some scientists called such a sign “silence,” while others called it “a sign of despair.”

The term “dash” came into Russian from French in the 19th century (“tiret”, a derivative of “tirer”, that is, to pull). The term itself was included in V. Dahl's dictionary in the meaning of one of the punctuation marks, which is used in writing in that part of the text where the writer thinks, wants to indicate an omission or introduce an addition or some kind of riddle into the text.

So, a hyphen is a spelling sign with connecting function. This sign is a short connecting line that is used inside a word (Ex.: The performance looked like a mystery concert.).

A dash is a punctuation mark in the form of a long line that separates individual parts of a sentence. When reading, a dash is marked with a pause. (For example: Such a concert is a real mystery for the audience.).

Very often in texts you can see hyphens between words and dashes inside a word. This is a gross mistake that sometimes writers simply ignore. Let's finally learn to distinguish them.
And this is elementary!

Hyphen- sign orthographic(like a letter) (-).
Written inside the words, short and WITHOUT spaces: once upon a time, online store.
This is what the transfer sign looks like.
(If you put spaces on both sides, this dash (-) is “read” as a dash.
BUT! The dashes have their own icons!)

Dash— a punctuation sign (like a period, comma, etc.). It is written c spaces.
There are two types - short(here -) and long(Here -).
There is NO dash on the keyboard. The short one is set by dialing Alt + 0150,
long - Alt + 0151 (but this is if there is a right panel on the keyboard. You can set it with a keyboard shortcut in Word).

The entire document (article, newspaper, book, magazine) must have uniform dashes.

En dash used:

1) Sometimes, for some reason, just INSTEAD of a long one*.

2) Between numbers - even if the dash is long throughout the document.
Between the numbers there is a short connecting dash WITHOUT spaces: 1995-2011; 5-6; 1.5-2.5; I-III.
There is ALWAYS a dash between numbers (never a hyphen).

3) To place a sign minus.
If the minus is between the numbers (for example, two minus one) - then with spaces:
2 - 1 = 1.
If about the weather (for example, minus 2 degrees) - without spaces:-2 °C.

Visual difference between icons: - - -

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* En dash instead of em dash is used mainly for aesthetic/design reasons. In some publications they simply “did it that way.”

Dash and hyphen between words denoting numbers

When two numbers in verbal form mean not “from such and such a number to such and such a number,” but “either this or another number,” then a hyphen is placed between the numerals. As a rule, these are numbers with a difference of one unit (but not necessarily). One or two days, eight or nine years. (That is, one OR two days, eight OR nine years.)

In other cases, we write a dash: two - four months, five - eight kilometers. (That is, FROM two TO four months, FROM five TO eight kilometers.)

On some sites, an em dash is achieved by placing a double dash.

Dash between words (as a connector)

Between words, dashes are ALWAYS written with spaces. Train Kharkov - Moscow.

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Literature:

D. E. Rosenthal. Handbook of spelling and style.
http://rosental.virtbox.ru/

Reference book for editor and proofreader, ed. A. E. Milchina.
http://www.az-print.com/index.shtml?FAQ&HelpBook/index

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EXERCISE

Since every time you put a dash through Alt+ inconvenient (and on laptops without the right panel it is completely impossible) - we set up the dash with a keyboard shortcut.

Open Word - file - options - ribbon settings - keyboard shortcut.
(Any one that is convenient for you. I even have several combinations. One of them is for an em dash - a double hyphen. Very convenient!)
Complete the exercise (check the appropriate icon).
In the 80s (90s) of the last century, people lived in trees.

To master this topic, I need only one (two) hours.
In ten (twelve) years the water will become much wetter.

I feel most comfortable at (minus) 25 °C.
A child can learn to read at 0.5()1 year.
Ticket price: Moscow()St. Petersburg()3.8 rub.

If numeric interval represented by numbers that follow one after another, a hyphen is used, for example, 1-2 days, 5-6 options. The rule states that a hyphen is written between numerals if the meaning of the conjunction “or” can be placed between them: one or two days.

If the numerical interval requires the omission of at least one digit or indicator, we use a dash (without spaces): 1–3 days, 10–15 percent. In this case, the conjunction “or” is not suitable in meaning, because This refers to an interval that can be represented by the prepositions “from... to”, “from... to”, “from... to”: from one to three days. We do the same with fractional numbers: 1.5–1.7 times.

Another option: the range of values is represented by words (which is much less common). Then we use the same signs as for numbers:

dash with spaces, for example, thirty - thirty-five people;
hyphen – in phrases like one or two, three or four.

Dashes and hyphens are also used in dates. Should be written with dashes and without spaces time interval type 2010–2014 and hyphenated 2010-2011, because in the first case several years are missing in the time period, and in the second the years follow one after another. In passing, note that writing a date like 2010–14 is not accepted, and it is appropriate to replace the word “year” with the abbreviation “years.”

The simultaneous use of both a dash and a hyphen will be justified in writing like 70–80s. Please note that the ending (-e) is written only for the last numeral, since the endings of both numerals coincide (seventies, eighties).

Spelling errors are quite common. difficult words, one part of which is represented by numerals. As soon as they write: and 50 year old, And 50 year old, And 50 year old! How should it be done? If we write the first part of the word with a number (50), then after the hyphen there remains the last word (-year), i.e. it should work 50 year old, 25 percent, 12 meter. And try to avoid writing like 1-seater or 2 times: It is better to write numbers up to 10 in words ( single, double).

Now - about when it is better not to use either a dash or a hyphen:

in numerical date intervals represented by numbers (dd.mm.yyyy). In this case, it is better to use prepositions: from 07/23/2014 to 08/30/2014. It is incorrect to write, for example, from 23.07 to 30.08.2014, 23.07–30.08.2014 or from 11 to 15.08.2014. In this case, it is better to write the names of the months in words: from July 23 to August 30, 2014 or from August 11 to August 15, 2014;
in cardinal numbers (correct: work 12 employees, wrong: work of 12 employees);
when recording calendar dates(Right: August 15, 2014, wrong: August 15, 2014);
when denoting numbers using Roman numerals (correct: VII All-Russian conference, wrong: VII all-Russian conference ).

Let’s not forget that if the day in a date is represented by a simple numeral up to 10, then it is better to write “0” before it in documents: from August 04, 2014, not from August 4, 2014 It is believed that this will prevent “attackers” from correcting the date by adding a new number, i.e. they will not be able to turn 4 into, for example, the 14th or 24th number.

A common mistake is the appearance of "g." after the date written numerically (correct: 01.08.2014 , wrong: 08/01/2014, because here the year is integral part specifying a specific date).

It is noteworthy that incidents occur not only with the correct spelling of time periods, but also with their correct understanding. And the reason lies in the fact that historical science seems to be the most “political”, because new winners often rewrite it, especially with a significant change in ideology.

Remember the abbreviation “AD.” It is used when they want to say that some events took place “before our era”, and some - already “in our era”. But back in the early 90s, my history teacher remarked sarcastically: “What kind of “our” era is this? And if this is “ours”, then what is “not ours”?” - and strictly ordered us to say “before new era", "new era".

And this era “appeared” in Russia after the revolution, when new government couldn't let people keep writing 1917 AD or 324 BC, which meant, respectively, 1917 from the birth of Christ And 324 before this significant event. So they taught us to write 324 BC

But in national history there were more dramatic changes in chronology, a change in coordinates often becomes necessary to change the worldview of the people. So, from January 1, 1700, by decree of Peter I, Russia switched to a new “Western European” chronology; the previous year was dated not in 1699, but in 7208 - at that time our ancestors had already counted several thousand years!

The wording of the date is often found in ancient documents. from the creation of the world(and at school they managed to teach us the idea that this means the creation of the world by God). But in lately The version that our ancestors counted down from some significant event, which they still remembered (and the world, in their opinion, was created by God even earlier), is gaining momentum. It's about about the creation of the world in the star temple, i.e. about the signing of a peace treaty after the great war.

A dash, as a rule, is used in non-union complex sentences to indicate the nature of the semantic connection between its parts. However, there are other cases of using this punctuation mark.

Dash placement is adjustable the following rules Russian grammar:

1. A dash is placed in sentences with a compound nominal predicate, between the subjects and the predicate. In sentences of this kind, the predicate, as a rule, is a generic concept in relation to the subject. For example:

Tiger is a predator;
The cow is an artiodactyl;
Birch is a tree;
My older sister is a teacher;
My older sister is my teacher.

Note 1. However, if the subject and predicate have a negative particle “not”, then the dash is not placed:

Poverty is not a vice;
A goose is not a bird.

Note 2. A dash is not placed between the subject and predicate if they are used in an interrogative sentence and the subject is expressed by a pronoun, for example:

Who is your mother?

2. If in a sentence the subject is expressed by a noun , and the predicate is an indefinite form of the verb (infinitive), or they are both expressed by an infinitive, then a dash is placed between them, for example:

To love you is to fray my nerves;
The desire of every person is to love and be loved.

3. Dash is placed before words “this”, “means”, “this is”, “here”, etc. in sentences where the predicate is expressed by a noun in nominative case or infinitive. As a rule, these words serve to connect the predicate to the subject, and also indicate that a comparison or definition will now follow, for example:

Desire is a person’s need, despite all adversity, to make his life better;
Romance is walking under the moonlight and eyes full of admiration;
Loyalty is the stronghold of the true human relations, trust is the stronghold of a strong family.

4. A dash is placed in sentences with enumerations before the generalizing word. For example:

Dreams, hopes, beauty - everything will be swallowed up by the inexorable passage of time;
Neither her tears, nor her pleading eyes, nor her sadness - nothing could make him come back.

5. A dash is placed before the application at the end of the sentence in two cases:

a) If before the application it is possible to put the construction “namely” without distorting the meaning of the sentence, for example:

I don't really like this animal - the cat.
In conversation, he demanded one thing - correctness.
I obey only one person - my father.

b) If explanatory words are used in the application, and the author needs to further indicate the independence of this construction, for example:

I had a cast iron teapot with me - my only joy in traveling around the Caucasus (Lermontov).

6. A dash is placed between two predicates or between parts complex sentence in the event that the author needs to unexpectedly join or sharply contrast them in relation to each other. For example:

I walked into the room, not expecting to see anyone there, and froze.
I'd rather go to Petka - and that's all.
I wanted to travel around the whole world, but I didn’t travel a hundredth part (Griboyedov).
I wanted to sit down to sew, but the needle pricked my fingers, I wanted to cook porridge, but the milk ran away.

Note 1. In order to enhance the connotation of surprise, a dash can also be placed after coordinating conjunctions that connect parts of one sentence. For example:

Book your vacation and move on to your family.
I really want to go there and meet them, but I’m afraid (M. Gorky)

Note 2: In addition, for an even greater surprise effect, a dash can separate any part of a sentence, for example:

And she ate the poor singer to pieces (Krylov).
And the grandfather threw the ruff into the river.

According to the rules of the Russian language, there is no need to put a dash in these sentences. However, it is staged only to better convey the meaning and reflect what actually happened.

7. A dash is placed between parts of a non-union complex sentence if the second part contains the result or conclusion from what was discussed in the first, for example:

Praise is tempting - how can you not want it? (Krylov).
The moon traced a path across the sea - the night lay like a light blanket.

8. A dash is placed between parts of a non-union complex sentence if between them there is a type of connection “subordinate part - main part”:

Call yourself a milk mushroom - get into the back.
The forest is being cut down and the chips are flying.

9. A dash is placed to indicate the boundary of decay simple sentence into two word groups. This is done only if it is not possible to isolate this decay by other means. For example:

So I say: do guys need this?

Very often, such a breakdown is observed when one of the members of a sentence is omitted, for example:

For good studies, Marinka received a trip to the sea, and Egorka received a new computer.
I willed it into my fist, my heart out of my chest, and I rushed after him.
Everything obeys me, but I obey nothing (Pushkin).

10. In addition, using a dash, the following are distinguished:

a) Sentences and words used in the middle of a sentence and serving to explain what is being said, but only if the parentheses can weaken the connection between the insertion and what is being explained, for example:

There was nothing to do, so I got into his cart.
Suddenly - lo and behold! oh shame! - the oracle spoke nonsense (Krylov).
And only once – and even then by accident – did I speak to him.

b) A common application if it comes after the defined noun and needs to emphasize its own independence, for example:

The senior constable - a gallant elderly Cossack with stripes for long-term service - commanded to “form up” (Sholokhov).
In front of the doors of the club - a wide log house - workers with banners were waiting for the guests (Fedin).

c) Homogeneous members of a sentence, if they are in the middle of a sentence and need special emphasis, for example:

Usually, from the upper villages - Elanskaya, Vyoshenskaya, Migulinskaya and Kazanskaya - Cossacks were taken into the 11-12th army Cossack regiments and the Atamansky (Sholokhov) Life Guards.
And again the same picture - lopsided houses, road potholes and dirty puddles- opened up to my gaze.

11. A dash can be used as an additional punctuation mark after a comma in sentences where there are two repeated words , and this repetition is needed in order to connect one part of this sentence with another. For example:

I knew very well that it was my husband, not some new, unknown person, but good man, - my husband, whom I knew as myself (L. Tolstoy).
Now, as a judicial investigator, Ivan Ilyich felt that all, without exception, the most important, self-satisfied people, were all in his hands (L. Tolstoy).

12. A dash is placed after a group of subordinate clauses before the main part of a complex sentence in order to emphasize the breakdown into two semantic parts. For example:

But whether it was worth it or not is not for me to decide.
Whether Stolz did anything for this, what he did and how he did it, we don’t know (Dobrolyubov).

13. Dash is placed in paired constructions, meaning any time, space or quantitative framework , and in this case it is synonymous with a pair of prepositions “from...to”, for example: