Where have all the hyphens gone?

Question

As I go about my day-to-day business, I notice fewer examples of correct hyphenation.

Is it dying out?

I still hyphenate "to-day", for example, for which illiterates have the temerity to tell me off!

snnyaura
I don't mean to be picky BUT thanks should be thank-you !

actormyk

Well said;Do not these people realise that omitting hyphens can alter meaning !

An American-football game, is a game of American football; But an American football game, could be construed as meaning a game of soccer that just happens to played in America.

Answer 1

I thinhk, as with most usage, what starts out as out-of-the-ordinary and, hence, hyphenated, becomes more common and less hyphenated. I too have noticed the lack of hyphens in words such as self-conscious, co-ordinate, and back-to-back. But then I've also noticed fewer final -f's changed to -ves when making a plural, more split infinitives, especially with "not," no sense of when the subjunctive case is to be used and how, or what passive voice is. And I've noticed very little concern from people over these faults. When I taught college composition, I required a rough draft along with the final draft, but more and more I noticed that they were identical, because people compose at the keyboard. I considered changing the requirement to a "handwritten" rough draft just to re-acquaint my students with the feel of a pencil in their hands!

And don't get me started with the atrocious spelling in questions on this site! If you are too busy to write "you are" and have to save time by writing "u r" then you're just plain too busy!

Answer 2

Oh, my God, he's hyphenating! Call 911!

I don't mean to make light of your observation of the decline of the English language. But most people in the U.S. younger than fifty or sixty would consider hyphenating a medical condition of some sort.

Yes, as John says, let's keep those hyphens intact!

Answer 3

It's a round-a-bout this language-thing. More fashions than a mardi-gras. To-day this, to-morrow that. I must say I've never hyphenated to-day and my grammar (or grand-ma) is perfect. I wouldn't even consider hyphenating tomorrow and it is tomorrow that counts :-) (oops there goes a hyphen)

I'm sorry but it's get-a-life stuff, really.

On-the-other-hand what annoys me is the modern-day liberal usage of split infinitives. If I were elected benevolent dictator of the world, I would impose a death-sentence for people going to spurious and unnecessary infinitives.

A good friend uses Hallo instead of Hello. I've taken up using Hallow in response. Would that annoy you?

Answer 4

They-went-to-hyphen-heaven-

Answer 5

Yes, it would seem that people can no longer be bothered to hyphenate words properly. But, then again, in this age of text messaging, we cannot even be bothered to spell "thanks" or "see" correctly. Thx and c have become the common form. The hyphen, I am afraid, is a dying breed.

But, I commend you on your proper use of the comma (another dying breed) and the word temerity. :)

Cheers!

Answer 6

Perhaps with the grand shift in the social acceptance of sex before marriage in the last 34 years, the amount of remaining virpins obviously reduces the amount of hyphens intact...

Answer 7

Frankly, I think readable is more important than "correct", which is the reason hyphens are less used in recent history.

Answer 8

They're hiding round the pub... lazy hyphens. Blame them, not us!

Answer 9

dont you ever watch 'countdown' hyphens are a thing of the past, keep up
l-o-l

Answer 10

they'er here 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