User:Zoeannl/Project guideline/Proofreader’s Guide/Dashes, Hyphens, and Minus Signs

There are generally four such marks you will see in books:

Hyphens. These are used to join words together, or sometimes to join prefixes or suffixes to a word. Leave these as a single hyphen, with no spaces on either side. Note that there is a common exception to this shown in the second example below.

En-dashes. These are just a little longer, and are used for a range of numbers, or for a mathematical minus sign. Proofread these as a single hyphen, too. Spaces before or after are determined by the way it was done in the book; usually no spaces in number ranges, usually spaces around mathematical minus signs, sometimes both sides, sometimes just before.

Em-dashes & long dashes. These serve as separators between words—sometimes for emphasis like this—or when a speaker gets a word caught in his throat——! Proofread these as an em-dash (from the pull-down menu) if the dash is as long as 2-3 letters (an em-dash) or use {{bar}} for a custom length. {{bar|3}} looks like this———. Don't leave a space before or after, even if it looks like there was a space in the original book image.

If used within a template, an em-dash needs to be placed in curly brackets or it interferes with the template.

E.g.

{{sc|Vol 1.{{—}}a}}
Vol 1.—a

Deliberately Omitted or Censored Words or Names. If represented by a dash in the image, proofread these as an equivalent length {{bar}}. When it represents a word, we leave appropriate space around it like it's really a word. If it's only part of a word, then no spaces—join it with the rest of the word.

See also the guidelines for end-of-line and end-of-page hyphens and dashes.

References

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Examples—Dashes, Hyphens, and Minus Signs:

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  • Page:The Gradual Acceptance of the Copernican Theory of the Universe.djvu/138
Original Image: Correctly Proofread Text: Type
semi-detached semi-detached Hyphen
three- and four-part harmony three- and four-part harmony Hyphens
discoveries which the Crus-
aders made and brought home with
discoveries which the Crusaders made and brought home with Hyphen
factors which mold char-
acter—environment, training and heritage,
factors which mold character—environment, training and heritage, Hyphen & Em-dash
See pages 21–25 See pages 21-25 En-dash
It was –14°C outside. It was -14°C outside. En-dash
X – Y = Z X - Y = Z En-dash
2–1/2 2-1/2 En-dash
—A plague on both your houses!—I am dead. —A plague on both your houses!—I am dead. Em-dashes
sensations—sweet, bitter, salt, and sour—
if even all of these are simple tastes. What
sensations—sweet, bitter, salt, and sour—if even all of these are simple tastes. What Em-dashes
senses—touch, smell, hearing, and sight
—with which we are here concerned,
senses—touch, smell, hearing, and sight—with which we are here concerned, Em-dashes
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun—! It is the east, and Juliet is the sun—! Em-dash
how a—a—cannon-ball goes———" how a—a—cannon-ball goes{{bar|3}}" Em-dashes, Hyphen, & Long Dash
"Three hundred———" "years," she was going to say, but the left-hand cat interrupted her. "Three hundred{{bar|3}}" "years," she was going to say, but the left-hand cat interrupted her. Long Dash
As the witness Mr. ——— testified, As the witness Mr. {{bar|3}} testified, Long Dash
As the witness Mr. S—— testified, As the witness Mr. S{{bar|2}} testified, Long Dash
the famous detective of ——B Baker St. the famous detective of {{bar|2}}B Baker St. Long Dash
“You ——— Yankee”, she yelled. "You {{bar|3}} Yankee", she yelled. Long Dash
“I am not a d—d Yankee”, he replied. "I am not a d—d Yankee", he replied. Em-dash