McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

The Hyphen

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Dresdenus Prime:
I've noticed some authors use hyphens in their work, and forgive me if I should know exactly what it's used for, but I don't. Could anyon ellaborate on why hyphens are used as opposed to commas or semicolons?

LizW65:
A hyphen is used to connect a two-part word, such as two-part.
A double hyphen, or m-dash, is used to connect two separate thoughts in the same sentence, as in:
"It's going to rain today--I'd better carry an umbrella."

Dresdenus Prime:
Okay, I know about using the hyphen to connect certain words, but I'm not so aware of the one to connect thoughts. Here are two examples of what I'm talking about. This comes from the third book of the Iron Duid Chronicles so be aware of any minor spoilers;

(click to show/hide)That blow had clearly been intended to take my head off or punch a hole through my chest-or something equally fatal.
(click to show/hide)Sure, the beard was being controlled magically, but that magic was targeting the hair, not me, and apart from being completely gross, such hair could constrict my windpipe every bit as effectively as a length of rope-and there were twelve such lengths reaching for me now.
Is this the two seperate thoughts you speak of? If I had written this, I would have used commas, so would I have technicaly written it incorrectly? Or is writing that way a matter of personal taste?

Snowleopard:
Is not a hyphen also used when you have a long word and reach the end of a sentence and have to continue
the word on the next line?  You put a hyphen in. 
It's been a loooooooonnnnggg time since College English.

Dresdenus Prime:

--- Quote from: Snowleopard on October 24, 2011, 07:21:02 AM ---It's been a loooooooonnnnggg time since College English.

--- End quote ---

I know right??!!!  :o

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