atw: Re: Quick grammar question [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Damn you Howard-you've made me refer to the style manual. 
This is not so much a problem of hyphenation as one of linkage: you need
to show the reader that there is more to the phrase than the first word
indicates.
The style manual, using the examples 'non-English speaking countries'
and 'anti-harm minimisation stance' recommends using an en-rule when
linking one word with more than one other-not a hyphen. In the example
'district-specific'  the hyphen shows that the words form a compound
adjective: the hyphen in this case is used to avoid possible confusion.
With 'non' preceding, the chance of confusion is reduced and the en-dash
flags to the reader that a multi-word term follows.
 
*Conclusion:*
district-specific
non-district specific
 
This also deals with the problem of 'non-Department of Defence staff'. 
 
The further problem of whether 'non' is set solid or hyphenated is best
dealt with by consulting the dictionary. In a number of words, 'non' is
set solid (nonconforming, nonentity, nonlinear, nonlethal) in others
it's hyphenated (non-gaseous, non-fat). The big Macq provides an
exhaustive list that mostly serves to indicate that there is no rule!
For example: 'non-smoker' and yet 'nondrinker'.
 
'Non' becomes set solid with stem words, I assume, as the sense of
"nonness" becomes conventional in the language-people say they belong to
nonconforming churches but not to conforming churches-one assumes
because their conformingness is unremarkable. Similarly, more people
drink than nondrink and more people non-smoke than smoke.
 
Hyphens are used throughout in multi-word compounds like "I'm a
go-with-the-flow kind of guy".
 
Well, that's enough orthography for one day I guess. I hope it sheds
some light.
 
Bede

________________________________

From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Silcock, Howard
DR
Sent: Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:53 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Quick grammar question [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]


I thought this was all agreed. But now that an element of dissent has
appeared, I must jump in and support those preferring
'non-district-specific' to 'non-district specific'. The latter looks
ridiculous to me - it's natural to read the hyphen as linking only the
words it's directly attached to, so it looks as if it means 'specific to
non-districts'. And using 'non-district specific' alongside
'district-specific' would be even more ridiculous - if you put a hyphen
between 'district' and 'specific' in one you should certainly be
consistent and do so in the other.
 
More generally, I'd say there's a problem with attaching prefixes like
'non-' to multi-word phrases that don't already have hyphens. For
instance, if you refer to 'Department of Defence personnel', then it
might seem you could also reasonably refer to 'non-Department of Defence
personnel'. But to me that looks as ridiculous as 'non-district
specific' and for the same reason: it looks as if you're talking about
personnel from a non-Department dedicated to Defence matters, or maybe
just Defence personnel from a non-Department (whatever that is). In
cases like this, I think the only solution is to rephrase the whole
thing. 
 
Some people put 'non' in without any hyphen at all, but to me that looks
even worse, because 'non' isn't a word in its own right any more than
'pre' or 'anti' are.
 
And what about 'global'? That would be the best solution, I agree, as
long as it makes sense in the context. 
 
Maybe we should all just forget about this and look forward to our
holidays...
 
Howard
 
 

        -----Original Message-----
        From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jill Nicholson
        Sent: Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:17
        To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
        Subject: atw: Re: Quick grammar question
        
        
        No, only 2, it is non-district specific.
        In haste
        Happy Holidays/Xmas/Whatever Jill Nicholson
        
        N&H Communications
        2 Park Ave
        ROSEVILLE,  NSW 2069
        61+2+94174302
        jpnicho@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
        www.nhcommunications.com.au everyone
        Jill
         

                ----- Original Message ----- 
                From: Sonja McShane <mailto:smcshane@xxxxxxxxxxx>  
                To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
                Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 8:58 AM
                Subject: atw: Quick grammar question

                A quick question for the grammarish types. When there
are two categories of information, district-specific and
non-district-specific, do I put the two hyphens in the second one? I'm
pretty sure I do, but not 100%. (It's one of those
very-slow-to-get-the-brain-in-gear mornings!)
                 
                Thanks,
                Sonja
                 
                ___________________
                Sonja McShane
                Panviva Pty Ltd
                bh: (03) 9822 0555
                mb:  0413 769 548
                


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