atw: Re: Spaces before and after slashes
- From: Lana Brindley <lanabrindley@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:05:46 +1100
You inspired me to look up my Collins Dictionary for Writers and Editors:
*Oblique* (typog.) another name for *solidus*.
*Solidus* (Also *slash* or *oblique*) the symbol (/) used in dates
(e.g. 21/10/06), in fractions (e.g. 13/6), to separate alternatives
(e.g. and/or), on the Internet (e.g. www.bbc.co.uk/weather), etc. In
computing it is sometimes called *forward slash* to distinguish it
from *backslash*.
L
On 21 December 2010 10:06, LEWINGTON Warren
<Warren_LEWINGTON@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) does not mention the term "oblique" in
> reference to "slashes." CMoS also states the primary function of the slash is
> an informal abbreviation for "or" and as such should be used without spaces.
> Occasionally it can be used as "and" though still in the context of
> alternatives.
>
> It can also be used in hyperlinks and dates, and other such.
>
> There are no references to "oblique" in the CMoS I can find.
>
> My Cambridge Guide to English Usage says the Oblique line or stroke in
> technical writing is the "solidus."
>
> So there you go! I learnt something this week...
> Regards;
> Warren Lewington
> Technical Writer
> Compliance and Enforcement
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lana Brindley
> Sent: Tuesday, 21 December 2010 7:33 AM
> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: atw: Re: Spaces before and after slashes
>
> On 20 December 2010 23:54, bja <moo-man@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> As always though, it has to be taken in context. Generally speaking
>> though Daryl, it means and/or, not simply 'or' (but I do acknowledge
>> there many examples where it does actually mean 'or'-yes/no,
>> male/female etc-usually where the options are mutually exclusive).
>>
>>
>>
>> Also, I'm disturbed that you all seem to be latching onto the use of
>> the term 'solidus' to describe what I was taught was called an
>> 'oblique'. The 'solidus' is used in English currency and is at a
>> different angle to the 'oblique'.
>>
>
> The Australian Gov't Style Manual (6th edition, p109) says:
> <blockquote>
> The forward slash (also known as the solidus, oblique or slash) ...
> </blockquote>
>
> It does not explicitly state whether to space it or not, but all the examples
> in the book are unspaced.
>
> The Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition, section 6.111) says:
> <blockquote>
> The slash (/)--also known as the virgule, solidus, slant, or forward slash ...
> </blockquote>
>
> It states that slashes with spaces on either side are used to show line
> breaks in poetry, but does not advocate the use of spaced slashes in any
> other form. The only exception is this quote in section 6.112:
> "Where one or more of the terms separated by slashes is an open compound, a
> thin space before and after the slash is helpful."
>
> And while it's far from authoritative, I like the Wikipedia definition, which
> more or less sums it up:
> <blockquote>
> The most common use of the slash is to replace the hyphen or en dash to make
> a clear, strong joint between words or phrases, such as "the
> Hemingway/Faulkner generation". It is used to represent the concept "or",
> especially in instruction books. It is also commonly translated today as
> "and". Some references frown on this use, however.
> The slash is also used to indicate a line break when quoting multiple lines
> from a poem, play, or headline. In this case, a space is placed before and
> after the slash. For example: "Love alters not with his brief hours and
> weeks, / But bears it out even to the edge of doom".
> In an ordinary prose quotation, such a spaced slash is sometimes used to
> represent the start of a new paragraph.
> </blockquote>
>
> I declare we should all start calling it a virgule. Just 'cause I like the
> name.
>
> Lana.
>
> --
> Lana Brindley
> writer:speaker:blogger
> ------------------------------------------------
> In certain kinds of writing, particularly in art criticism and literary
> criticism, it is normal to come across long passages which are almost
> completely lacking in meaning.
> - George Orwell
> -----------------------------------------------
> http://lanabrindley.blogspot.com
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--
Lana Brindley
writer:speaker:blogger
------------------------------------------------
In certain kinds of writing, particularly in art criticism and
literary criticism, it is normal to come across long passages which
are almost completely lacking in meaning.
- George Orwell
-----------------------------------------------
http://lanabrindley.blogspot.com
-----------------------------------------------
Please avoid sending me Word, Powerpoint or Windows Media attachments.
------------------------------------------------
**************************************************
To view the austechwriter archives, go to
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To unsubscribe, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
"unsubscribe" in the Subject field (without quotes).
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