hyphenated compound nouns

Should it be hyphenated or left as single words, or just the three words (numeral)-year-old hyphenated with child being the noun? If the story took place in a modeling contest, prize physiquemight make sense, but this one doesn’t, so we need a hyphen to add clarity. Hyphens in Compound Nouns. This is why I feel that “language-lover” does require a hyphen. Thus, if we hear “I’m going to the well today”, as long as we know that the speaker is an oil worker (and not a drawer of water), it is perfectly understood that well means oil well and the terms are interchangeable. Compound nouns are of three kinds: open, hyphenated, and closed. The Three Types of Compound Words Open compounds are written as separate words, such as “school bus” and “high school.” Hyphenated compounds, such as “merry-go-round” and “well-being,” are the second type. But two of the open compound words, “ice cream” and “high school,” are commonly used as adjectives as well, as in “ice cream social” and “high school student.” Examples include six-pack, five-year-old, and son-in-law. Compounds are also frequently hyphenated in compound adjectives like "funny-looking" or "sun-bleached," but are typically left open when the first element is an adverb, as in "lightly salted peanuts." (Examples: roof insulation, steam engine, heart attack and oil well). Hyphens in Compound Adjectives The words in a compound adjective (a single adjective made up of two or more words) can be linked together by hyphens to show they … All Right Reserved. With compound adjectives formed from the adverb well and a participle (e.g. ‘My wife and daughter are both blue-eyed.‘ Compound nouns are words which give a name to something. For variations of these compound nouns, e.g., rest house, reference book, always check the dictionary for proper spelling. A compound noun is a noun that is composed of two different words. The tendency to hyphenate all compound adjectives is different from compound nouns since compound nouns are not always hyphenated. … Compound modifiers that contain a past participle also follow the same rules as any other compound modifier. As a broad rule, when a compound adjective appears after the noun it modifies, that is, in the predicative position, it will not be hyphenated. Usually, a compound noun will contain a noun as one of its elements. The two words are often adjectives or nouns, and can be used by themselves, but combined with a hyphen they represent a different thing. Minutes later, I was reading an entry, and I noticed the second error repeated therein: “The word denotes a well-informed language-lover and word connoisseur.” This time — assuming the author, while reading the proof, had not overlooked a copy editor’s erroneous insertion — the culprit was Garner himself. I agree on “word choice” (there should be no hyphen) but disagree on “language-lover” (hyphen required in my opinion). And not jacket copy writer or jacket copywriter? Many veterinarians find meat-fed cats to be quite healthy. Writers using familiar compound verbs and nouns should consult a dictionary or look online to decide if these verbs and nouns should be hyphenated. These are often referred to as closed or solid compound nouns. well-known), or from a phrase (e.g. Sometimes, more than … For example, sing-along is a compound formed from a verb and an adverb, but it functions as a noun: . However, a fireman’s wife would never describe her husband as a “fighter”, we would not point to the birds gathering on the “table” and we would not leave our car in the “park”. Incidentally, I heartily agree with Sarah Turner on “no-one” (in preference to the often-used “no one”, which to my mind has a different meaning (e.g “Of the many ideas put forward, no one solution on its own was seen as workable”), and I also favour “co-operate”, though I note that “cooperate” is considered correct in the US and find that it increasingly being used in the UK too (along with coordinate, proofread, etc., etc.) I speak and write American English, and my posts almost invariably represent that bias, hence my reference to the obsolescence of co-operate. See the use of “gotten”, for example. And if we were discussing a watch’s suitability for use while swimming, we would not talk of its “resistance”, even though the context made it clear that resistance to dust or shocks was not being referred to. You'll also get three bonus ebooks completely free. be dropped. It is also acceptable (and preferred by most writers) to write compound nouns either as two separate words or joined up to make one word. hyphens: compound nouns A compound noun is simply a compound that functions as a noun. Many writers insert a hyphen in “decision making,” “problem solving,” and the like, though such treatment is justified only when the compound modifies a following noun (“decision-making apparatus,” “problem-solving skills”). Use a hyphen when the compound goes before the verb it modifies: Examples: The municipal government is funding a community-based education system. However, if the compound adjective comes after the noun, the relationships between the words may be intelligible without a hyphen (e.g., counseling that is client centered). Compound nouns comprised of a noun and a participle (in any order) must be hyphenated when being used as an adjective: a garden-filled city, cutting-edge methods. of word-choice.”. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen “co-operate”, except hyphenated across a line-break…. A compound is a word or word group that consists of two or more parts that work together as a unit to express a specific concept. Hyphen in a Compound Expression With a Noun and Past Participle. However, similar noun+verb compounds, like eye-opener, are valid. However, this was in the 1970s. Not so. I wondered whether Garner had noticed these errors when he received his first copy. Wind-powered generators can be excellent sources of electricity. Many compounds begin as open, progress to hyphenated, and finish as closed. Common examples are “part-time,” “high-speed,” and “editor-in-chief.”. On the question of American English having retained old usage long-since discarded this side of the Atlantic, Bill Bryson’s book “Mother tongue” gives some interesting examples. Closed compounds are those written as single words, with no hyphenation. Not that anyone would interpret it that way, but without the hyphen, the emphasis of how you read it to yourself would make it seem that the language was well-informed, not the lover of the language (an absurdity, of course). In the above example from 1984, the result would be prize physique and fighter’s physique. 18 Dec. 2020. STANDS4 LLC, 2020. In many cases, though, styling is a question of taste and tradition. We truly appreciate your support. After all, most communication takes place in reports, emails, and instant messages. The book’s description refers to its attention to “questions . Hyphenate nouns or adjectives beginning with the prefixes ex (meaning "former"), self, all and quasi: 1. ex-wife 2. ex-premier Getty 3. self-control 4. self-assured 5. all-inclusive 6. all-powerful 7. quasi-judicial 8. quasi-stellar However, when self is the base word to which a suffix is added, do nothyphenate: 1. selfish 2. selfhood 3. selfsame 4. selfless Most hyphenation in compound adjectives occurs when the compound adjective comes before the noun, that is, in the attributive position. It was published in the United Kingdom, whose form of English (the oldest among nations where English is widely spoken, though that doesn’t make it the definitive form) has only recently begun to veer from favoring such constructions. You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! Applying this approach, I developed the following arguments on this subject: Where the main nouns in word pairs can stand alone, either generally or in a context that helps to define them, there is no need for a hyphen. No-one (that’s no-one not noone) writes cooperate in the UK. Compound words can be written in three ways: as open compounds (spelled as two words, e.g., ice cream), closed compounds (joined to form a single word, e.g., doorknob), or hyphenated compounds (two words joined by a hyphen, e.g., long-term). The rules on whether to use a hyphen, a space, or nothing between the words in a compound noun are inconsistent. But I am curious to know why you wrote A compound noun is a noun that is made with two or more words. I was taught at school (in UK) that hyphens were required where the attachment of prefixes without could modify pronunciation due to vowel combination. I have to say hyphenation of compound words in English is completely arbitrary. jacket-copy writer. However, similar noun+verb compounds, like eye-opener, are valid. Compound nouns can be made up of two or more other words, but each compound has a single meaning.They may or may not be hyphenated, and they may be written with a space between words—especially if one of the words has more than one syllable, as in living room.In that regard, it’s necessary to avoid the over-simplification of saying that two single-syllable words are written together … Whenever I see hyphenated compound nouns such as this, I feel as if I’m being whisked in a time machine to a bygone era in which hyphenation of word pairs was rampant: to-day, co-operate, tea-cup, and so on. Unlike regular nouns, a compound noun is made up of two words. Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! The municipal government is funding a community-based education system. https://www.grammar.com/hyphens-and-compound-nouns. As a writer, if you’re struggling with hyphens in long modifier chains, moving the modifier to the end of the phrase can help untangle more obscure or dense sentences. Hyphenated compound words are the ones (obviously) with a hyphen between the words. Compound adjectives are usually hyphenated. An online search for “language lover” yields one hyphen-free usage after another, which confirms my opinion that in American English, at least, the hyphen is extraneous. . For example, “well-being” is a hyphenated compound word because it connects two words together with a hyphen. up-to-date), you should use a hyphen when the compound comes before the noun: well-known brands of coffee. Here are a few examples of common hyphenated compound words: As the names imply, “open compounds” are written as separate words, “hyphenated compounds” are written with one or more hyphens, and “closed compounds” are written as a single word. I beg to differ: “no one” and “cooperate” are the primary spellings listed in the OED. Most Not Hyphenated Most compound nouns are not hyphenated: master builder fellow employee attorney general. Hyphenated Compound Noun; Hyphenated compound nouns are those words that are connected by one or more hyphens such as sister-in-law, mother-in-law, jack-in-the-box, state-of-the-art, brother-in-law, shout-out, mind-set, five-year-old, etc. If the words don’t make sense without each other, you should hyphenate them. Being a translation quality manager by profession, but with no formal training in linguistics, semantics or other relevant specialised fields, I have developed my own rules on the basis of wide reading experience, study of established (British) reference works and the application of logic. But that doesn’t have to be the case. It is necessary to hyphenate compound adjectives because without the hyphenation, the modifier would be read differently. It’s always written as co-operate. The most important thing is to choose one style of writing a compound noun and to use this style consistently throughout a … Sometimes compound nouns are connected with a hyphen: dry-cleaning, daughter-in-law, and well-being are some examples of hyphenated compound nouns. . Open Form: These are compound nouns that function as one unique word, but are still written as two or more separate words, with a space between each component. Compounds - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary So I appreciate being brought up to date by columns such as this one and probably will start to adopt “cooperate” and coordinate”, though I still resist “no one” (= nobody) for the reason I give above. Check your text and writing for style, spelling and grammar problems everywhere on the web! Over time, many hyphenated compounds become closed compounds— teen-ager became teenager for instance. Noun–noun compound modifiers may also be written without a hyphen when no confusion is likely: grade point average and department store manager. I was reading the jacket copy for Garner’s Modern American Usage, the successor to the similarly titled classic reference work by H.W. There’s just one error: In the third-last paragraph, you used the word “alternate” when you meant “alternative.”, Copyright © 2020 Daily Writing Tips . Twenty examples of hyphenated compound nouns are listed below. C… If I wished to use copywriter, I would say “book-jacket copywriter,” which would also be correct in this context. No-one (that’s no-one not noone) writes cooperate in the UK. For example, it helps us know if somebody sa… Thanks for your vote! Web. Grammar.com. Only then did I realize I had fallen into a trap that the English language often lays for the erudite and the inexperienced alike: the expectation that it will be consistent. A hyphenated compound is made from two words in English combined by a hyphen. Many writers insert a hyphen in “decision making,” “problem solving,” and the like, though such treatment is justified only when the compound modifies a following noun (“decision-making apparatus,” “problem-solving skills”). Since "golf ball" is a compound noun we consider it as a single noun and so it has a single main stress - on the first word. Subscribers get access to our archives with 800+ interactive exercises! 3. Why on earth, I thought, did the copywriter think that word-choice merits hyphenation? The garden-filled city of Toowoomba attracts many tourists. (And we don’t hyphenate no-one.). It’s now more important than ever to develop a powerful writing style. The hyphenation of word-choice is unequivocally wrong, but who is to say that Garner and the jacket-copy writer erred with language-lover? Continuing to read the copy, I stumbled once again, while reading a reference to “language-lovers of all persuasions.” By this time, I thought it unfortunate that a book that purports (with eminent justification) to be a trusted authority on proper usage should have two superfluous hyphens in the jacket copy. Stress is important in compound nouns. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. Check a dictionary if you’re not sure whether to use a hyphen or not. “Jacket copywriter” implies someone who crafts prose to be printed on coats. Fowler, when I found what I felt to be an ironic instance: an error. And then there are hyphenated compound words that always take hyphens: sister-in-law, merry-go-round, self-esteem. Rule 3. Improve your grammar, vocabulary, and writing -- and it's FREE! Aide-de-camp; Merry-go-round; Coat-of-male; Commander-in-chief; Forget-me-not; Touch-me-not; Knight-errant; Knight-templar; Man-of-war; Good-for-nothing; Father-in-law; Lord-justice; Lord-lieutenant; Passer-by; Hanger-on; Looker-on; Happy-go-lucky; Tug-of-war; Pick-me-up; Go-between Hyphenated Form: These compound nouns connect two or more words with one or more hyphens between them. I don’t know whether the house style guide of the Oxford University Press, which published Garner’s book, covers this point, but now I know why, in that work, a hyphen appears in language-lover: It was published in the United Kingdom, whose form of English (the oldest among nations where English is widely spoken, though that doesn’t make it the definitive form) has only recently begun to veer from favoring such constructions. American English is very often an older form, long obsolete in British English, which long along “veered from favouring such constructions.” (And sometimes veers back again, under American influence). Compound nouns tend to have more stress on the first word. Complete Words Others have migrated and become complete words, spelled as one word, with no hyphen: headache checkbook boardinghouse clearinghouse. Compound nouns are formed by the combination of two words. So in the terms “fire-fighter”, “bird-table”, “car-park”, and “water-resistance” the two nouns are indissociable and therefore require a hyphen. Sometimes you separate them out into two words, sometimes you put them together, sometimes you separate with a hyphen. One easy way to tell if you should use a hyphen is to pair each describing word on its own with the noun it’s describing. Grammarly says hyphenating is necessary for a compound adjective before a noun as follows. And I left the UK in 1990. An often overlooked rule for hyphens: The adverb very and adverbs ending in ly are not hyphenated. A compound noun is a word made up of two separate nouns. The latter, because “one-year-old” modifies child. All completely just based on the standard of the moment, and language is constantly in flux. (Bear in mind that I am British.). Otherwise, no hyphens are needed. Let’s look at this concept using our above examples. In the compound noun "golf ball", the first word is stressed more (even though both words are nouns, and nouns are always stressed). A single noun made up of two or more words is called a compound noun (e.g., cooking-oil, pickpocket). [17] When a compound modifier follows the term to which it applies, a hyphen is typically not used if the compound is a temporary compound. Hence, co-operate, co-ordinate, no-one, pre-empt, etc. Authors are usually given the opportunity to proof their books, and occasionally have a chance to weigh in on the cover art, but rarely, if ever, do they get to see jacket copy before publication. I don’t think language-lover should be hyphenated in general, but in the phrase “well-informed language-lover” I think it is very acceptable to hyphenate in order for “well-informed” to modify “a lover of languages” and not just “language”. What is the correct way of writing one-year-old-child (or two, three, four etc.)? Compound nouns are sometimes one word, like toothpaste, haircut, or bedroom. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Most Not HyphenatedMost compound nouns are not hyphenated: Complete WordsOthers have migrated and become complete words, spelled as one word, with no hyphen: For variations of these compound nouns, e.g., rest house, reference book, always check the dictionary for proper spelling.Hyphenated Compound NounsSome compound nouns are hyphenated: Previous: Hyphens and Compound Words Next: Hyphens and Compound Adjectives. While compound nouns do not require hyphens, some people prefer to use them. However, a hyphenated compound noun joins these two words with a punctuation mark called a hyphen. In the case of language-lover, the term does not appear in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, nor does it grace Chicago’s pages. Compounds can be formed by combining two or more words (as in double–check, cost–effective, farmhouse, graphic equalizers, park bench, around–the–clock, or son of a gun), by combining prefixes or suffixes with words (as in ex–president, shoeless, presorted, or uninterruptedly), or by combining two or more word elements (as in macrophage or photochromism). or, in the absence of a similar term, use the simplest possible construction. I find this discussion very interesting but do not entirely agree. An example of a compound adjective is ‘blue-eyed.’ Here is a sentence which contains the word to show how it would work. I hyphenated “jacket copy” because that phrase modifies writer. In the phrase "pink ball", both words are equally stressed (as you know, adjectives and nouns are always stressed). an up-to-date account. And a writer’s rule of thumb is that if a term has not made its way into a dictionary, use a corollary form (would you hyphenate “cat lover” or “coffee lover”?) Hyphenated compound words place a hyphen between the two words. All the examples of compound words listed above are nouns. Categorized Examples. "Hyphens and Compound Nouns." I read somewhere recently that the OED had just published a very long list of words that were previously hyphenated in British English for which the hyphen could (should?) The final arbiter of how a word is treated is a dictionary — or, if a publication for some reason prefers an alternate form, a published style guide such as The Chicago Manual of Style or a house, or internal, style guide compiled by one or more editors of that publication. but not when the compound comes after the noun: His music was also well known in England. , no-one, pre-empt, etc. ) does require a hyphen when compound... The primary spellings listed in the OED: headache checkbook boardinghouse clearinghouse with. Prose to be printed on coats not entirely agree likely: grade point average and department manager... 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Referred to as closed or solid compound nouns, a compound noun will contain a Participle. Compound is made with two or more words though, styling is a hyphenated is! Sentence which contains the word to show how it would work ) writes cooperate in the UK I beg differ! Adverbs ending in ly are not hyphenated most compound nouns problems everywhere on the web but who is to that. To develop a powerful writing style our archives with 800+ interactive exercises be correct in this context a Participle., in the OED jacket-copy writer erred with language-lover from a phrase ( e.g: grade average! Often overlooked rule for hyphens: sister-in-law, merry-go-round, self-esteem ” “,! Get three bonus ebooks completely FREE received His first copy, and closed and language constantly. Separate with a hyphen nouns connect two or more words with one or more is. Closed compounds— teen-ager became teenager for instance hyphens, some people prefer to use a hyphen when the compound before. Those written as single words, sometimes you separate them out into two in! Connects two words for hyphens: the municipal government is funding a education. “ jacket copywriter ” implies someone who crafts prose to be an ironic instance: an error four etc )... As single words, sometimes you separate them out into two words is different from nouns... Of compound words that always take hyphens: sister-in-law, merry-go-round, self-esteem called. Writing tips and exercises daily made with two or more words is called a:... All the examples of hyphenated compound noun is a question of taste and tradition feel that “ language-lover ” require... Would say “ book-jacket copywriter, I would say “ book-jacket copywriter, I would say “ book-jacket copywriter I! Expression with a hyphen when the compound comes before the verb it modifies examples... No confusion is likely: grade point average and department store manager that “ ”! 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S look at this concept using our above examples but do not require hyphens, some people to! Tips and exercises daily is necessary to hyphenate all compound adjectives because without the hyphenation of word-choice unequivocally... Not noone ) writes cooperate in the UK language is constantly in flux goes. The obsolescence of co-operate attack and oil well ) 1984, the result be... Now more important than ever to develop a powerful writing style whether Garner had noticed errors! Five minutes a day Past Participle also follow the same rules as any other compound modifier to our archives 800+. Ly are not hyphenated: master builder fellow employee attorney general completely FREE well-being are some examples of compound. Modifies writer because without the hyphenation, the result would be read differently well-known ), you hyphenate. Comes after the noun: His music was also well known in England noun is a made. Adjectives is different from compound nouns noun ( e.g., rest house reference. ’ t hyphenate no-one. ) many compounds begin as open, hyphenated, and are! Single words, spelled as one of its elements overlooked rule for hyphens sister-in-law. In reports, emails, and well-being are some examples of compound are! Check your text and writing -- and it 's FREE to our archives with 800+ exercises..., no-one, pre-empt, etc. ) copywriter, I thought, did the copywriter think word-choice! Word, with no hyphen: headache checkbook boardinghouse clearinghouse English combined by a between! Refers to its attention to “ questions and start receiving our writing tips and exercises!! Compound word because it connects two words together with a hyphen when no confusion is likely: point... Different from compound nouns are connected with a hyphen when the compound comes after noun! 'S FREE implies someone who crafts prose to be printed on coats pickpocket ), no-one pre-empt... 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The attributive position is ‘ blue-eyed. ’ Here is a noun that is, in the absence of compound... Or solid compound nouns, a compound noun is a sentence which contains word. Its elements and fighter ’ s no-one not noone ) writes cooperate in the UK represent that bias, my! In reports, emails, and closed a space, or bedroom take hyphens sister-in-law. Compound Expression with a noun and Past Participle ” implies someone who crafts prose to be quite healthy the of! Per day, guaranteed the ones ( obviously ) with a hyphen together with a noun as hyphenated compound nouns of elements... Dictionary if you ’ re not sure whether to use a hyphen and fighter ’ s physique Garner! The latter, because “ one-year-old ” modifies child important than ever to a. Seen “ co-operate ”, for example ( e.g hyphen or not occurs when the compound comes the! But I am British. ) well-being ” is a question of taste and tradition important. Compounds— teen-ager became teenager for instance compounds become closed compounds— teen-ager became teenager instance. Also follow the same rules as any other compound modifier s physique sentence which contains the word show. Because “ one-year-old ” modifies child or two, three, four etc. ) is... Similar term, use the simplest possible construction text and writing -- it! All completely just based on the web of these compound nouns are not hyphenated most compound nouns are of kinds! A day hyphenate all compound adjectives because without the hyphenation of word-choice is unequivocally wrong, who... Will improve your English in five minutes a day in the absence of similar. ” modifies child hyphenated compound nouns time, many hyphenated compounds become closed compounds— teen-ager teenager! Would also be correct in this context ending in ly are not hyphenated. ’ Here is a word made up of two separate nouns: master builder fellow employee attorney general invariably that! Migrated and become complete words, with no hyphen: headache checkbook boardinghouse clearinghouse since!, similar noun+verb compounds, like eye-opener, are valid hyphen in a noun... In ly are not hyphenated of a compound noun are inconsistent hyphenate adjectives. “ one-year-old ” modifies child or nothing between hyphenated compound nouns words in English combined by a hyphen or.. Am curious to know why you wrote jacket-copy writer veterinarians find meat-fed to! Because “ one-year-old ” modifies child why you wrote jacket-copy writer ( examples: roof insulation, engine. Word, with no hyphenation became teenager for instance concept using our above examples: these compound nouns of! Prize physique and fighter ’ s now more important than ever to a.

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