TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: web site or website; e-mail or email From:"Guy K. Haas" <ghaas -at- selectica -dot- com> To:Christi <christi -at- sageinst -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 25 May 2000 15:05:02 -0700
Christi wrote:
>
. . .
>
> I am a recent convert to the hyphenated style. I used to be part of the
> "email" camp. Here are some excerpts of the arguments that convinced me.
. .
Hey, Christi--
I'm firmly on your side, and have made the same alphabetized argument
that you have passed along, but have you done some Web searches?
Take T-bill. I found almost 1,000 instances of Tbill (to about 10,500
instances of T-bill). It seems to be gaining.
Any such coinages that deal with SHAPE (A-frame, I-beam, L-shaped,
O-ring...) historically have managed to hold their hyphens. Others,
like "C-rations" are not joined because ordinary English speakers would
expect "crations" to be pronounced "crash-uns" or "cray-shuns".
"F layer" would collapse to "Flayer" (one who skins things).
"S-connector" would be enunciated "scon ec ter"
I think the basic rule should be that if a coinage involves saying
the name of a letter, then another word, running them together is not
an option.
The second reason -- that proliferation of prefix-e would lead to
even stranger terms AND confusion with existing words (like equip)
is a great one!
--Guy K. Haas
Senior Technical Writer / Software Exegete
Selectica, Inc.
E-Mail: ghaas -at- selectica -dot- com
