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Subject:Re: Two-word noun? From:Bonni Graham <Bonni_Graham_at_Enfin-SD -at- RELAY -dot- PROTEON -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 27 Oct 1993 09:35:00 EST
Mark writes:
** Looks like an adjective-noun combination to me. Good documentation,
bad documentation, colorful documentation, accessible documentation,
online documentation. Online documentation, online help, online
support, online files, online movies. In what way is "online documentation"
different from normal adjective-noun combinations? Seems to me that
"online" isn't an unusual adjective except to the extent that it's
an unusually put-together word (and it's no more unusual that way
than a "crosstown" bus).
*****
Good point, Mark. It's different because I don't like hyphenating any more
than I absolutely have to and if I call it a two-word noun I can get it by
our editors <grin>. Selective grammar? Probably. Does calling it a
two-word noun really affect usage? Probably not. I could call it "Fred" or
a "widget" and I still wouldn't hyphenate online. But that's me -- other
people can hyphenate away, as becomes their corporate and personal style! :)
Bonni Graham | documentation, n. What passes
Technical Writer | for humor in the computer in-
Easel Corporation, ENFIN Technology Lab | dustry. A transcript of Sat-
Bonni_Graham_at_Enfin-SD -at- relay -dot- proteon -dot- com | urday Night Live as hosted
President, San Diego STC | by Torquemada --Ezra Shapiro
