Too high for Nate
Lots of sites, both professional and otherwise, seem to be using a double-hyphen when they mean to use an em dash. It’s as if they know that they need a long dash, but can’t be arsed to insert one.
The double-hyphen looks hideous, but it’s as if I should give them credit for trying. How about trying a bit harder and typing ALT+0151 (on the number keypad, not the top row). Or if you’re in WordPress (I am, don’t you know), hit the Insert Custom Character button sporting a Ω symbol, having hit the Show/Hide Kitchen Sink button). The em dash can be found on the second row, fifth symbol from the right.
Here you’ll find more on the correct use of hyphens, en dashes and em dashes.
This and next: difference of opinion
OK. So it seems that response has finally tailed off on my this week or next week quiz. The 22nd and most recent responder submitted their response a second before 09:23 this morning.
And what an interesting set of results we have. Only two of the ten questions yielded unanimity. On any given Monday, it seems This Thursday will never result in confusion, nor will Next Monday.
The phrase most likely to cause confusion is Next Sunday when used on a Monday. 55% of responders believe it to mean the next Sunday to occur; 45% believe it to mean the one after that. And arranging a meeting This Monday on a Monday will also likely get people turning up on the wrong day. 64% think the meeting is scheduled a week from today, 36% thinking it’s happening today.
For completeness, below are the rest of the results.
- It’s Thursday 4th. Next Monday means either 8th (77%) or 15th (23%)
- It’s Thursday 4th. Next Saturday means either 6th (23%) or 13th (77%)
- It’s Monday 1st. Next Wednesday means either 3rd (18%) or 10th (82%)
- It’s Thursday 4th. Next Wednesday means either 10th (82%) or 17th (18%)
- It’s Monday 1st. Next Friday means either 5th (23%) or 12th (77%)
- It’s Sunday 7th. Next Tuesday means either 9th (32%) or 16th (68%)
Best be careful next time you use this and next in relation to dates. It’s more confusing than you might think. The quiz is still open, btw, if you’re interested in submitting your views.
This week or next?
I’ve written before about how people use the words this and next when referring to weeks. And the ensuing confusion. I’d love it if you could complete the ten questions below to figure out whether people are consistent in their views, or whether confusion reigns.
This was prompted by my friend Alan, reading from Austria a reader’s letter on the very subject in yesterday’s Telegraph.
Thanks for your time. (One submission each, please.)
Confusion to follow
Here’s a quick addendum to my previous post explaning the confusion of toggles such as Mute and Unmute. I think the BlackBerry Storm has taken a step forward with its choice of Mute and Mute Off. Altough I’m not sure why. Mute Off could equally be read as a noun as opposed to a verb. Maybe the fact that it’s made up of two words signifies more of an undoing action.
The issue surrounds the abbreviation of the English language to the point at which verbs and nouns become indistinguishable.
The same is true in Twitter. A user’s page includes text showing X following and Y followers. Only by looking at the Y followers piece can I get my head around the fact that the X refers to the number of people that the person is following, as opposed to the number following that person.
It’s a dull subject, but from a user experience perspective, Twitter needs to sort it out, either graphically or editorially.
Grammar: supply and demand
As grammar and spelling standards continue to slide and txt-speak continues to gain prevalence, will demand for skills in grammatical correctness (e.g. proofreading) increase because of the shortage of skilled resources, or decrease owing to the reduced demand?
The space line continuum
The space immediately after a link should never form part of the link itself. And the space after a portion of a sentence emphasised via a different fount should never share that of the emphasised portion.
Laziness through double-click and "intelligent" drag selecting gives an outcome that jars. With me at least.
Damp squid
I was in a meeting today in which someone referred to something as being a "bit of a damp squid". Surely dampness is an important state for a squid.
Carriage return, line feed
I read with interest and some amusement today’s news of Luc Costermans breaking the world blind road speed record.
My favourite part of the article was the paragraph-hungry BBC’s decision to separate these two sentences into two paragraphs.
Two years ago Mr Costermans completed a tour of France piloting a light aeroplane.
He was accompanied by an instructor and a navigator.
Surely the second sentence is a sufficient qualification of the first to negate the need for the carriage return, line feed.
The difference a letter can make
There are a couple of word pairings that differ by a single letter but whose meanings are completely different.
Encourage: inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to
Entourage: support group
Homophone: one of two or more words with different origins and meanings but sounding the same
Homophobe: one who hates or fears homosexual people
Any other non-trivial examples?
Pluracy
It would be lovely if the plural of apex was apices and if that of annex was annices.