Why we're no longer a hyphen-nation 2 May 2011
Please excuse the pun in the title. But sometimes it’s healthy to make light of a subject to stop it going stale. Changing how we look at something is as important as keeping up to date with the way we communicate about a topic. Like the hyphen, explored recently by The Guardian. As a copywriter I can’t help finding it gratifying to notice the public reaction to changes in the way we write or speak. What’s your view?
From e-mail to email
Is a hyphen an essential or outdated aspect of the term ‘e-mail’? Some people still routinely include it. Often this is because are accustomed to using it and it just seems right. But perhaps, as the Guardian article points out, with emails now part of everyday language, the hyphen isn’t really required.
Chuck out that chintz
The essence of copywriting is to make the complex clear. The Guardian post explains that removing the hyphen is an act of decluttering (rather than de-cluttering?), again something of which, as a copywriter, I wholeheartedly approve. The use of the hyphen can indeed come across as a little fashioned and overdone. Just as jargon can make content seem unappealing and unwieldy, overdone grammatical detail can weigh a message down.
Think about the context
I agree with the view in the Guardian article about using the hyphen with careful thought. It includes some sensible suggestions about considering the context of your content. Like all copywriting issues, your use (or not) of the hyphen all comes back to carefully applying your copy to the medium and the message.
Camilla Zajac, Green Light Copywriting, May 2011
Written by Camilla Zajac
Camilla Zajac is an award-winning copywriter dedicated to uncovering what’s exciting and unique about organisations and empowering them to communicate that with impact. Learn more about copywriting services from Green Light Copywriting.
