Comments on: Numbers and Hyphens

By: Joe Iriarte

Joe Iriarte — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:04:42 +0000

Thanks. That’s how I had it originally, but then I started to question it.

By: Jonathon

Jonathon — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:00:12 +0000

Chicago would recommend the former, and I agree. It will prevent readers from parsing it incorrectly.

By: Joe Iriarte

Joe Iriarte — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:32:57 +0000

Quick hyphen question:

“Reading-themed art lined the walls,” or “Reading themed art lined the walls”?

By: Jonathon

Jonathon — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:33:48 +0000

I’m not so sure I agree with that line of reasoning. If it were true, we’d have “men T-shirts” and “children hospitals,” not “men’s shirts” and “children’s hospitals.” I’d have to look into it a little more to be sure, but I think we use the singular form in noun-noun compounds like that, not the plural.

By: The Ridger

The Ridger — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:46:48 +0000

But the “Ladies” in “Ladies T-shirts” is not really a possessive. It’s “T-shirts for ladies” not “T-shirts that belong to ladies”, so no apostrophe is actually required.

By: Jonathon

Jonathon — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:52:42 +0000

Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, it looks like I have no control over that part—that text comes from Spreadshirt and isn’t editable. Sorry about the jaw.

By: Fritinancy

Fritinancy — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:08:17 +0000

Thank you for saying what needed to be said! Now, if you could just add a possessive apostrophe to “Ladies T-shirts” in your delightful store, this former copy editor would unclench her jaw once and for all.

By: Neutros

Neutros — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:54:46 +0000

Right on, Bro!

By: rivka

rivka — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:23:54 +0000

Hear, hear!