For publishers in Portland, Oregon
En dashes: the hidden dangers
Reverently, I quote from The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition:
EN DASH
6.83 En dash as “to.” The principal use of the en dash is to connect numbers and, less often, words. In this use it signifies up to and including (or through).
For the sake of parallel construction the word to, never the en dash, should be used if the word from precedes the first element; similarly, and, never the en dash, should be used if between precedes the first element.
—I always forget this! How many times have I tried to use an en with the word from! I blush to think about it.
For example, let’s say a sentence reads, “Plasma atomic emission spectroscopy detected iron concentrations from 35–47% in eight samples.” Don’t let your love for the en dash blind you! Take it out. Use to. The world will be a better place for it.
EN DASH
6.83 En dash as “to.” The principal use of the en dash is to connect numbers and, less often, words. In this use it signifies up to and including (or through).
For the sake of parallel construction the word to, never the en dash, should be used if the word from precedes the first element; similarly, and, never the en dash, should be used if between precedes the first element.
—I always forget this! How many times have I tried to use an en with the word from! I blush to think about it.
For example, let’s say a sentence reads, “Plasma atomic emission spectroscopy detected iron concentrations from 35–47% in eight samples.” Don’t let your love for the en dash blind you! Take it out. Use to. The world will be a better place for it.
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Comment by Vinnie Kinsella on July 27, 2008 at 2:30pm - Great post, Karen.
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