←back to thread

How to Use Em Dashes (–), En Dashes (–), and Hyphens (-)

(www.merriam-webster.com)
650 points Stratoscope | 1 comments | 27 Mar 25 20:19 UTC | HN request time: 0.271s | source
Show context
a3w ◴[27 Mar 25 20:49 UTC] No.43498011[source]▶
> spans pages 128–34.

Who omits the 1 from the second number?! That is aweful!

replies(3): >>43498172 #>>43498353 #>>43498497 #
crazygringo ◴[27 Mar 25 21:40 UTC] No.43498497[source]▶
Who keeps the 1?

You write pages 1,003–4, instead of typing out 1,003–1,004 which is just unnecessary.

Works the same with two digits, or even three: pp. 1,899–902.

This is standard practice and arguably clearer.

I've only ever seen it done with page ranges, though. I'm not sure if it's done with year ranges? E.g. 1984–5? Or 1989–92? You work with page ranges constantly in academia, I just don't see year ranges much in any form.

replies(4): >>43499780 #>>43504482 #>>43506422 #>>43511375 #
1. MindBeams ◴[28 Mar 25 12:21 UTC] No.43504482[source]▶
It's definitely standard, but in what way is it clearer? An abbreviation is never more clear than the full thing it abbreviates.

EDIT: I saw your explanation below, and you make a very good point.