Editor's Corner

Some of you who’ve sent things to editing may have noticed that we can be picky about dashes. Why? Well, partly because we are picky, but also because different dashes have different uses and meanings. Today we’ll have a look at the en dash and when, how, and where to use it.

The en dash symbol is used primarily as a connector for numbers. It is approximately the same width as the letter n (depending on the font), and is a little bit longer than a hyphen. When you use the en dash, you should not add space on either side of it.

Note: To insert an en dash in Word or other Microsoft software, go to Insert > Symbol and click the Special Characters tab; or, use the Ctrl+Num – (minus sign) keyboard shortcut.

The remainder of the information is from the Chicago Manual of Style (chapter 6, section 78):

En dash as “to”

The principal use of the en dash is to connect numbers and, less often, words. With continuing numbers—such as dates, times, and page numbers—it signifies up to and including (or through). [KC – Note: The dashes in the previous sentence are em dashes, something different.] For the sake of parallel construction, the word to, never the en dash, should be used if the word from precedes the first element in such a pair; similarly, and, never the en dash, should be used if between precedes the first element.

· The years 1993–2000 were heady ones for the computer literate.

· For documentation and indexing, see chapters 14–16.

· Join us on Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., to celebrate the New Year.

· I have blocked out December 2009–March 2010 to complete my manuscript.

but

· She was in college from 1998 to 2002 (not from 1998–2002).

In other contexts, such as with scores and directions, the en dash signifies, more simply, to.

· The London–Paris train leaves at two o’clock.

· On November 20, 1966, Green Bay defeated Chicago, 13–6.

· The legislature voted 101–13 to adopt the resolution.

Kara Church | Senior Technical Editor

Symitar, A Jack Henry Company

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123