Quick—What is the most mis-used key on a computer keyboard?
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For centuries, typographers have improved clarity and legibility by using several kinds of dashes: Hyphen, figure dash, en-dash, em-dash, and the minus sign.
- (-) The hyphen is used in two-part adjectives (see what I did there?), in phrases used as adjectives, and of course for hyphenating long words at the end of a line.
- (–) The figure dash is the same width as a number in any type face, and is used only between numbers. Many fonts are missing it, as is the HTML specification; an en-dash may be used in its stead.
- (–) The en-dash is used, without spaces, to connect things related by distance or range (ex: 6–10, May–Sept). They're also used, on occasion, to connect a prefix to a proper open compound (ex: pre–World War I).
- (—) The em-dash is used to denote an abrupt change in thought or direction, or—very rarely—in groups of three to substitute for redacted names.
- (−) The minus sign is used only in math (ex: 8 − 5 = 3). It's Unicode 2212 and, like the figure dash, is often omitted from fonts.
(Often, the en-dash is combined with a space on either side instead of an em-dash. Proponents argue this is the modern and simpler equivalent of an em-dash; traditionalists insist that the dashes have distinct benefits and are not interchangeable.
(Ultimately, it's a matter of taste. The Chicago Manual of Style prescribes the unspaced em-dash, as do most American publishers and the Oxford Guide to Style. Canadian typographer Robert Bringhurst, in his classic The Elements of Typographic Style, codifies the practices of several major English publishers (including the prestigious Cambridge University Press) in prescribing a spaced en-dash. The AP Style Guide ignores the matter entirely and shows its telegraph roots in prescribing a double hyphen instead.
(iMarc's Frontend Handbook follows Bringhurst's in prescribing using a spaced en-dash; in fact, we use only the hypen and en-dash, retiring the other three dashes completely. I think that's a travesty, but I lost the vote.)
But to our muttons—
By now, you will have inferred the answer: the hyphen is the most mis-used key.
Like the 19th century typewriter, our keyboards provide only a hyphen. When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything must be nailed.
But the personal computer is not a typewriter. Our PCs' keys are far more flexible than a mechanical typewriter ever was.
And, at least if you are using a Mac, it's really easy to use the correct dashes in your writing. The option key provides access to alternate glyphs. Press Option-Hyphen to produce an en-dash:
And to create an em-dash, add the Shift key:
Voila! Whether you prefer the spaced en-dash or the more traditional em-dash, you are now self-sufficient! (For fun, experiment with the other keys. You'll find dozens of useful glyphs, ranging from ™ and ® to ∆ and ∞.)
If you use a Windows or Linux PC, try holding the alt key and enter 0150 on the numeric keypad. If all goes well, you'll have an en-dash. Use code 0151 for an em-dash. (You're on your own for the rest.)
Happy typing!
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* Blog title: Hat tip to Robin William's The Mac is Not A Typewriter. No, not that one. This one.
