RE: Hyphen in command-line utility?

["Lauren" <lauren -at- writeco -dot- net>]

Fred,
 
I offered my opinion on the use of "command line," I posted references to
rules, and I stated my preference.  I don't really see the value in trying
to criticize me specifically by commenting against my "logic" and the sites
that I posted.  If you have a preference, then post your preference without
the arbitrary criticism.  I was not arguing a position that would require
rebuttal, so I do not see the value in you providing criticism.  
 
Industry-wise, "command line" is not generally hyphenated anymore,
regardless of rules that may contradict general usage.  "Command line" is
readily understood as a technical term and few people (if any) would be
confused by a lack of hyphenation, especially when hyphens are rarely seen
in the term.  Technical communication has apparently survived quite well
without hyphenating "command line," despite the "rules."
 
I really think that is late in the game to require that a particular
technical term return to following grammatical rules when the term has been
readily accepted without adherence to some rule of hyphenation.  "Command
line interfaces" have been around for a very long time in Unix.  References
did begin with hyphenation of the term "command-line," but the hyphen has
fallen away, probably in response to the many other hyphens that do appear
in technical communication.  It's a weird argument to fight for a return to
a specific usage when preference seems to be a determining factor here and I
merely offered my preference with some reasons as support.
 
Lauren


  _____  

From: Fred Ridder [mailto:docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com] 
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:01 PM
To: Lauren; 'Sonja McShane'; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Hyphen in command-line utility?


Lauren wrote (in part):

> Generally, in my experience, "command line" as a term is not hyphenated,
so
> when it is used as a modifier, I don't see why it would need to be
> hyphenated. 
 
The punctuation convention for a noun phrase has very little to do with 
the rules for punctuation of a compound modifier, so I don't buy your
logic here.
 
> Here's a brief web page about compound modifiers that discusses when to
use
> a hyphen, http://grammar.uoregon.edu/punctuation/hyphen.html. A longer web
> page, http://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/grammar/Hyphen3.html.
> 
> I wouldn't add the hyphen.
 
Both of the sites you cite are pretty clear about about the basic rule: 
  Hyphenate a compound modifier when it appears before a noun. 
  Do not hyphenate a compound modifier when it appears in the predicate.
So unless you are arguing that "command line" used as a modifier is not
a compound modifier, it seems like the hyphen would be prescribed by 
both sites.
 
 
 


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