Pedantic English us...
 

MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch

[Closed] Pedantic English usage question

24 Posts
18 Users
0 Reactions
262 Views
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Should the expression 'middle of nowhere' be hyphenated? To lay my cards on the table I'll say yes; middle-of-nowhere.


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:26 pm
Posts: 31060
Free Member
 

How can a question be pedantic?

(See what I did there?)


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:27 pm
Posts: 5559
Free Member
 

no
genius ^^^^^^ bot boring 😉


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:27 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

no


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:28 pm
Posts: 646
Full Member
 

the hyphen has a lot to do with general opinion about whether it's in common usage. With a hyphen it suggests it's new, without then it's common. So, in this case I say no hyphens.


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:28 pm
Posts: 18308
Free Member
 

Nope, it's the middle of nowhere.


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:30 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Do you hyphenate phrases such as Bob's your uncle?


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:31 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Hyphenating's good........do it as often as you can.


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:31 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Is there any amiguity? If not, then I'd say no.
It took me ages to work out "average speed cameras".
Are the speed-cameras not particularly out of the ordinary?
Or, are the cameras to be used for measuring average speeds?


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 9:35 pm
Posts: 18308
Free Member
 

However, if you use it before the nown as an adjective then hyphens can be used. "My friend bought a middle-of-nowhere retreat to get away from the madding crowd". Unless someone thinks differently?


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 10:01 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Depends on use; perhaps? In the middle of a sentence, as in Edukator's example, I'd say that hyphenation would be correct. If one was simply to say "the house is in the middle of nowhere", then I don't see the need for hyphens.


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 10:08 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

What Edukator said. No other possible reason for hyphens.


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 10:18 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I don't believe the middle of nowhere exists so i think this thread is moot


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 10:21 pm
Posts: 31060
Free Member
 

I dunno. I'm going to sit on the fence in a sit-on-the-fence fashion.


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 10:21 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

[url= http://www.englishforums.com/English/RulesForUsingHyphens/gqxx/post.htm ]Rules for using hyphens.[/url]


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 10:23 pm
 Drac
Posts: 50458
 

I don't believe the middle of nowhere exists so i think this thread is moot

of is in the middle.


 
Posted : 22/06/2011 10:40 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks edukator, that's how I've used it..


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 8:16 am
 wl
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Edukator and don simon are right - depends on context/ambiguity.


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 8:36 am
Posts: 12500
Full Member
 

Drac - of is in the middle of the middle of nowhere. h is in the middle of nowhere.


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 8:42 am
Posts: 77692
Free Member
 

If-you-use-gratuitous-hyphens-it-can-look-like-you're-speaking-really-quickly.

ADD-CAPITALS-AND-YOU-TURN-INTO-A-DALEK


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 8:43 am
 edd
Posts: 1390
Full Member
 

I have a hyphen in my surname. I'm not sure if that helps.


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 8:51 am
Posts: 77692
Free Member
 

Is it "The-Duck"?


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 9:00 am
 edd
Posts: 1390
Full Member
 

😉


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 9:02 am
Posts: 2
Free Member
 

of is in the middle.

Isn't h in the middle?


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 10:05 am
Posts: 77692
Free Member
 

A white hole?


 
Posted : 23/06/2011 10:11 am