Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith Talk Forums General Topics Q&A about words why do we bounce?
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Oy, where would you stick a hyphen in either of the two phrases I used in this thread to illustrate ambiguity? For your convenience, here they are again:
rubber baby buggy bumpers
ancient history teacher
I say only a misguided hyperhyphenated prescriptivist would insist on hyphens in either of these two noun phrases. And he would be wrong, too. BTW, one of the prhases is from Saroyan's Human Comedy and the other is a near-folk saying.
And if you're going to quote Fowler's chapter and verse, at least be kind enough to use the first & preferred edition.
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,916Posts230,312Members9,209 Most Online4,606
Sep 17th, 2025
Newest Members Peripatetic Toad, JerryC, blvd, Tony Hood, Wood Delivery
9,209 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 11
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 11,158tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,974Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith Talk