Other uses (en dash only) Wikipedia:Manual of Style

1 other uses (en dash only)

1.1 in ranges might otherwise expressed or through
1.2 in compounds when connection might otherwise expressed to, versus, and, or between
1.3 instead of hyphen, when applying prefix compound includes space
1.4 separate parts of item in list

other uses (en dash only)

the en dash (–) has other roles, beyond use sentence-punctuating dash (see above). analogous hyphen (see § hyphens, above), joins components more en dash; or slash (see section below), separates alternatives more definitely. consider exact meaning when choosing use.

in ranges might otherwise expressed or through



pp. 7–19;   64–75%;   henry viii reigned 1509–1547

do not change hyphens dashes in filenames, urls or templates {{bibleverse}}, formats verse ranges urls.

do not mix en dashes between or from.

450–500 people
between 450 , 500 people, not between 450–500 people
from 450 500 people, not 450–500 people
from 1961 1962, not 1961–62
between 1961–62 , 1967–68 seasons, ticket sales dropped substantially

if negative values involved, en dash might confusing. use words instead.

−10 10, not −10–10

the en dash in range unspaced, except when either or both elements of range include @ least 1 space.

july 23, 1790 – december 1, 1791 (not july 23, 1790–december 1, 1791)
14 may – 2 august 2011 (not 14 may–2 august 2011)
1–17 september;   february–october 2009;   1492 – 7 april 1556
christmas day – new year s eve;   christmas 2001 – easter 2002;   10:30 pm tuesday – 1:25 wednesday;   6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (but 6:00–9:30 p.m.)
wavelengths in range 28 mm – 17 m.

in compounds when connection might otherwise expressed to, versus, and, or between

here, relationship thought of parallel, symmetric, equal, oppositional, or @ least involving separate or independent elements. components may nouns, adjectives, verbs, or other independent part of speech. if components reversed there little change of meaning.

boyfriend–girlfriend problems;   paris–montpellier route;   new york–los angeles flight
iron–cobalt interactions; components parallel , reversible; iron , cobalt retain identity
wrong: iron–roof shed; iron modifies roof, use hyphen: iron-roof shed
wrong: singer–songwriter; not separate persons, use hyphen: singer-songwriter
red–green colorblind; red , green separate independent colors, not mixed
wrong: blue–green algae; blended, intermediate color, use hyphen: blue-green algae
a 51–30 win;   22–17 majority vote;   prefer spelling out when using words instead of numerals: six-to-two majority decision, not awkward six–two majority decision;  avoid confusingly reversed order: 17–22 majority vote
a 50–50 joint venture;   60–40 split;   avoid using slash here, indicates division
the uganda–tanzania war;   roman–syrian war;   east–west runway;   lincoln–douglas debates;   carbon–carbon bond
diode–transistor logic;   analog–digital distinction;   push–pull output;   on–off switch
a pro-establishment–anti-intellectual alliance;   singapore–sumatra–java shipping lanes
the ballerina s rapid walk–dance transitions;   male–female height ratio of 1.14

an en dash between nations; people , things identifying multiple nationalities, use hyphen when applied adjective or space noun.

japanese–american trade;   family of japanese-american traders or family of japanese americans
an italian–swiss border crossing;   italian-swiss newspaper italian-speaking swiss
france–britain rivalry;   french–british rivalry
wrong: franco–british rivalry; franco combining form, not independent, use hyphen: franco-british rivalry

a slash or other alternative may better express ratio, in technical contexts (see § slashes, below).

the protein–fat ratio;   protein/fat ratio;   protein-to-fat ratio
colons used strictly numeric ratios, avoid confusion subtraction , division: 3:1 ratio;  a three-to-one ratio (see wp:manual of style/dates , numbers § ratios).

use en dash names of 2 or more entities in attributive compound.

the seifert–van kampen theorem;   alpher–bethe–gamow theory
the seeliger–donker-voet scheme (developed seeliger , donker-voet)
comet hale–bopp or hale–bopp (discovered hale , bopp)

generally, use hyphen in compounded proper names of single entities.

guinea-bissau; bissau capital, , distinguishes country neighboring guinea
wilkes-barre, single city named after 2 people, minneapolis–saint paul, union of 2 cities
john lennard-jones, individual named after 2 families

do not use en dash hyphenated personal names, when used adjectives:

lennard-jones potential hyphen: named after john lennard-jones

do not use spaces around en dash in of compounds above.

instead of hyphen, when applying prefix compound includes space

ex–prime minister thatcher;   pre–world war ii aircraft

use punctuation when there compelling grounds retaining construction. example, speech transcribed , cannot re-worded; or in heading has been judged natural common name. otherwise recasting better.

keep: post–september 11 anti-war movement; trans–new guinea languages (existing wikipedia articles)
best recast examples shown above: former prime minister thatcher; aircraft [from] before world war ii

the en dash in of compounds above unspaced.

to separate parts of item in list

spaced en dashes used between parts of list items. below 2 examples.

pairing performers instruments:

james galway – flute; anne-sophie mutter – violin; maurizio pollini – piano.


showing track durations on album:

future  – 7:21
ain t no cure love  – 6:17
bird on wire  – 6:14.

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