Compound Words Part 2

5. Two nouns; _piecemeal_, _half-mast_.

6. A noun and an adjective; _cost-free_, _pointblank_.

7. A noun and a preposition; _down-stairs_, _above-board_, _offhand_.

RULES FOR THE USE OF THE HYPHEN

1. Hyphenate nouns formed by the combination of two nouns standing in objective relation to each other, that is, one of whose components is derived from a transitive verb:

_well-wisher_ _wood-turning_ _mind-reader_ _child-study_ _office-holder_ _clay-modeling_

When such compounds are in very common use, and especially when they have a specific or technical meaning, they are printed solid;

_typewriter_ _stockholder_ _proofreader_ _copyholder_ _lawgiver_ _dressmaker_

2. Hyphenate a combination of a present participle with a noun when the meaning of the combination is different from that of the two words taken separately; _boarding-house_, _sleeping-car_, _walking-stick_.

3. Hyphenate a combination of a present participle with a preposition used absolutely (not governing the following noun); _the putting-in or taking-out of a hyphen_.

4. As a rule compounds of _book_, _house_, _will_, _room_, _shop_, and _work_ should be printed solid when the prefixed noun has one syllable; should be hyphenated when it contains two; should be printed in two separate words when it contains three or more;

_handbook_, _notebook_, _story-book_, _pocket-book_, _reference book_.

_clubhouse_, _storehouse_, _engine-house_, _power-house_, _business-house_.

_handmill_, _sawmill_, _water-mill_, _paper-mill_, _chocolate mill_.

_cla.s.sroom_, _lecture-room_, _recitation room_.

_tinshop_, _tailor-shop_, _carpenter shop_.

_woodwork_, _metal-work_, _filigree work_.

Unusual combinations such as _source-book_ and _wheat-mill_ are sometimes hyphenated, and the hyphen is sometimes omitted for the sake of the appearance as in _school work_.

5. Compounds of _maker_, _dealer_, and other words denoting occupation are generally hyphenated; _harness-maker_, _job-printer_.

The tendency is to print these words solid when they come into very common use; _dressmaker_.

6. Hyphenate nouns when combined in an adjectival sense before the name of the same person; _the martyr-president Lincoln_, _the poet-artist Rosetti._

7. Compounds of _store_ are generally hyphenated when the prefix contains one syllable, otherwise not; _drug-store_, _fruit-store_ (but _bookstore_), _provision store_.

8. Compounds of _fellow_ are hyphenated; _fellow-being_, _play-fellow_, but _bedfellow_.

9. Compounds of _father_, _mother_, _brother_, _sister_, _daughter_, _parent_, and _foster_ should be hyphenated when the word in question forms the first part of the compound; _father-love_, _mother-country_, _brother-officer_, _sister-state_, _daughter-cell_, _parent-word_, _foster-brother_, but (by exception) _fatherland_.

10. Hyphenate compounds of _great_ in phrases indicating degrees of descent; _great-grandmother_, _great-great-grandfather_.

11. Hyphenate compounds of _life_ and _world_; _life-history_, _world-influence_, but (by exception) _lifetime_.

12. Compounds of _skin_ with words of one syllable are printed solid, otherwise as two separate words; _calfskin_, _sheepskin_, _alligator skin_.

13. Hyphenate compounds of _master_; _master-builder_, _master-stroke_, but (by exception) _masterpiece_.

14. Hyphenate compounds of _G.o.d_ when this word forms the second element; _sun-G.o.d_, _war-G.o.d_, _G.o.dsend_, _G.o.dson_.

15. Hyphenate compounds of _half_ and _quarter_; _half-truth_, _quarter-circle_, _half-t.i.tle_, but on account of difference in meaning of _quarter_, _quartermaster_, _headquarters_.

16. These prefixes

_ante_- _infra_- _re_- _anti_- _inter_- _semi_- _bi_- _intra_- _sub_- _co_- _pre_- _super_- _demi_- _post_- _tri_-

are ordinarily joined to the word with which they are used without a hyphen, except when followed by the same letter as that with which they terminate or by _w_ or _y_;

_antechamber_ _post-temporal_ _antiseptic_ _post-graduate_ _anti-imperialistic_ _prearrange_ _biennial_ _pre-empt_ _bipartisan_ _recast_ _co-equal_ _re-enter_ _co-ordinate_ _semiannual_ _demiG.o.d_ _subconscious_ _inframarginal_ _subt.i.tle_ _international_ _superfine_ _intersperse_ _tricolor_ _intramural_ _co-workers_ _intra-atomic_ _co-yield_

Exceptions are

(_a_) Combinations with proper names or adjectives derived therefrom, and long or unusual compounds;

_ante-bellum_ _sister-university_ _anti-license_ _post-revolutionary_ _anti-security_ _pre-Raphaelite_ _demi-relievo_ _re-tammanize_

(_b_) Words in which the omission of the hyphen would alter the sense;

_re-formation_ _reformation_ _re-cover_ _recover_ _re-creation_ _recreation_

17. The negative prefixes _un_, _in_, _il_, _im_, and _a_ do not take a hyphen except in very rare or artificial combinations; _unmanly_, _invisible_, _illimitable_, _impenetrable_, _asymmetrical_.

The negative prefix _non_ calls for a hyphen except in very common words;

_non-existent_ _non-combatant_ _non-interference_ _nonsense_ _non-unionist_ _nonessential_

18. The prefixes _quasi_, _extra_, _supra_, _ultra_, and _pan_ call for a hyphen;

_quasi-historical_ _supra-normal_ _quasi-corporation_ _ultra-conservative_ _extra-mural_ _Pan-Germanism_

_Ultramontaine_, probably because a specific party designation, is always printed solid.

19. _Over_ and _under_ do not ordinarily call for a hyphen; _overemphasize_, _underfed_, but _over-careful_, _over-spiritualistic_.

20. Combinations having _self_ and _by_ as the first element of the compound call for a hyphen; _self-evident_, _self-respecting_, _by-law_, _by-product_, but _selfhood_, _selfish_, and _selfsame_.

21. Combinations of _fold_ are printed as one word if the number contains only one syllable but as two if it contains more than one;

_twofold_ _fifteen fold_ _tenfold_ _a hundred fold_

22. Adjectives formed by a noun preceding _like_ do not take a hyphen if the noun is a monosyllable, except when ending in _l_ or a proper noun; if the noun contains more than one syllable a hyphen should be used; _childlike_, _warlike_, _catlike_, _bell-like_, _Napoleon-like_, but (by exception) _Christlike_.