Sir: Tell me everything you know about hyphens. Is there some simple rule to know when or how to use a hyphen?
- T.G.
Answer: Oh, swell. I suppose the (real) reader who (really) asked this question wants me to tell everything about hyphens in, say, 25 words or less? Instead, let me quote from that eminent authority, H.W. Fowler, on the subject:
"No attempt will be made here to describe modern English usage on the matter of hyphens; its infinite variety defies description. No two dictionaries and no two sets of style rules would be found to give consistently the same advice."
All right, buddy. You're on your own. Happy hyphens!
Sir: I am irritated by the use of subjective-case pronouns where objective-case prounouns are needed. "It's only between you and I," says a national television journalist. An editor writes, "It's become a tradition in my family for my husband and I to . . ." What's happening?
- Jean M.
Answer: Scandalous abuse of the language is happening, that's what. Intelligent readers continue to complain about the use of "I" instead of "me" in such construction, but it doesn't seem to do any good. When the objective case is called for, "I" should become "me" but hundreds of thousands are scared to death to use "me" anywhere, so they say such ridiculous things as "between you and I" and "for my husband and I."
Anyone who can curb this national disgrace would be entitled to become president of Harvard - or, for that matter, of the whole bloomin' nation.
STRANGE FARMING of the week, reported by Eleanor S.:
"My newspaper published a picture of a farmer at work and explained, under the caption `SPRING SEWING,' that it showed him `preparing to sew a field of corn.' Did he thread his way down the rows without needling the seed?"
Send questions, comments, and good and bad examples to Lydel Sims, Watch Your Language, 366 S. Highland, Apt. 410, Memphis, TN 38111. If you quote a book, please give author, title and page number. Sorry, but questions can be answered only through this column.