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The problem with the title is simply that the English language allows open compound words. I know many Germans wonder why we allow this. Germans push the words
by lkrubner 2y ago
The problem with the title is simply that the English language allows open compound words. I know many Germans wonder why we allow this. Germans push the words together, for clarity. I've suggested that we use hyphens. Hyphens feel natural in English, and could remove the ambiguity that exists whenever we use open compound words (that is, open-compound-words). In this case "not-comments" would have added clarity.
Likewise, the title "World's longest DJ set" was confusing, because most people will assume that the compound word is "DJ-set". But if you read the whole article, then you realize that a python snake fell on the mixing board and accidentally mixed some tunes. So the compound word was actually "longest-DJ" -- a 2.5 meter python.
We should all consider using hyphens for all compound words.
https://x.com/krubner/status/1828155852773113942 https://x.com/krubner/status/1828155852773113942
- BobaFloutist 2y agoI think the "Longest DJ Set" was intentional wordplay.
- thayne 2y agoAs was the title of this article.
- aidenn0 2y agoAs always, there's a relevant xkcd: https://xkcd.com/37/ https://xkcd.com/37/
- shiroiushi 2y ago>I've suggested that we use hyphens. Hyphens feel natural in English, and could remove the ambiguity that exists whenever we use open compound words We do use hyphens in English. Well, some of the time, and some of us. I could be wrong, but I do feel that, given my age and also my readings of older texts, that the use of hyphens in this way has become less common, and that this was much more common decades ago to avoid ambiguity.
- Tainnor 2y ago"longest DJ" isn't a compound, it's a noun modified by an adjective, and as such it would be written as two different words in German as well ("längster DJ").