英语破折号用法初议

最早在英语文章中看到这个长长的横线“—”时还以为是把连字号Hyphen打印错了，后来多次遇到它，便做了一些研究。这并非hyphen，而是破折号，英语写作中经常用到。英语名称叫：em dash。另一个长度为其一半的符号叫en dash, 最短的才是连字号hyphen。以下是三者的对比：

hyphen -

en dash –

em dash —

 

我在GSC Guide to Authors上查到了关于En dash和em dash的详细用法。（GSC - The Geological Survey of Canada)

原文链接：

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/ess/pubs/guide/index_e.html

 

Note: There are two kinds of dashes: the en dash, which islonger than the hyphen, and the em dash (space-longdash-space), which is twice as long as an en dash:

 

I. En dash

The en dash is used in these cases:

 

1) To join inclusive numbers or series:

p. 9–15

W.E. Logan (1798–1875)

10–15°C

January–June

but -8 to -20°C

 

2) In compound expressions joining place names:

the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands

the Laurentide–Greenland ice sheets

 

3) In joining a one-word noun to a two-word noun in a compound adjective

 a granodiorite–quartz monzonite phase

 

2. Em dash

This is usually referred to as the dash, and is a useful, but overworked, punctuation mark. The em dash is used in

these instances:

1) As the equivalent of, or as a substitute for, parentheses. A pair of dashes sets off material in parenthesis more

directly and decisively than a pair of commas:

The Gadfly Formation—the name is the subject of much controversy—is found at only one locality in the map area.

 

2) To mark an unexpected turn of thought, particularly one that causes an abrupt break in sentence structure:

The Englishman must not express great joy or sorrow or even open his mouth too wide when he talks—his pipe might fall

out if he did. — E.M. Forster

 

3) To mark the insertion of material that explains, amplifies, complements, or corrects:

 The outcrop consists of limestone, gneiss, and salt—an unlikely combination that had been juxtaposed by faulting.

 

4) To gather up the subject of a sentence when it is a very long one:

Rich stores of minerals, good agricultural land, forests stretching over millions of acres, coastal waters teeming

with fish, and energetic and enterprising people—all these assure Canada a bright future.

 

The em dash is not used immediately after a colon, semicolon, or comma.

 

只是有一点不明。研究《英语世界》数期杂志发现所有用到Em Dash的地方前后都没有空格，而且后面紧接的句子首字母不大写。GSC上介绍的例句里em dash前后故意用了一个空格。正确用法如何，有待进一步研究。 2006.8.11修改此文时，已经删去了从GSC上引用的例句中不正确的em dash用法，即前后不应有空格。

 

（写于2005年4月13日）

===================================================

关于em dash的正确用法，2006年找到标准答案：

1、em dash连接的句子前后都不能有空格。

2、除非遇到天生大写的字母，em dash后接的单词不能大写，例：

Juan tried begging, bribing, and even demanding cooperation from his staff—all of whom were swamped with other work—before he gave up and wrote the report himself.

3、en dash和em dash的得名，en dash的长度等于一个typesetter's letter　N，而em dash的长度则与一个M字母的长度相当。因此，前者 称为en dash，后者称为em dash，都是英文写作中经常用到的破折号。

4、en dash也要求前后不加空格。

5、表示时间、日期、空间等范围时，一律用en dash，而不是hyphen。hyphen只用于连接单词构成复合词。

例如：Sitting-room, left-handed

It takes 3–6 days to get there.

5、-、–、—　（这三个符号依次为hyphen、en dash、em dash，长度由左向右递增。可是，看上去第一个与第二个一样长，这是网页

字体格式显示有误所致，copy到写字板或者记事薄中查看就会看到真实效果了。

6、在记事本或者别的字处理软件中打出这三个符号的方法：

hyphen（-)：非常简单，就是键盘上＋号前那个符号

em dash（–）：如果使用笔记本电脑，首先打开Numlock，如果使用桌面电脑，打开数字锁定键，然后按下ALT，同时按下数字建0150