Hyphens

“Release trigger and repress while touching object.”

Hyphens, Verbs

I saw this recently on a voltage detector.

Problem:
The word “repress” in this imperative is incorrect.

Explanation:
The verb “repress” — spelled R-E-P-R-E-S-S — means to keep under control.

The verb “re-press” — spelled R-E-HYPHEN-P-R-E-S-S — means to press again.

The imperative sentence that appeared on the label of the hand-held device for detecting voltage was directing the reader to press the trigger again after releasing the trigger.

This tells us that the solution should contain a hyphen in the second verb and optionally the pronoun “it” as the object of the second verb.

Solution:
“Release trigger and re-press [it] while touching object.”

“11 NEWS IN HIGH-DEFINITION”

Adjectives, Hyphens, Nouns

I saw this title at the start of a local TV news broadcast.

Problem:
The hyphen between “HIGH” and “DEFINITION” does not belong.

Explanation:
The title appeared at the start of the 5 p.m. news broadcast from Houston TV station KHOU.

The TV station was promoting that it broadcasts with a high-definition television signal.

However, just as “BRIGHT GREEN” would not take a hyphen in a phrase such as “DRESSES IN BRIGHT GREEN”, the title in the TV broadcast should have no hyphen.

The reason for this is that “HIGH DEFINITION” is not modifying anything. Instead, the adjective “HIGH” is simply modifying the noun “DEFINITION”.

Solution:
“11 NEWS IN HIGH DEFINITION”

“7x time Tour de France Winner”

Hyphens, Redundancies

I saw this on the Web in a banner advertisement for a nutritional product promoted by Lance Armstrong.

Problem:
The phrase contains a redundancy.

Explanation:
The banner ad is for a product named FRS, and Lance Armstrong’s portrait and Tour de France record appear in the banner.

The “x” in “7x” means “time”.

So “7x” means “7-time” — spelled 7-HYPHEN-T-I-M-E.

Therefore, either the “x” or the word “time” is redundant in “7x time Tour de France Winner”.

Solution:
“7x Tour de France Winner”
or
“7-time Tour de France Winner” (Notice the required hyphen between “7” and “time”!)