Comments on: [By Request] The Em Dash: Friend or Foe? http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/ the media intake and output of elizabeth ditty Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:54:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: ditty1013 http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-375 ditty1013 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:19:31 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-375 Hi Robert! The same principles I've described in my post would apply to a screenplay as well. Whether it's in action or dialog, the usage rules are the same. Hope that helps! Hi Robert! The same principles I’ve described in my post would apply to a screenplay as well. Whether it’s in action or dialog, the usage rules are the same. Hope that helps!

]]> By: Robert http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-374 Robert Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:40:05 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-374 I realize that a movie script (screenplay)'s use of the em dash is specific. My basic understanding is; 1) it has a space before and after the double hyphen mark; 2) it's used for abrupt interruption of thought or speech. I've seen it used in descriptions, action, and dialog. Can anyone offer an example of the proper use for each? I realize that a movie script (screenplay)’s use of the em dash is specific. My basic understanding is; 1) it has a space before and after the double hyphen mark; 2) it’s used for abrupt interruption of thought or speech. I’ve seen it used in descriptions, action, and dialog. Can anyone offer an example of the proper use for each?

]]> By: Brutus http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-299 Brutus Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:31:50 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-299 I agree with your description of uses for the em dash, but to say one should just go for feel in a draft and worry about the details later seems to me sloppy. Proper punctuation isn't exactly rocket science, the comments of your readers notwithstanding. Even numb skulls can get grammar right with a little earnest effort. Laziness is a different excuse, which obviously plays well for many folks. I'm not sure about Unicode acceptance of the em dash across platforms, like smart quotes, so in comments such as this one, I often use the double hyphen (--) as a stand-in, which often looks like an em dash. I'm not sure why, but I use spaces around the double dash but not the em dash. I suppose knowing the difference between optional usage (like the serial comma) and ironclad rules (commas and periods within the quote in American usage) is worth knowing to relieve some stress. I agree with your description of uses for the em dash, but to say one should just go for feel in a draft and worry about the details later seems to me sloppy. Proper punctuation isn’t exactly rocket science, the comments of your readers notwithstanding. Even numb skulls can get grammar right with a little earnest effort. Laziness is a different excuse, which obviously plays well for many folks.

I’m not sure about Unicode acceptance of the em dash across platforms, like smart quotes, so in comments such as this one, I often use the double hyphen (–) as a stand-in, which often looks like an em dash. I’m not sure why, but I use spaces around the double dash but not the em dash. I suppose knowing the difference between optional usage (like the serial comma) and ironclad rules (commas and periods within the quote in American usage) is worth knowing to relieve some stress.

]]> By: simone http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-295 simone Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:33:02 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-295 Thanks for sharing. I'm rubbish at grammar and will go to any lenghts to improve so I'm glad to have you tips. All the very best. Thanks for sharing. I’m rubbish at grammar and will go to any lenghts to improve so I’m glad to have you tips.
All the very best.

]]> By: [By Request] Affect vs. Effect « Elizabethan Theatre http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-294 [By Request] Affect vs. Effect « Elizabethan Theatre Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:11:38 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-294 [...] question, I will do my best to answer it.  Katie Leas took me at my word and asked me about Affect and Effect.  In most instances, you can follow this simple rule to keep your use of [...] [...] question, I will do my best to answer it.  Katie Leas took me at my word and asked me about Affect and Effect.  In most instances, you can follow this simple rule to keep your use of [...]

]]> By: ditty1013 http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-293 ditty1013 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:13:24 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-293 Hm, that one's a bit tough. Because you've got three complete sentences there, I'd probably construct it like this: "I confess to being a user of the em dash. Scratch that — I'm a huge user of the em dash." As for affect vs. effect, coming right up! :-) Hm, that one’s a bit tough. Because you’ve got three complete sentences there, I’d probably construct it like this:
“I confess to being a user of the em dash. Scratch that — I’m a huge user of the em dash.”

As for affect vs. effect, coming right up! :-)

]]> By: ditty1013 http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-292 ditty1013 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:04:34 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-292 It can't skyrocket too much; they're only so much of me to go around! It can’t skyrocket too much; they’re only so much of me to go around!

]]> By: ditty1013 http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-291 ditty1013 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:56:34 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-291 Your blog isn't bad at all, sir. But I understand the difference. Mine is hardly error-free, and I'm pretty lax about truly proper grammar/punctuation in casual publications like this. I keep waiting for someone to find a typo/error in the post above to embarrass me, but it hasn't happened yet. :-) Your blog isn’t bad at all, sir. But I understand the difference. Mine is hardly error-free, and I’m pretty lax about truly proper grammar/punctuation in casual publications like this. I keep waiting for someone to find a typo/error in the post above to embarrass me, but it hasn’t happened yet. :-)

]]> By: ditty1013 http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-290 ditty1013 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:54:25 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-290 Same here. I'm a huge fan of the semicolon in everyday/prose use, but it's rarely necessary in a screenplay. Same with the em dash, with the notable exception of dialog being cut off. Of course, that doesn't happen too often in the sorts of things I write. Same here. I’m a huge fan of the semicolon in everyday/prose use, but it’s rarely necessary in a screenplay. Same with the em dash, with the notable exception of dialog being cut off. Of course, that doesn’t happen too often in the sorts of things I write.

]]> By: ditty1013 http://elizabethditty.com/2009/10/29/by-request-the-em-dash-friend-or-foe/#comment-289 ditty1013 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:52:44 +0000 http://elizabethditty.com/?p=588#comment-289 Discounts for twitter friends! ;-) You're quite welcome. Discounts for twitter friends! ;-) You’re quite welcome.

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