Re: [Groff] hyphenation in words with explicit hyphen

[Stewart C. Russell]

Werner LEMBERG wrote:
> 
> shall I modify groff so that words which contain an explicit hyphen
> are hyphenated only there and not at different positions?
> 
> Please comment.

Looking at our (now out-of-print, alas) Dictionary of Spelling and
Hyphenation, there doesn't seem to be a clear pattern to this. While
hyphenated compounds tend not to have other break points, it seems to be
allowable to break at the last point if they are long.

F'rinstance ('+' denoting discretionary hyphentaion point, '-' required
hyphen in compound):

        hand+ed
        mind+ed
        sin+gle

but

        single-handed
        single-handed+ly
        single-handed+ness
        single-minded
        single-minded+ly
        single-minded+ness

(it's coincedence that "handed" and "minded" have the same number of
characters.)

Just goes to show that there are no rules without exceptions in
English...

-- 
Stewart C. Russell              Senior Analyst, Dictionary Division
address@hidden  HarperCollins Publishers
use Disclaimer; my $opinion;    Glasgow, Scotland