we'll take our chances, 'cause god's stopped keeping score

[primroseburrows]

From the Leaky Cauldron:

As a followup to our notice that, in contrast to the way the title's been used on JKRowling.com, there will be a hyphen in the American edition of HBP, we've just confirmed it will also be in place in the British edition. The book will be Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince no matter where you buy it. This decision was made to be consistent with the use of the term in rest of the series.


I'm really relieved. I've not been able to sleep nights wondering about that hyphen.

Um. Or not.

Erm, I've actually never wondered about it and I kind of think that those who do? Have waay too much time on their hands. (Apparently there's some definition thing involving vampires that makes it Oh, So Important, but. I don't get it.)

Comments

[pingviini.livejournal.com]

I've not been able to sleep nights wondering about that hyphen.

:D :D :D

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this. It's been keeping me awake nights too.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I always post the important stuff.

[karabou.livejournal.com]

THANK GOD. My life is now complete.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

*nods gravely* About time, too. *folds hands in cassock sleeves, bows solemnly*

[trempnvt.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha. Sounds like something I'd worry about.

The debate is because in American English, you're not supposed to put hyphens in between words where the first is an adjective and the second is a noun, because it's normal for adjectives to describe nouns. You'd only put a hyphen there if it were a noun describing a noun. And in British English, you sometimes put hyphens even when it's adjective-noun...I'm not sure exactly when or why.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I never thought of the word "half" as an adjective. I guess it is in this context, though.

*worries excessively*

[trempnvt.livejournal.com]

Haha, I made you worry about a meaningless grammar issue!

My mother would be so proud if she knew.