Prompt Proofing Blog Post: Hyphenating Prefixes

VANCOUVER, BC, March 18, 2011

As promised - a word on hyphenating those pesky prefixes...well, several words actually, starting with an apology. Sadly, there is no quick 'catch-all' answer to this one; the only cast-iron way to ensure you are correct is to check your dictionary, since there are many exceptions, and usage varies from country to country also. However, there are a few general rules which may help.

Much of the following advice will depend on whether you live north or south of the 49th parallel.

Take 'non' for instance:

If you live in the U.S., 'non' is pretty much a no-brainer; it is never hyphenated. In Canada, however, it frequently (but not always) is. So, for Canadians:

A general rule of thumb for words starting with 'non' is that - if the word would have the opposite meaning, in the same context and as the same part of speech, without the 'non' prefix - then 'non' should be hyphenated.

So: non-combatant vs combatant, non-refundable vs refundable, non-toxic vs toxic, etc. - all hyphenated.
Beware though, there are exceptions: e.g. nonsense, nonpayment, nonresistant, etc. Go figure!

Another exception would arguably be 'noncommittal' since 'committal' does exist as a word on its own; however, we do not use 'committal' as an adjective, so it is not a direct opposite in this sense.

Likewise, words where the remainder of the word is never used alone, such as 'nonchalant' are not hyphenated.

However, please remember that, in English, 'non' is always a prefix, it does not exist as a word on its own except as part of a phrase from a different language, such as 'non sequitur'.

And what of 'pre'?

The general rule of thumb here, for Americans and Canadians alike, is that 'pre' does not need a hyphen. Oh good, well that's simple then! Well, no, sadly there are exceptions to this rule also. A few words, 'pre-nuptial', for example, are hyphenated in Canada, but not in the U.S. (This really is easier for Americans!).

Other exceptions are where two vowels occur together in a word, in which case a hyphen may be used (this is optional in the U.S.), so: 'pre-empt', 'pre-eminent', etc.

And 're'?

'Re' is a little simpler, being rarely hyphenated north or south of the 49th parallel. The same double vowel rule can apply though, e.g. 're-educate'.

Apart from this, we hyphenate 're' when not to do so would produce another word with a totally different meaning.

So: 're-lease' (He will re-lease the apartment for a further year.) as opposed to 'release' (They plan to release the animals into the wild.) Similarly 're-cover' (cover again) as opposed to 'recover' (to get better), re-solve, as opposed to 'resolve. etc.

So is anything consistent? The following prefixes are always hyphenated, when used to form adjectives or nouns:

'self' - 'self-esteem', 'self-portrait', 'self-help', etc.

'all' - 'all-inclusive', 'all-embracing', 'all-American', etc.

and 'ex'?
'ex' is always hyphenated when meaning 'former': 'ex-boyfriend', 'ex-convict' or 'ex-wife', otherwise not.

Last, but by no means least, prefixes attached to proper nouns are almost always hyphenated. For example:
'mid-February', 'mid-Atlantic', 'pre-Raphaelite', trans-Canada', or 'neo-Nazi'.

However, one wonderful exception is 'transatlantic'- all one word, with no capital. Isn't the English language wonderful?
Check back next Friday for another Prompt Proofing blog post!

About the Author

Pat Wootton is originally from England and is a former high school English teacher. Having spent many years in the Caribbean, where she raised her family, she now lives in Vancouver, BC. In addition, she has taught English as a Second Language (ESL) for several years after earning a diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of British Columbia. She now owns and runs Prompt Proofing, a copy editing and writing service that caters to individuals and partners with marketing and public relations companies.

About Prompt Proofing

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