On Sun, Nov 17, 2013 at 10:51:09PM +0400, Anton Shepelev wrote:
> Subject: [Groff] Typesetting dashes
>
> I should like to typeset em dashes surrounded by
> thin, say 1/4th en, spaces. To prevent a dash from
> starting a new line, the first space must be un-
> breakable. The second one must be discardable.
> Both spaces must be unstretchable. How to do it?
I suggest you rethink the idea of "unstretchable". Presumably you
are using an em dash to separate phrases, so that it works
similarly to a semicolon or a set of parentheses. Even though
traditionally em dashes have often been set without any spacing,
I feel the effect is to join the two adjacent words together,
which can often separate them from their associated phrases. If
you use a unbreakable space it should always be equal and never
less than the word spaces in the rest of the line. I think for
this reason Robert Bringhurst offers as an alternative an *en*
dash surrounded by normal word spaces, which will always keep the
rhythm of the words on the line consistent and be discarded if
they fall at the end of a line without any extra typographical
work on your part. I also don't see any reason why a dash can't
begin a line; it still retains its function as a separation or
introduction to a new phrase.
-- Steve
--
Steve Izma
-
Home: 35 Locust St., Kitchener N2H 1W6 p:519-745-1313
Work: Wilfrid Laurier University Press p:519-884-0710 ext. 6125
E-mail: si...@golden.net or st...@press.wlu.ca
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style>
