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0 pointsd4rkp4ttern2mo ago0 comments

First time I’m hearing about a shortcut for this. I always use 2 hyphens. Is that not considered an em-dash ?

0 comments

You are absolutely right — most internet users don't know the specific keyboard combination to make an em dash and substitute it with two hyphens. On some websites it is automatically converted into an em dash. If you would like to know more about this important punctuation symbol and it's significance in identitifying ai writing, please let me know.

d4rkp4tternOP2mo ago

Wow thanks for the enlightenment. I dug into this a bit and found out:

Hyphen (-) — the one on your keyboard. For compound words like “well-known.”

En dash (–) — medium length, for ranges like 2020–2024. Mac: Option + hyphen. Windows: Alt + 0150.

Em dash (—) — the long one, for breaks in thought. Mac: Option + Shift + hyphen. Windows: Alt + 0151.

And now I also understand why having plenty of actual em-dashes (not double hyphens) is an “AI tell”.

acidburnNSA2mo ago

If you have the compose key enabled it's trivial to write all sorts of things. Em dash is compose (right alt for me) ---

En dash is compose --.

You can type other fun things like section symbol (compose So) and fractions like ⅐ with compose 17, degree symbol (compose oo) etc.

https://itsfoss.com/compose-key-gnome-linux/

On phones you merely long press hyphen to get the longer dash options.

FridayoLeary2mo ago

Thanks for that. I had no idea either. I'm genuinely surprised Windows buries such a crucial thing like this. Or why they even bothered adding it in the first place when it's so complicated.

2 more replies

wincy2mo ago

And Em Dash is trivially easy on iOS — you simply hold press on the regular dash button - I’ve been using it for years and am not stopping because people might suddenly accuse me of being an AI.

tverbeure2mo ago

Thanks for delving into this key insight!

keyle2mo ago

No it's not the same. Note there are medium and long as well.

That said I always use -- myself. I don't think about pressing some keyboard combo to emphasise a point.

PaulDavisThe1st2mo ago

The long --- if you're that way minded --- is just 3 hyphens :)

d4rkp4tternOP2mo ago

Yep I realize this now, as I said in my other comment.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

FridayoLeary2mo ago

d4rkp4tternOP2mo ago

Wow thanks for the enlightenment. I dug into this a bit and found out:

Hyphen (-) — the one on your keyboard. For compound words like “well-known.”

En dash (–) — medium length, for ranges like 2020–2024. Mac: Option + hyphen. Windows: Alt + 0150.

Em dash (—) — the long one, for breaks in thought. Mac: Option + Shift + hyphen. Windows: Alt + 0151.

And now I also understand why having plenty of actual em-dashes (not double hyphens) is an “AI tell”.

acidburnNSA2mo ago

If you have the compose key enabled it's trivial to write all sorts of things. Em dash is compose (right alt for me) ---

En dash is compose --.

You can type other fun things like section symbol (compose So) and fractions like ⅐ with compose 17, degree symbol (compose oo) etc.

https://itsfoss.com/compose-key-gnome-linux/

On phones you merely long press hyphen to get the longer dash options.

FridayoLeary2mo ago

Thanks for that. I had no idea either. I'm genuinely surprised Windows buries such a crucial thing like this. Or why they even bothered adding it in the first place when it's so complicated.

2 more replies

wincy2mo ago

And Em Dash is trivially easy on iOS — you simply hold press on the regular dash button - I’ve been using it for years and am not stopping because people might suddenly accuse me of being an AI.

tverbeure2mo ago

Thanks for delving into this key insight!

keyle2mo ago

No it's not the same. Note there are medium and long as well.

That said I always use -- myself. I don't think about pressing some keyboard combo to emphasise a point.

PaulDavisThe1st2mo ago

The long --- if you're that way minded --- is just 3 hyphens :)

d4rkp4tternOP2mo ago

Yep I realize this now, as I said in my other comment.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse