Editing User:AKAAkira/Language Editing Guidelines (draft) (section)

===Dashes===
There are two types of dashes: '''em dashes''' (—) and '''en dashes''' (–). Em dashes are, usually, rendered with no space on either side of the dash. En dashes are rendered with a space on both sides, ''unless'' one of those sides has a punctuation mark (such as a quotation mark, and exclamation mark, and a question mark).

Some sources uses em dashes with a space on either side (such as TVTropes). However, as an em dash's line should be sufficiently distinct from hyphens (unlike en dashes), '''on Baka-Tsuki em dashes should be used without spaces on either side'''. (This has a miniscule byte-saving effect as well.)

:E.g.:
:The whole problem started with Agil – more accurately, in his shop on the fiftieth floor.

:"Come on, Rinko-san! I heard you out when you confessed your secret crush on Kayaba Akihiko –"

:The whole problem started with Agil—more accurately, in his shop on the fiftieth floor.

The purpose of both em dashes and en dashes are identical; there are no situations in which one cannot be substituted for the other. The only reasons for using one over the other tend to be narrative inclinations and aesthetic preferences. As light novels use em dashes exclusively, and for another reason that will be outlined in the following point #3, '''on Baka-Tsuki em dashes are preferred over en dashes'''.

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Dashes may be used for five purposes:
#A break in running speech that is quicker than an ellipsis (may be for explanatory purposes, like the a (semi)colon);
#A trail-off in speech that is quicker than an ellipsis;
#An interruption in speech;
#A ''resuming'' of speech (either after interruption, or when one is getting back on topic); or
#An isolated comment.
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1. This is self-explanatory; whenever a character speaks something with a sudden pause in the middle, a dash can be used, similarly to a comma. If the sentence fragment after the dash clarifies the previous statement, it may also be substituted with a colon or semicolon (which one depends on the sentence, as explained in the "Colons" section). Comparatively, a dash is more "dramatic" or "exaggerated" than a comma or either of the colons. "Dramatic" actually goes both ways depending on context, however—when the sentence is relatively calm, the pause is slightly longer that of a comma, while in action-filled sentences, dashes embody a more "sudden" break.

:E.g.:
:"The whole problem started with Agil—more accurately, in his shop on the fiftieth floor."

:Her third blade nearly nicked my cheek, but I pushed on, dodging clear of the fourth blade aimed at my stomach, while the fifth sword I could just duck under—ACK!
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2. Dashes are used at a trail-off quicker than ellipses. This is very slightly distinct from getting interrupted.

:E.g.:
:I frowned. "'Can't'? But if you still have some of the money you can at least give a partial refund—"
:That's when the reason she suddenly seemed so defensive hit me with the force of the first floor's boss.
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3. Whenever diction is interrupted, dashes are used.

:E.g.:
:"I have an idea—"
:"No."
:"Kirito, I'm hurt. I haven't—"
:"No! You can't make me!"

3. (cont.) This includes ''self''-interruption, which can sometimes be immediately resumed by another sentence. In this case, if using em dashes, this can be distinguished by having a space rendered in the succeeding sentence, as well as capitalizing said sentence. This is another reason em dashes are preferred over en dashes; en dashes cannot properly demonstrate this case.

:E.g.:
:"[...] Wow, that's a weird username. You've been playing through SAO with— That's not your name, is it."
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4. Whenever a sentence that is interrupted gets resumed, a dash is used. Light novels primarily use this as a "get back on topic" or "freed from distraction" action. This appears replicable in English narration.

:E.g.:
:''Whoa, that is'' so ''hot,'' Klein thought dazedly. ''—I mean, I need to stop this! Now!''

4. (cont.) Similarly to an ellipsis, a dash can also be used on resuming a sentence after interrupting it. Dashes are used over ellipses if the resuming takes place quickly (for example, a character who keeps on talking as if he wasn't interrupted). In these cases, the first word after the dash is never capitalized, unless it is a proper noun. Where the dash goes depends on narration, however; if narration interrupts the dialogue, the dash is placed before the quotation mark of the second part of the dialogue (as if the character is interrupting him- or herself twice), while if dialogue ''with a complete sentence'' interrupts, the second dash is placed right after the second part of the dialogue's opening quotation mark.

:E.g. of 3 & 4 combined:
:"[...] They really don't like the business you're doing here, so I was asked—" Blackmailed, more like—"to investigate, and hopefully, solve this problem without any fuss."

:"Come on, Rinko-san! I heard you out when you confessed your secret crush on Kayaba Akihiko—"
:"''I do not have a crush on Kayaba-sempai!''"
:"—so it's only natural that I can call in a favor from you too, right? We're friends, aren't we?"
----
5. Like using parentheses or a clause bracketed by commas, a clause can be bracketed by dashes as an aside comment.

:E.g.:
:I hurriedly ducked—ah, right, Blade Throwing had minimal delay—and it was only after a slight struggle to regain momentum that I was able to rush forward.

:[...] and got herself more than a few "dedicated and loyal"—more like "rabid and obsessive"—fans
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