Hyphenate?

[AnyaKimlin]

A discussion with another writer. She wants me to hyphenate far-too-perfect? Is it necessary or why would I do it?

When he looked up, a rose-tinted blush spread across his far too perfect face.

 

[tinkerdan]

I believe that's mostly a style issue and you might eventually run into that when you go through the final edits so don't be surprised.

In this instances it is only if they occur before the noun. Which appears to be your case and is probably why they insist.
ex:
A face that's far to perfect. Wouldn't need it.

 

[Mouse]

Yes. Hyphenate it.

 

[mosaix]

At first I was going to say no. Then when I saw 'rose-tinted' it somehow seemed to be okay.

 

[HareBrain]

In this instances it is only if they occur before the noun. Which appears to be your case and is probably why they insist.

That's correct, I think.

A too-bright moon.

The moon was too bright.

I guess this is because "too" isn't an adjective or adverb and so can't take the place of one; it has to be attached to the adjective/adverb it modifies. The same would apply with other modifiers, such as "low" in "low-quality".

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Thanks - I hoped i wouldn't have to hyphenate it because I already had rose-tinted in the same sentence.

 

[farntfar]

The only purpose of the hyphens is to ensure that far too perfect is seen as a compound.
So as long as no-one's going to read a far too perfect face as being a too perfect face which is at a considerable distance, they really aren't necessary.

After that, it's a choice.
If you see my much too fat face under a rather dull moon, please wear your rose tinted glasses.
It works for me.

 

[chrispenycate]

You only really need to hyphenate if you suspect some of your readers will read it as "…far, too-perfect face," and that requires a perversity even I can only achieve in leap years.

I will, however, question the basic logic. "Perfect", like unique, is an absolute, not accepting qualifiers. Nothing can be more perfect than anything else, only closer to perfection. Any use of 'the most perfect woman he had ever observed' is logically inconsistent. While "too" is not precisely a comparative, are we to gather from your statement that anything which achieves perfection is automatically excessive?

 

[AnyaKimlin]

My character is seventeen . Translated into Cece speak it means he has nothing interesting about his face and she also refers to him as a bland mannequin. Cece prefers her men to be less conventionally pretty.

 

[Juliana]

I'd hyphenate. But then, I do love my hyphens!

(and Anya, Cece sounds fabulous!)

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Thanks. I don't mind hyphens but in this case twice in one sentence seems overkill.

Cece has come out of her shell and is proving fun to write. My writing group have given her a thumbs up. I was terrified as she is very girly (unusual for me) and I had three rather manly men evaluating her lol.

 

[Ursa major]

I think the hyphens aren't necessary as 'too' is an adverb, not an adjective, and 'far' is clearly being used as an adverb (and so not as an adjective**), so there shouldn't really be any confusion.


** - 'Far' being an adjective is hard to see in this context. What is a far face on a person? And even if a person could have a far face, I'd expect a comma or 'and' or a rearrangement of the words:

his far, too perfect face​

or

his far and too perfect face​

or

his too perfect and far face​

or

his too perfect, far face​

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I would hyphenate it, myself. (I like my hyphens, too.) If it bothers you to have two hyphenated constructions in the same sentence, you might consider trying "rosy blush" instead.

 

[Ursa major]

I think why I'm not in favour of the use of hyphens here is that punctuation (and grammar) should be used with economy, e.g. only** where they make something clear that otherwise would not be clear. The hyphens in "far-too-perfect" do not add anything as the meaning is already clear without them.






** - Okay, they can also be used for effect, but that isn't the issue here.

 

[Mouse]

It adds a rhythm and a feeling, Ursa. I say it differently with hyphens.

 

[HareBrain]

Well, Ursa does have Shakespeare on his side. There are no hyphens in "O, that this too too solid flesh would melt".

I do think it reads better with them, though -- it encourages the words to be run together quickly, which helps suggest it as a single adjective.

 

[Ursa major]

With the hyphens, Mouse, do you just dash the words off...?


I'd count the use of hyphens as you and HB describe as an effect (as mentioned in my earlier post). If the effect Anya wants is that provided by the hyphens, then she should use them; if not, then they do not need to be there. (Certainly they don't need to be there for reasons of grammar or comprehension.)

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Far-too-perfect has an eyeroll implied, that far too perfect does not.

 

[Ursa major]

If your eyes need hyphens to get them rolling, TDZ, perhaps you ought to see an optometrist....

​

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I don't think Cece thinks his face is worth an eye roll so maybe I should just leave it lol.

This one is more her type. I based him on my grandmother original assessment (but it is rough)

A tall, gangly and very familiar looking police constable appeared at the door. The multi-coloured bruise on his cheek brought an Elizabeth I quote to mind: The stone often recoils on the head of the thrower. I could not help but wonder if my poorly aimed throw yesterday would come back to haunt me today. The poor young man’s head bowed but he darted a look at me beneath his long lashes that would be more at home on a woman. “Sorry, Sir. Umm...” His toby-jug, really his mother should have done something about them, ears turned a wonderful shade of beetroot beneath his helmet.