endashista

An endashista is a term used to describe someone who intentionally misuses or misunderstands the en dash. The en dash is a punctuation mark that is longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash. It is commonly used to indicate a range, such as in dates or numbers, or to connect compound modifiers where one of the words is already a hyphenated compound.

The term "endashista" is often used playfully or critically to point out instances where an en dash is incorrectly substituted for a hyphen, an em dash, or even a space. For example, using an en dash where a hyphen is required in a compound word like "well-being" could be seen as an act of endashism. Similarly, employing an en dash when an em dash is more appropriate for setting off parenthetical phrases might also be labeled as such.

While the misuse of punctuation is a common occurrence, the specific term "endashista" highlights a peculiar focus on the en dash. The reasons for this misuse can vary, ranging from a lack of awareness of the distinct functions of different dash types to a deliberate stylistic choice that deviates from standard grammatical conventions. The term serves as a concise way to refer to this particular brand of punctuation error.