Hyphen!
p. 97 · Read in the full issue
Oh, For a Missing Hyphen!
A valued critic comments that that was a nice review of Atoll Holiday (by Nancy Phelan) in October “PIM”, but it was a pity poor Nancy had to be lying on the beach drinking. . . .
In case anyone should be thinking of sueing us for this, we should like to point out that what was said was (They) “ . . had a passion for such things as lying on the beach till the small hours drinking in the moonlight What should have been said was . . till the small hours drinking-hyphen-in the moon lights (And the next sentence sorted it all out, anyhow).
Some crusty Old-Timers might think that it would make more sense if they hod been “drmfc ing comma in the moonlight .
They weren’t, of course.
There wasn’t any comma; and, alas, no hyphen either. On mature reflection we are pre pared to agree that it might have been better all round if there had been.