Dog's bollocks (typography): Difference between revisions
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The '''dog's bollocks''' or '''dog's ballocks''' is an outdated [[typography|typographical]] construction consisting of a [[colon (punctuation)|colon]] followed by a [[hyphen]] or [[dash]] (e.g. {{nowrap|"''':-'''"}} or {{nowrap|"''':—'''"}}), which was at one time used to indicate a restful pause.<ref name=dean>{{cite web|last1=Dean|first1=Paul|title=Extreme Type Terminology Part 4: Numerals and Punctuation|url=http://ilovetypography.com/2008/04/25/extreme-type-terminology-part-4/|website=I Love Typography|accessdate=28 November 2014|date=April 25, 2008}}</ref> The construction—so named for |
The '''dog's bollocks''' or '''dog's ballocks''' is an outdated [[typography|typographical]] construction consisting of a [[colon (punctuation)|colon]] followed by a [[hyphen]] or [[dash]] (e.g. {{nowrap|"''':-'''"}} or {{nowrap|"''':—'''"}}), which was at one time used to indicate a restful pause.<ref name=dean>{{cite web|last1=Dean|first1=Paul|title=Extreme Type Terminology Part 4: Numerals and Punctuation|url=http://ilovetypography.com/2008/04/25/extreme-type-terminology-part-4/|website=I Love Typography|accessdate=28 November 2014|date=April 25, 2008}}</ref> The construction—so named for being [[phallic]]—appeared as early as 1949, as cited by the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' and etymologist [[Eric Partridge]].<ref name=martens>{{cite web|last1=Martens|first1=Nick|title=The Secret History of Typography in the Oxford English Dictionary|url=http://bygonebureau.com/2010/01/20/the-secret-history-of-typography-in-the-oxford-english-dictionary/|website=The Bygone Bureau|accessdate=28 November 2014|date=January 20, 2010}}</ref><ref name="B+P">{{cite book |title=A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English |edition=3rd |publisher=Routledge & Paul |lccn=50014741 |year=1949 |author=Partridge, Eric}}</ref> The construction is primarily seen in [[British English]], particularly in formal texts such as legal documents. Though at one time taught in schools, its use is now discouraged.<ref name=sussex>{{cite web|last1=Trask|first1=Larry|title=The Colon|url=http://www.sussex.ac.uk/informatics/punctuation/colonandsemi/colon|publisher=University of Sussex|accessdate=28 November 2014}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 12:14, 5 September 2015
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| Typographical construction |
Look up dog's bollocks in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
The dog's bollocks or dog's ballocks is an outdated typographical construction consisting of a colon followed by a hyphen or dash (e.g. ":-" or ":—"), which was at one time used to indicate a restful pause.[1] The construction—so named for being phallic—appeared as early as 1949, as cited by the Oxford English Dictionary and etymologist Eric Partridge.[2][3] The construction is primarily seen in British English, particularly in formal texts such as legal documents. Though at one time taught in schools, its use is now discouraged.[4]
References
- ^ Dean, Paul (April 25, 2008). "Extreme Type Terminology Part 4: Numerals and Punctuation". I Love Typography. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
- ^ Martens, Nick (January 20, 2010). "The Secret History of Typography in the Oxford English Dictionary". The Bygone Bureau. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
- ^ Partridge, Eric (1949). A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (3rd ed.). Routledge & Paul. LCCN 50014741.
- ^ Trask, Larry. "The Colon". University of Sussex. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
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