High-Power vs High Power

[KyleMurdock]

Is one the more correct/accepted way? Are both correct?

Rocketry Forum - no hyphen
Wikipedia - hyphenated
Tripoli.org - mostly unhyphenated, but sometimes hyphenated (example)
Nar.org - mostly unhyphenated
Apogee Rockets - both, even on the same page

I used "High Power Rocketry" on an intro slide for an upcoming conference, and the grammar police are telling me I should hyphenate it.

 

[mh9162013]

As a general rule, you use the hyphen for connecting two words used as an adjective.

So if you're describing a type of rocketry, "high-power rocketry" would be grammatically correct.

That being said, if 99% of readers know what you're talking about either way, who cares what the rule is.*

* One exception is if your audience (that knows what you're trying to say either way) will link your credibility about a topic based on your grammar. In that case, do what your grammar police are telling you to do.

 

[MidOH]

People that base somebodies credibility on grammar, are nearly always pewits. Any real scientist or doctor can read a paper and tell if the topic is legit, without getting bent out of shape for a hypen.

So, IMO, to heck with the hyphen. Just another wasted keystroke.

 

[CalebJ]

People that base somebodies credibility on grammar, are nearly always pewits.

Birds?

 

[MidOH]

A particularly stupid bird. With a shrill annoying warning call.

 

[TRWXXA]

Now if we can only get people to stop using the word, "less", when the correct word should be, "fewer"!

 

[SolarYellow]

Much of aerospace engineering is done according to standards maintained by SAE International (formerly Society of Automotive Engineers). SAE specifies Chicago Manual of Style for its publications. From 7.80 in that book, "Where no ambiguity could result, as in public welfare administration or graduate student housing, hyphenation is unnecessary."

I would not hyphenate high power rocketry.

FWIW, I'm not just a grammar Nazi on the internet. I was a professional grammarian for many years.

 

[kalsow]

My inner math nerd prefers "(high power) rocketry". Down with ambiguity!

 

[Steve Shannon]

I’ve done it both ways. I don’t really think it matters, but the legal definition, which exists in FAR 101.22, uses a hyphen.

§ 101.22 Definitions.​

The following definitions apply to this subpart:

(a) Class 1—Model Rocket means an amateur rocket that:
(1) Uses no more than 125 grams (4.4 ounces) of propellant;
(2) Uses a slow-burning propellant;
(3) Is made of paper, wood, or breakable plastic;
(4) Contains no substantial metal parts; and
(5) Weighs no more than 1,500 grams (53 ounces), including the propellant.
(b) Class 2—High-Power Rocket means an amateur rocket other than a model rocket that is propelled by a motor or motors having a combined total impulse of 40,960 Newton-seconds (9,208 pound-seconds) or less.
(c) Class 3—Advanced High-Power Rocket means an amateur rocket other than a model rocket or high-power rocket.

 

[prfesser]

My personal view.

To grammar nazis that are that picayunish or trivial I would respond with the following edited and variously attributed quote: "Thank you for your input; I'll waste no time considering it."

I mean...jeez.

 

[SecondRow]

So, IMO, to heck with the hyphen. Just another wasted keystroke.

But…it’s the same number of keystrokes

 

[OverTheTop]

But…it’s the same number of keystrokes

But the space bar is easier to hit and uses less toner. Being environmentally friendly, one hyphen at a time .

 

[Voyager1]

Well, I’m glad that’s sorted! Now we need to decide on Low-Power vs Low Power.

 

[Hobie1dog]

there are lots of people out there that really need to use the precious time they have left to help society instead of micro-analyzing grammar.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Generally, in most style guides, a compound modifier uses a hyphen. In this case, the words “high“ and “power” are both modifying “rocketry”, and they are doing it together as a compound modifier, not separately, so they should be separated by a hyphen. How do you know it’s a compound modifier and not two separate modifiers? Try the modifiers alone. It’s not “high rocketry”, and it’s not “power rocketry”. It’s “high-power rocketry”. (To make it more confusing, those two words can be used together, but not as a modifier, as in “Rockets of High Power”. In that case, you don’t use a hyphen.)

If modifiers stand alone, but you want to use more than one, you separate them with commas, as in, “I participate in the fun, exciting, rewarding, and challenging hobby of high-power rocketry.” In that case “fun, exciting, rewarding, and challenging” all modify “hobby” individually, so they are separated by commas, not hyphens.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I’d like to add, good for you for taking the time to check your grammar. In a lot of casual communication, it doesn’t matter much, and “grammar nazis” can get very annoying. But for a slideshow presentation for a conference, it does matter, and you should check and double-check each slide for spelling, grammar, and clarity. Do a professional job. And best wishes for your presentation!

 

[beeblebrox]

But the space bar is easier to hit and uses less toner. Being environmentally friendly, one hyphen at a time .

I read an article years ago where a High School student showed that if the school changed the font they use for all printed material to a thinner one.
A significant amount of toner can be saved and by using a condensed font, less paper too!.. Example:

 

[jd2cylman]

Now if we can only get people to stop using the word, "less", when the correct word should be, "fewer"!

Too bad you couldn’t say this with less words.

 

[Zeus-cat]

In a different thread spell check gave me conflicting advice on hyphens when I typed high-power and then low power. Shouldn't it be the same?

 

[KenECoyote]

 

[TRWXXA]

Too bad you couldn’t say this with less words.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Now if we can only get people to stop using the word, "less", when the correct word should be, "fewer"!

I have a friend with a pet peeve about “less” and “fewer”, and one time she pointed out that the sign for the supermarket express line should not say, “10 items or less.” And I told her she was right, it should say, “10 items, or else.”

 

[cwbullet]

I am not sure, but I always do what Gramarly tells me to do.

 

[NateB]

People that base somebodies credibility on grammar, are nearly always pewits. Any real scientist or doctor can read a paper and tell if the topic is legit, without getting bent out of shape for a hypen.

So, IMO, to heck with the hyphen. Just another wasted keystroke.

Generally true, but when I hear someone start a sentence with "I seen..." I have a hard time giving them credibility.

 

[Buckeye]

Generally true, but when I hear someone start a sentence with "I seen..." I have a hard time giving them credibility.

Agree. Likewise, if a post is hard to read with run-ons, fragments, or full of texting lingo, I take a hard pass on whatever they have to say.

 

[smstachwick]

Dodge the question and abbreviate to HPR whenever possible. Sounds like NASA-speak.

The fun part is that it works for two very slightly different abbreviations. Depending on context, I can read it as either High-Power Rocket(ry) or High-PoweR.

 

[teepot]

We had to take 4 English credit in HS. I took freshman and then three years of journalism. I don't remember any collage stuff. I couldn't tell a participle from a dangling one. Don't know what one was anyway. I was the sports editor. You don't need English rules when your describing a football game. Just a lot of small words.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

I-use-hyphens-all-the-time.

 

[OverTheTop]

For variety try some em and en-rules

 

[blackjack2564]

what type of glue should I use to hold that hyphen in place??