Question

"We are seeking a programmer for a 1-2 month contract in the San Francisco area. The hyphenation system required for this sentence is unique. The reference is to a contract lasting 1-2 months. Note that here I used an en dash, a sort of superhyphen used to indicate a number range. However, the entire number range needs to be linked to ""month"" to combine the elements as a phrase modifying ""contract,"" so ""to"" replaces the en dash to minimize reader confusion." What does Hyphens/Suspensive Hyphenation mean here?

Answer 1

Hyphens/Suspensive Hyphenation in the question refers to the usage of hyphenation in linking the numbers 1-2 to the word 'month' to indicate the duration of a contract. This usage aids readability and prevents repetition, particularly in cases where the range is open-ended or linked to a subsequent noun.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of your question, Hyphens/Suspensive Hyphenation refers to the use of hyphens to link related words or to denote a span or range of numbers, dates, or time. In this case, '1-2 month' is indicating a range in duration of the contract. A suspensive hyphenation happens when the range is open-ended or when it links two elements to a following noun — as you did in '1-2 month contract'. It is used to avoid repetition and to aid readability. Without the hyphen, the reader might experience momentary confusion understanding the linked relationship between number range and the term 'month'.

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