It's a debate you probably didn't see coming: a tech billionaire taking a stand on punctuation. Elon Musk recently argued for a change to English grammar rules, setting his sights on the humble—or perhaps not-so-humble—em dash.
Musk's Punctuation Prescription
In a post on his social
media platform, X, Elon Musk suggested that the rules of English should be updated. His argument centers on the em dash (—), the long dash used to set off phrases. According to Musk, when used without spaces, it too closely resembles a hyphenated word, which could confuse the reader. He wrote, 'The rules of English need to change to put spaces between the em dashes, as they presently too much resemble a hyphenated word, rather than a parenthetical phrase'. He added that he finds the em dash 'unpleasantly long' and that the shorter en dash (–) has a 'better length'.
A Crash Course on Dashes and Hyphens
To understand Musk's point, it helps to know the cast of characters. The hyphen (-), the shortest of the marks, is used to join words together, like in 'well-being' or 'state-of-the-art'. The en dash (–), roughly the width of the letter 'N', is typically used to indicate a range, like 'pages 10–15' or '9:00 AM–5:00 PM'. Then there's the em dash (—), about the width of an 'M'. It's the most versatile of the three, used to create a dramatic pause, set off an explanatory phrase, or signal an abrupt change in thought. Think of it as a more emphatic version of a comma or parenthesis.
Style, Space, and Readability
Musk’s argument touches on a real debate among writers and typographers. Style guides differ on whether to put spaces around an em dash. The Chicago Manual of Style, for example, prefers no spaces, while the AP Stylebook calls for spaces on either side. Musk's preference for spaces aligns with the latter, arguing it improves readability by clearly separating the parenthetical thought from the rest of the sentence. His complaint about the length is also a matter of aesthetic preference, with some designers already opting for the slightly shorter en dash to achieve a cleaner look in a body of text.
The AI and Em Dash Connection
This punctuation debate is happening at a time when the em dash has become weirdly controversial. Some have noted that AI writing tools, like ChatGPT, tend to use em dashes frequently—perhaps because they are trained on vast amounts of formal, published text where the mark is common. This has led to a strange situation where some human writers are now consciously avoiding em dashes for fear their work will be flagged as AI-generated. While Musk's comment wasn't directly about AI, it taps into this ongoing conversation about how technology is shaping the way we write and what stylistic choices signify.
Why Does a Dash Matter?
It may seem trivial, but this conversation is about more than just a horizontal line on a screen. It’s about clarity, style, and the evolution of language in the digital age. As the owner of a major communication platform, Musk's opinions on style can have a real impact on how millions of people write and consume information. While grammarians and style guides have long set the rules, tech leaders are increasingly influencing our linguistic habits, from character limits to the very appearance of punctuation. This seemingly small debate over a dash is a perfect example—a tiny mark that reveals bigger trends in technology and culture.
