DISQUS

Alan Chamberlain · 1 year ago

Alex--

It's maddening. I love it that I'm getting the ink, but the hyphen thing just sets my teeth on edge.

I'm having discipline issues internally over my own brand. The correct presentation in text is "Uptime", one word, no intercase. My own people are spelling it Up Time and UpTime. Gah! I guess you get the same thing when someone spells your place Independence Hall....

One possible solution; let's capitalize Coworking. It still comes up with the misspelling complaint, but if its capped, maybe the press will treat it like a proper noun.

Keep on, bro...

--Ax

Lachlan Hardy · 1 year ago

Or, of course, you could just accept that 'co-working' makes a ton more sense. 'Coworking' as a proper noun would require capitalisation. This is not commonly done. It's used a an ordinary noun (and verb) and people have an awful lot of trouble pronouncing it and grokking it because it doesn't obey the typical rules (such as they are) of English.

So, I'd agree with all your points if only I agreed with your premise. Whatever happened to paving the cowpaths? Stop 'cow orking' and 'co-work'!

Alex Hillman · 1 year ago

@Lachlan Hardy: that's way less fun. ;)

Are we really going to talk about "nonsensical names in the construct of the english language" when we've got funded companies naming themselves with a web two point oh naming convention ridiculousness?

Point taken, though. And I always like when you stop by to say hi.

Lachlan Hardy · 1 year ago

Ah, true. Much less fun.

If it's a proper noun, that's one thing. If it is the actual name we're talking about, then 'Coworking' works. Of course, if the verb is 'co-working', then 'Coworking' as the proper noun seems a little silly.

Google won't care either way, so it's really just a social thing and I'm thinking the fact this post even exists suggests that you're fighting an uphill battle you won't win. Seems a waste to stress over it. Adopt the hyphen and roll on! :p

(I've not had much time lately so my visits have been less frequent, but this is one of the few blogs I'm still subscribed to and I can't sleep so...)

Judson Collier · 1 year ago

This is awfully reminiscent of another situation: http://www.adrants.com/images/lego_sorry.gif

Just remember to keep your cool :). It seems like a dictionary check would fix it.

alexknowshtml (Alex Hillman) · 1 year ago

death to the hyphen: http://tinyurl.com/69oh6l

Susan Evans · 1 year ago

Laughing over here in Seattle - nice on Alex. Thanks for spreading the good word.

LexieLexie · 1 year ago

I was editing something Dana wrote to me, and she used "coworking" and I put a hyphen in it. Then I decided that since Dana is the "coworking" professional, I should leave her text as-is (asis?). Interesting conversation. I like the hyphen, but I love grammar and punctuation. The more symbols, the merrier. Interesting thing to check out: some folks spell "cooperation"/"co-operation" with a trema (umlaut-y diacritic). Funny stuff.

Oliver Picher · 1 year ago

It's easy to blame the reporters for "getting it wrong", but I think you will find that the extra hyphen is creeping in during the editing process, which the reporters do not directly control. Every publication has a standard style guide so that words such as database are spelled the same way in all articles (or is it data base?)

I agree with the suggestion to capitalize Coworking. I think that will flag the word well enough that it will force copy editors to stop and think before they just apply the standard "cow-orking has a hyphen" rule from the style guide.

Brad Neuberg · 1 year ago

Coworking indeed has no hyphen :)

Brad Neuberg · 1 year ago

When you talk to the reporter make sure to tell them that the editors should not add the hyphen. I like to tell them:

"co-working is when you are working with your fellow employees, while Coworking is the venacular word for a new kind of grassroots movement focused on community and work"

Brad Neuberg · 1 year ago

Oops, that should have been 'vernacular' not venacular :)

Charlie · 1 year ago

What a seemingly silly issue that is not silly at all. It's so important to be identified as you want to be (ie: brand identity) and all that much more so in the world as it is today.

Unfortunately, I think we're getting into a very difficult battle with old and MSM media to get them to change it to co-working for now. Check out http://www.officenomads.com/2008/12/15/does-cow...
for why I think so.

But sign me up for the fight. I am ready, willing and able!
charlie

Mike Schinkel · 2 months ago

Alex,

Why not take the following question next? Should(n't) "Coworking" be capitalized?

-Mike

alexknowshtml · 2 months ago

Why, is it a proper noun?