What's the difference between an en-dash and an em-dash

[wienerdog]

What would be an example of when to use one or the other?

[Satchel]

Edit:
the en- dash is the size of a capital N the em- is the size of a capital M

According to the AP stylebook a dash is used to denote an abrupt change in thought in a sentance or an emphatic pause:
we will fly to Paris in June – if I get a raise.
Smith offered a plan – it was unprecedented – to raise revenues.

still doesn't really mention en- or em-dash spacifics... if you dont get an answer by tomorrow I'll ask my copy writer, he'll know.
S.

[D-Frag]

An M dash is just a slightly larger space, they use it in copywriting all the time, especially in magazines and the like, it helps to seperate words. We used it alot in listing horse winnings, and the editors are very good at pointing out when you don't have an M space.

[Pica]

hyphen (-) use when breaking up a word

en-dash (–) use when denoting a range ("pages 4–5" "Monday–Friday")

em-dash (—) use in a sentence to indicate a break in thought

[Satchel]

ahh that's what it is... thanks pica, after this got brought up it was driving me nuts because I couldn't remember. And D-Frag, yes editors are very good at pointing out the wrong dash...

[NewEra]

thank you Pica __ what a great thread ;)__ very much for it

[idaho]

I'm sorry but a dash is a dash is a dash. The english language is hard enough without having to worrry about what type of dash to use (and it's my native language).

Don't even get me started on British vs. American English...gives me the willies thinking about it.

[Eraser Nubbin]

Which form of the English language do you favour Idaho?

[Jason Fraker]

The DVD for About a Boy has a feature called an "English to English Dictionary" that explains some of the colloquial Brittish Expressions used-like "taking the piss" and "the wrong end of the stick, etc. Hilarious. Also, When Austin Powers and his father switch to Cockney so that they can disguise their conversation (or something, it's been a while) and the scene is subtitled. Great Stuff!

[idaho]

I prefer to make it up as I go. It's much easier that way. As long as I understand what I said then that ok with me. Everyone else is on their own. :)

Actually I would say that since I'm in the US that American English should be the standard. Unfortunately, I have a VP here at work who is an English major (she flaunts this whenever she can) and is British. She is constantly driving us nuts with her corrections to the way we have things written. "It's colour NOT color!" or "he's a barrister NOT a lawyer!" Bullsh@#! It's 'color' and 'lawyer' and that's the way I'm writing it!

I don't have anything against British English, I just think that since the vast majority of people in our particular area of the country are natural born American hillbillies, that we should use the appropriate version of the language.

[Pica]

I was talking to my friend recently while in a chat room frequented by both Brits and Americans (or more specifically, lots of Brits and a handful of Texans) and she mentioned that she's going to England for most of December and early January. When I asked if this meant she was "blowing off her parents" for Christmas, there were some very confused and fairly shocked people.