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Spelling compound words

The basic principle of continuous and separate writing is the selection of words in writing. Parts of words are written together, words are separated by spaces. The application of this rule is hampered by the fact that word combinations and whole words are not always clearly opposed in the language (for example, combinations with the particle not and words with prefix not?, combinations of nouns with prepositions and adverbs formed from such combinations).

There is a third type of spelling - hyphenated, or semi-fused. A hyphen can separate a word into parts (for example, firebird, light green, in a new way, because of, all-in, first, someone) and, conversely, combine parts of a phrase (for example, science fiction writer, cunning-cunning, out of the blue, out of the blue, two or three).

The main rules of this section are divided into general and related to individual parts of speech.

General rules

The following digits of words are written together

1. Words with prefixes , For example:

a) with Russian prefixes: trouble-free, cashless, alongshore, extracurricular, intraspecies, appeal, run out, finish reading, scream, interlibrary, interregnum, greatest, non-specialist, unpleasant, not without interest, untalented, subhuman, misunderstand, depose, deforest, weaken, near-literary, stepson, stronger, post-perestroechny, ancestral home, prehistory, overtone, resist, superhuman, ultra-distant, co-editor, mediterranean, loam, striped, excessive;

b) with prefixes of foreign origin: illogical, avant-title, anticyclone, ahistorical, archival, hyperinflation, dismantling, disintegration, disproportion, immoral, international, infrastructure, irrational, counteroffensive, metalanguage, parapsychology, post-Soviet, protohistory, reevacuation, offal, superliner, transcontinental, ultra-left, extraterritorial, extraordinary.

Words with a prefix the ex- in the meaning of ‘former’ ( ex-champion, ex-soviet etc.) are written with a hyphen. The same word is written rear admiral, where is the prefix counter- is of particular importance.

Compound words are also written together with initial parts, Russian and foreign, close to prefixes, for example: forgiveness, all-encompassing, monthly, extraterrestrial, alien, pseudoscience, pseudosocialist, nationwide, universally recognized, half-moon, half-sweet, half-lying, half-jokingly, self-sufficient, self-healing; pan-American, quasi-scientific, pseudo-gothic, pseudo-folk.

2. Compound words, the first part of which coincides with the form of the numeral (two, three, five etc.), as well as words with first parts two-, three-, many-, little-, For example: two-month, three-ton, four-percentage, pentagonal, six-story, seven-mile, octahedron, nine-point, decathlon, eleven-year-old, twelve-hour, twenty-ton, thirty-degree, forty-bucket, fifty-year-old, ninety-year-old, centenary, two-hundred-ruble, one-and-a-half-year-old, one-and-a-half-year-old, dual power, three-finger; bilateral, tripod, polynomial, multi-stage, few people, little snow, unattractive .

3. Compound words with the first foreign (international) part ending in a vowel . The list of the main such parts of compound words:

With the final about : auto-, agro-, astro-, audio-, aero-, baro-, benzo-, bio-, velo-, vibro-, video-, hecto-, helio-, geo-, hetero-, hydro-, homo -, dendro-, zoo-, iso-, kilo-, cinema-, cosmo-, macro-, meteo-, micro-, mono-, moto-, neuro-, neuro-, neo-, ortho-, paleo-, pyro-, pneumo-, porno-, psycho-, radio-, retro-, seismo-, socio-, spectro-, stereo-, thermo-, turbo-, phyto-, phono-, photo-, evaco-, exo- , eco-, electro-, endo-, energy-;

With finite a, e, and : air-, deca-, mega-, media-, tetra-; tele-; deci-, milli-, poly-, centi- .

Examples: autobiography, automobile plant, agro-soil, astrophysics, audio engineering, aerovisual, hyperbaric chamber, gas engine, biosphere, cycle track, vibration measuring, video equipment, hectowatt, heliogravure, geopolitics, heterotransplantation, hydroturbine, homosexual, arboretum, veterinarian, isobars, isothermal, kilometer, film, cosmic vision, macrocosm, meteorological service, microbiology, microcomputer, monoculture, motorcycle racing, neuropathologist, neuropsychic, neorealism, orthocenter, paleo-asian, pyrotechnics, pneumosclerosis, porno film, psycholinguistics, radioactive, radio receiver, retro fashion, seismic-resistant, socio-cultural, spectro-projector, stereo effect, heat-resistant, turbogenerator, phytoplankton, phonochrestomathy, camera, evacuation hospital, exothermic, ecosystem, electrically intensive, endothermic, energy intensive;

airmail, aerochemical, decameter, megarelief, media company, tetra-substituted; telephoto lens, telefilm, teleKVN, remote-controlled; decigram, millivolt, polyvalent, multivitamin, centigram;

With two or more of these parts: aerial photography, hydrogeochemical, meteoradiosonde, radiotelecontrol, spectroheliogram, photographic filming, electrical and radio equipment; motorbike racing, astrospectrophotometry, paleophytogeographical.

4. Compound words that end in i , For example: time-calculation, time-pulse, name-creativity, cotyledon, seed-cleansing, selfishness, selfish.

The following bits of words are written with a hyphen

1. Combinations that represent the repetition of a word (often for the purpose of reinforcement), for example: blue-blue, strong, strong, much, much, barely, very, very, very, very, just, just a little bit, ah-ah, woof-woof, pah-pah, just about, they go- go, ask, ask; the combination is also spelled zero zero .

This includes repetitions of pronominal words. all, all, who, what(in different cases) where, where and others, for example: Everyone has arrived! She is happy with everything. Someone who just did not visit him! Already someone, and she is happy with them. There is nothing here! Something, but this will not happen! Where, where, and in this house is always fun. Somewhere, but he will not refuse to go to Moscow.

2. Combinations-repetitions of expressive (often amplifying) nature, in which one of the parts is complicated by a prefix or suffix, as well as combinations of elements that vary in sound composition, For example: beauty-beauty, clever-reason, wolf-wolf, tower-teremok, grief-grieving, day-to-day, flour-torment, darkness-darkness, blue-blue, washed-over-washed, glad-radyoshenek, one-alone, white- white, early, early, a long time ago, little by little, little by little, firmly, firmly, crosswise, willy-nilly, some kind of no, after all, just, jump-jump, wait-wait, full-full, sick-sick, insofar as(adverb), sikkos-nakos, passions-muzzles, focus-pocus, things-dryuchki, shurum-burum, tyap-blunder, containers-bars, trali-vali, not khukhry-mukhry, shakher-makher, shura-mura.

3. Pair constructions consisting of words with the first part semi-, For example: half-city-half-village, half-German-half-Russian, half-fairy-tale-half-life, half-sleep-half-real; half-military-half-civilian, half-mocking-half-sympathetic, half-jokingly-half-seriously, half-lying-half-sitting.

Between parts of such paired constructions, a comma is also possible (in some syntactic conditions: when enumerating, separating), for example: Accept the collection of colorful chapters, / Half funny, half sad ...(P.); Her eyes are like two fogs / Half smile, half cry(Ill.).

4. Combinations correlative or close in meaning words, For example: sadness-longing, path-road, life-life, geese-swans, vegetables-fruits, bread-salt, fir-trees-sticks, cats and mice(a game), spoons, forks, arms and legs, one and only, alive and well, good health, unexpectedly, at the very least, any-expensive, sewn-covered, walks-wanders, lived-were, drink-eat, drink- feed, this and that, this and that, back and forth.

5. Combinations that have the meaning of an approximate indication of the amount or time of something , For example: a day or two, a week or two, write a letter or two, a year or two, two or three hours, three or four times, twelve or fifteen people, two or three boys, two or three; He will be back in March/April .

If in such constructions the quantity is indicated by numbers, not a hyphen is placed between them, but a dash, for example: people 12–15; she is 30–35 years old; rubles 200–300; it was a year in 1950-1951.

6. Compound words with the first part - a letter or sound abbreviation, For example: VHF transmitter, MW oven, HIV infection, DNA containing .

Nouns

Common names

The following categories of nouns are written together

1. Nouns whose continuous spelling is determined by general rules: words with prefixes and initial parts like false-, semi-, self- , compound words with the first part coinciding with the form of the numeral, compound words with initial parts like auto, air , compound words with the first part ending in -I , For example: superman, pseudoscience, three-ton, airstrike, biosphere, cotyledons .

2. compound words, For example: shelling, military doctor, state trade, foreign passport, spare parts, cyberspace, communist party, machine bureau, payment in kind, teacher's institute, political emigrant, socialist realism, special issue, special vocational school, wall newspaper, dance floor, transagency, household goods; collective farm, trade union organization, Komsomol, trade mission, destroyer.

3. Compound nouns with connecting vowels o and e, For example: plumbing, farmer, forest-steppe, poultry farm, vegetable store, new building, South Americans, sound image, syllabotonics; with two or more initial components: forest peat extraction, steam and water supply, glass-reinforced concrete, gas-water-oil saturation.

4. Compound nouns with the first part in -иili -ъ , coinciding with the form of the imperative mood of the verb: hemlock, flirtatious, spiny, vyrviglaz, adonis, keep a tree, dzhimorda, kosiseno, hoarder, daredevil, noise head, robber army. Exception: Tumbleweed.

5. Nouns derived from hyphenated proper nouns (consisting of two parts with initial capital letters), for example: Addisabebians, Almaty residents(from Addis Ababa, Almaty), Buenosairesians, Yoshkarolinians, Costa Ricans, Los Angelesans, New Yorkers, Nutcrackers, Ulanudens, Ust-Kamenogorsks(names of residents of cities and states); Saint-Simonism, Saint-Simonist(from Saint Simon).

6. (as well as ordinal numbers in the function of nouns), if these forms begin with a consonant letter, except l , For example: half a bottle, half a bucket, half a house, half a meter, half an hour; half past two, half past nine, half past five etc.

The following categories of nouns and combinations of nouns are written with a hyphen.

1. Combinations of two nouns in which the first part has an independent declension :

a) combinations-repetitions of different types, pair constructions, combinations of correlative or similar words, for example: smart-reason, wolf-wolf, unfortunate misfortune, half-asleep-half-awake, friend-buddy, name-patronymic, purchase and sale;

b) combinations with single-word applications following the word being defined, for example: baba yaga, roly-poly, hero city, flying carpet, fiber flax, mother heroine, hornbill, hermit crab, parrot fish, self-collected tablecloth(stable combinations); new building, international journalist, emigrant writer, medical student, bloodhound dog, rookie soldier, amateur gardener, first-year student, old mother, beautiful girl, Masha the frolic(free combinations); with the second part unchanged: parade-alle, lottery-allegri, maximum program, minimum program.

c) combinations with single-word applications preceding the word being defined, for example: old father, beautiful daughter, clever son, hero-pilot, sage-writer, naughty-monkey, tyrant-stepmother, hard worker-investigator, layman-editor, rogue-manager. Such applications are evaluative in nature.

Combinations of this type with proper names are usually written separately: old man Derzhavin(P.), baby Tsakhes(character of Hoffmann's story of the same name), simpleton Vanya etc.; but: Mother Russia(Nekr.).

2. Combinations with applications in which the first part is an indeclinable noun , For example: cafe-machine, single canoe, mezzo-soprano, cape-coat, operetta revue, relay-station, free-carriage.

They also include:

a) combinations of note names with words sharp, flat, becar: C-sharp, G-sharp, E-flat, A-flat, A-becar etc.;

b) combinations with the first parts gross, net, solo: gross weight, net balance, solo bill etc.;

c) names of production brands and products of the type Tu-104, Il-18 .

3. Compound words with an indeclinable first part expressed by a noun in the nominative singular with the ending , For example: aga-khan, unfortunate hunter, amusement park, miracle hero, echo-impulse .

This also includes terms with the names of Greek letters as initial elements, for example: alpha particle, beta decay, gamma radiation, delta wood, kappa factor, lambda characteristic, sigma function, theta rhythm .

4. Compound words with an indeclinable first part expressed by a noun in the nominative singular without an ending (with null ending), for example: address-calendar, mizzen-mast, business class, boy-woman, fire-girl, major general, jazz orchestra, diesel engine, doping control, firebird, Internet project, caravanserai, march throw, online survey, PR campaign, cape, Rh factor, rock ensemble, sex bomb, transfer agent, tsar fish; unit names, e.g.: ampere-second, watt-second, hectowatt-hour, kilowatt-hour, kilogram-force; foreign names of intermediate countries of the world: southwest, southeast, northwest, northeast.

There are many exceptions to this rule. Traditionally, all the names of chemical compounds of such a structure are written together, for example: bromoacetone, butyl rubber, vinylacetylene, methylbenzene, methyl rubber, chloroacetone, chlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, ethylcellulose. Examples of other fused spellings: vimpelfal, kostutil, lotlin, plankart, falzapparat, quarter-final, stormtrap, yalbot .

5 . Words with disco first parts - (music), maxi, midi, mini , For example: disco club, disco music, maxi fashion, midi skirt, mini dress, mini tractor, mini football, mini computer.

6. The following groups of nouns formed with connecting vowels :

a) the names of complex units of measurement, for example: bed-place, car-place, passenger-kilometer, ton-kilometer, plane-departure, machine-hour, man-day;

b) Russian names of intermediate countries of the world: northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest, as well as north-northeast, north-northwest, south-southeast, south-southwest.

7. A group of words denoting mainly positions and titles, with the first parts vice-, camera-, counter-, life-, chief-, states-, non-commissioned, wing-, headquarters, staff-, as well as ex- (meaning ‘former’), for example: Vice Governor, Vice Chancellor, Vice Consul, Vice President, Vice Premier, Vice Champion; chamber junker, chamber page; rear admiral; Life Guards, Life Hussar, Life Dragoon, Life Medic; chief burgomaster, chief master, chief officer, chief prosecutor; lady of state, secretary of state; non-commissioned officer; adjutant wing; headquarters, headquarters physician, headquarters officer, headquarters captain; staff captain; ex-president, ex-minister, ex-director, ex-champion, ex-deputy prime minister .

The words extraterritorial and expatriation, where is the prefix the ex- has a different meaning, are written together. The same is true for musical terms. overtone and undertone.

8. Names in the form of phrases with a function word (since they consist of three parts, they are written with two hyphens): Ivan da Marya, coltsfoot, don't touch me(plants), love-not-love(a game).

9 . Combinations with gender forms genus. case of nouns (as well as ordinal numbers in the function of nouns), if these forms begin with a vowel or a consonant l, For example: half a turn, half a window, half an orange, half a knot, half a hut, half a diocese, half a Christmas tree, half a screen, half a yurt, half an apple, half a lemon, half a leaf, half a eleventh .

10. Nouns formed from hyphenated common nouns , For example: vice presidency, general government, chamber junkers, privatdocentura, trade unionism, non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer(from vice president, governor general, chamber junker, privatdozent, trade union, non-commissioned officer).

Exceptions : southwester, pingpongist, flip-flop, miner, yacht club member.

In all other cases, the continuous or hyphenated spelling of nouns is regulated in dictionary order.

Groups of nouns of similar structure, written both with a hyphen and together.

1. Compound nouns , in which the first part represents:

a) the full stem of a self-used noun that has nominative singular the ending (nonzero);

b) truncated stem of a self-used noun or adjective .

Examples of hyphens:

a) admiralty board, wardroom, manufactory board, post director, press officer, yacht club ;

b) audience hall, ordinary doctor, CD, commerce board, conference hall, assistant professor, legal board; the names of political parties and trends and their supporters are also written, for example: social democracy, social democrat, national socialism, national socialist, radical extremism .

Examples of fused spellings:

a) watch parade, sixth chord, seventh chord;

b) bulwark.

2. Compound nouns, the first part of which occurs only in compound words.

Examples of hyphens: art-salon, beat-group, berg-collegium, braid pennant, web page, grand hotel, dalai lama, dancing hall, content analysis, cruise bearing, lawn tennis, music hall, pop music, subaltern officer, top model, tryn grass .

Examples of fused spellings: arcsine, backstage, mezzanine, bildapparat, bundeschancellor, water machine, uniform uniform, marshal u quintessence, cold cream, cabinet of curiosities, leitmotif, landlord, reich chancellor, field marshal, schmutztitul .

3. Nouns consisting of two or more elements, separately in Russian (as independent words or repeating parts of compound words) not being used.

Examples of hyphens: alma mater, beef breze, boogie-woogie, jiu-jitsu, lend-lease, kebab, know-how, papier-mache, ping-pong, Turkish delight, tete-a-tete, weekend, fife-o-clock, fata morgana, happy ending, cha-cha-cha .

Examples of fused spellings: underground(and underground), rear guard, bel canto, beef stroganoff, bibabo, blancmange, beau monde, bonmeaux, bundestag, verliebr, wunderkind, judo, dixieland, ginseng, quipro quo, kickapoo, crossword, landwehr, meistersinger, maître d', notabene, sedan chair, price list, tom-tom, theremin, backgammon, orange blossom, hula hoop, chainword, sharivari.

Spelled differently words with the first part pa- (correlative with a separately used indeclinable noun): cf. pas de deux, pas de trois and padegras, padekatre, padepatiner, padespan .

1. Complex nouns are written together with elements auto-, agro-, aero-, bio-, velo-, helio-, geo-, hydro-, zoo-, iso-, cinema-, macro-, meteo-, micro-, mono-, moto-, neo- , paleo, radio, stereo, TV, photo, electric and others, regardless of the number of named elements or other words in the stem. For example: auto case, automotovelo race, agro Technics, aero sled, bio station, velo sport, helio therapy, geo botany, hydro Mechanics, hydro life resources, zoo vetpoint, zoo hygiene, isophoto reportage, screenplay, macrocosm, weather report, microradio waves, mono culture, moto parts, neo positivism, paleo Asians, radio staging, stereo cinema, body movie, thermoelectric central, thermohydro dynamics, a photo art, electro the wire, electro phototherapy clinic.

Note 1. When fluctuating between hyphenated and continuous spelling of words of foreign origin, the second is preferred, if in the Russian language the components with their inherent meaning are not distinguished in the word, for example: blitz krieg - blitzkrieg, water machine - water machine, water polo - water polo, gum arabic - gum arabic, maitre "o-tel - maitre d', tabled "from - table d'hôte Wed also: crepe de chine, fide chine, fildekos, fildepers (two components with a French preposition between them are not distinguished in the words) - crepe georgette, crepe maroquin, crepe satin, crepe chiffon. Or continuous spelling of inflected words padegras, padekatre, padepatiner, padespan and hyphenated spelling of indeclinable words of the same semantic group pas de deux, pas de trois.

Note 2. About spelling words with element air see § 41, paragraph 4.

2. Complex nouns are written together with the verb first part on - and, For example: vert and neck, mountains and color, hold and snout, osprey and house, wreck and head, noise and head. Exception: roll and-field.

3. Compound abbreviated words of all types are written together, for example state committee, trade union committee, Uralmash, Central Bank.
Hyphen

4. As a rule, complex nouns are written with a hyphen without a connecting vowel, denoting the names of mechanisms, as well as scientific, technical, socio-political terms, for example: stacking machine, leveling machine, vacuum machine (vacuum pump, vacuum dryer, vacuum shield etc.), diesel-electric ship, dynamo machine, cable crane, beam crane, motor generator, stop valve, filter press, injection machine; chair-bed, raincoat-tent; saw-fish; prime minister, lieutenant general, captain engineer, lord chancellor.

Note 1. Compound words are written together:
a) with the first part board-: flight engineer, board mechanic;
b) with the second part - meter: vacuum meter, dosi meter, millivolt meter.

Note 2. Words with the first part are written through a hyphen block- and press-: block apparatus, block- diagram, block- mechanism, block- signal, block- system(but block notes, block gauz); P ress- attache, press- secretary, press- conference, press- Centre; P ress- cliche, press- conveyor, press- papier.

5. Complex units of measurement are written with a hyphen, for example: gram atom (gram-calorie, gram-molecule etc.), kilogram-hour, ton-kilometer, man-day, man-bed.
Exceptions: workday, workday

6. The compound names of political movements, as well as their supporters, are written with a hyphen, for example: anarcho-syndicalism, national socialism, radical socialist, social revolutionaries, social democrats.

7. The names of intermediate countries of the world are written with a hyphen, for example: southeast, northwest, southeast.

8. Words with foreign language elements are written with a hyphen vice-, life-, chief-, non-commissioned, headquarters, ex- in the first part, for example: vice admiral, label- guard, ober- conductor, non-commissioned the officer, headquarters- doctor, the ex- champion, ex-vice prime minister(with two hyphens).

9. Complex names of plants are written with a hyphen, having in their composition a verb in a personal form or a union, for example: love-don't- love, not- touch-me, Ivan- Yes Mary, mother and-stepmother.

10. Complex words are written with a hyphen, in which a word with an estimated value is attached to the main word, for example: the battle-woman, gop- company, grief- supervisor, good-bye- boy, miracle- fish, Hurrah- patriotism.

11. Scientific and technical terms are written with a hyphen, which include the names of letters or letters (most often the Greek and Latin alphabets), for example: alpha- particle, gamma- radiation, X- rays ( X- rays), to- particle, pi- meson.

12. Adjectives formed from hyphenated place names retain the hyphen in their spelling, for example: Alma-Ata - Alma-Ata, Orekhovo-Zuevo - walnut-zuevsky, Los Angeles - los angeles. Puerto Rico - puerto rican, and nouns formed from this chain are written together, for example: New York - New Yorker, New Yorkers, Costa Rica - Costa Rican, Costa Ricans, Kurgan-Tyube - kurgan-tyubinsky, Kurgan-Tube people. The chain obeys the same rule. ku klux klan - ku klux klan- Klansman.

Note 1. For hyphenated complex proper names of persons, see § 13, paragraphs 2–5, geographical names § 17, paragraph 4.
Note 2. About writing complex words like truth-truth, sale-purchase, name-patronymic see § 83, para. 1, note. 2.

13. When combined with the help of a union and two or more complex nouns with the same second part, this part can only be given with the last word, and with the preceding words, the so-called hanging hyphen is written instead. For example: gas- and electric welding(cf. gas welding and electric welding); water- and gas supply; radio- and TV shows auto, moto and cycling(but in the absence of union and - continuous spelling, see above, paragraph 1).

The spelling of compound nouns and especially adjectives is one of the tense points of modern orthography. This guide in this matter is based on the "Rules of Russian Spelling and Punctuation of 1956", as well as on the normative "Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language". There is a slightly different approach to writing these words, for example, in the book “Together or Separate?” (experience of the reference dictionary) B.3. Bukchina and L.P. Kalakutskaya (see appendix at the end of the book).

The formation of complex nouns occurs by combining several (usually two) independent parts into one semantic whole. Their role can be played by various parts of speech, both independent and official. Their display on the letter has its own characteristics. We will talk about how to write such words today.

First, let's talk about what options exist. A complex noun in Russian can be written either with a hyphen, or together, or separately. The principle that lies in the distinction between these options is the selection of words in writing. Words are separated by spaces, and their parts are written together. However, the application of this rule has its own peculiarities. The fact is that in the language whole words and their combinations are not always clearly contrasted. Therefore, in addition to separate and continuous spelling, there is a semi-continuous, or hyphenated. The hyphen serves to separate words into parts (for example, the firebird), or combines parts of the phrase into one whole (fantastic writer). After reading this article, you will learn how to write a particular compound noun correctly.

Consolidated spelling

Words that are formed using connecting consonants are written together. This includes all education auto-, aero-, air-, cinema-, moto-, photo-, auto-, electro-, meteo-, stereo-, agro-, hydro, micro-, bio-, zoo-, neo-, macro. There are many examples, here are just a few: flax harvesting, farmer, plumbing, airport, motorcycle race, car race, photo essay, electric motor, bicycle racing, macrocosm.

Compound nouns are written together if they are inflected and their first verbal part ends in -i. Examples: derzhiderevo, adonis, turnip, dzhimorda, hoarder, flirtatious, daredevil.

Hyphen

A complex noun should be written through a hyphen if it has the meaning of one word and it consists of 2 nouns used independently, connected by vowels e or o. Examples: boy-woman, firebird, cafe-restaurant, diesel engine, major general, prime minister, Buryat-Mongolia. Note that in this case, when the word is declensed, only the second noun changes.

The following examples apply to this rule: purchase and sale, reading room, saw-fish, good boy, Moscow River. However, in these cases, both nouns change in declension.

In addition, the names of political directions and parties that are constituents, as well as their supporters, should be written through a hyphen. Examples are as follows: social democrat, social democracy,

Complex units of measurement

Hyphen spelling is correct if we are dealing with complex units of measurement. It does not matter whether this compound noun is formed with a connecting vowel or not. Examples: kilowatt-hour, ton-kilometer, man-day. However, there is an exception to this rule - this is the word workday, which should be written together.

Other cases of hyphenation

Let's continue to consider the spelling of compound nouns. A hyphen should be put in the case of the names of foreign and Russian intermediate cardinal points. Examples: northeast, northeast etc.

Through a hyphen, combinations of words are written that have the meaning of nouns if these combinations include:

a) verb used in personal form (flower love-not-love, plant Dont touch me);

b) union (plant Ivan da Marya);

c) preposition ( Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Rostov-on-Don, Frankfurt am Main).

Foreign language elements often have their own characteristics. Their use in various rules is often negotiated separately. In our case, the hyphenated spelling of complex nouns is correct if their first component is foreign language elements non-commissioned, chief, vice, headquarters, ex-. Examples include the following: life medic, ex-champion, vice president, headquarters.

Spelling of compound nouns, the first part of which is half-

If the first part of a compound word is floor-(meaning "half"), followed by a noun in R. p., which begins with the consonant " l" or with a vowel, then the hyphen spelling is correct. Examples: half an apple, half a turn, half a lemon. In other cases, compound nouns are written together. Examples: half an hour, half a meter, half a room. However, if after floor- it will be appropriate to use a hyphen if you have complex nouns in front of you. Examples: half of Europe, half of Moscow. Words that begin with semi-. Examples: semicircle, half-station, half a verst from the city.

Application Highlight Features

If the word being defined is immediately followed by a single-word application, a hyphen should be placed between them. Examples: Anika is a warrior, Masha is a quickie, an old mother.

If a one-word application, which can be equated in meaning with an adjective, follows the word being defined, the hyphen is not put. Example: handsome son.

If the application or the word being defined is itself written with a hyphen, it is not placed between them. Example: Social Democrat Mensheviks.

Russian compound surnames

Compound surnames should be written through a hyphen, which were formed by adding two personal names, that is, when complex nouns are formed when they are combined. Examples: Skvortsov-Stepanov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Andersen-Nexe, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and others.

Personal surnames and given names combined with nicknames are written separately with them. Examples: Ants Hanger, Vanka Kain, Ilya Muromets.

Foreign compound surnames

It is necessary to put a dash between the parts of the word if we are dealing with foreign compound surnames, in which the first part St. or Saint-. Examples: Saint-Saens, Saint-Just, Saint-Simon etc. Oriental personal names (Arabic, Turkic, etc.) should also be written with a final or initial component indicating social status, family relations, etc. Examples: Osman Pasha, Izbail Bey, Tursunzade, Ibn Fadlan and etc.

However, it should be clarified that hyphenated compound names, the first part of which is Don-, are written only in cases where the main part of the name is not used separately in Russian. Examples: Don Quixote, Don Juan. However, if the word "don" means "master", it should be written separately. Examples: Don Basilio, Don Pedro.

It should also be taken into account that particles and articles, which are parts of foreign-language surnames, are written without a hyphen, that is, separately. Examples: le Chapelier, von Bismarck, de Valera, de Coster, Lope de Vega, Leonardo da Vinci, von der Goltz, Baudouin de Courtenay. Particles and articles, without which surnames of this type are not used, must be written with a hyphen. Example: Van Dyck.

It should be said that some other foreign-language surnames have their own characteristics in the Russian transmission. Particles and articles in them are written together, so that their spelling can be separate in the respective languages. Examples: Delisle, Decandole, Laharpe, La Fontaine. The spelling of compound nouns, which are proper names of foreign origin, as you can see, has many nuances. We have considered the main ones, it remains to tell only about the last.

It must be taken into account that the names of different categories are not connected by hyphens to each other, like the Russian surname, name and patronymic. Example: Gaius Julius Caesar.

We now turn to the features of displaying geographical names in writing.

Geographical names consisting of two nouns

They are written with a hyphen if they consist of two nouns. Examples: Kamenetz-Podolsk, Orekhovo-Zuevo, Heart-Stone. The same applies to words consisting of a noun followed by an adjective. Examples: Goose-Crystal,

Other cases of hyphenated place names

Through a hyphen, you should also write combinations consisting of a particle or an article with a significant part of speech. The following examples can be given: Bay of De Castries, City of La Carolina, City of Le Creusot.

The names of settlements are written through a hyphen if they include as the first part: top-, salt-, mouth- etc. The same applies to some titles with the first part lower-, upper-, old-, new- etc., except for those cases when a continuous spelling has been fixed on geographical maps or in reference publications. Examples: Verkh-Irmen, Sol-Iletsk, Ust-Abakan, Novo-Vyazniki, but: Maloarkhangelsk, Novosibirsk, Novoalekseevka, Starobelsk.

If geographical names that are compound are formed from the names of parts of a particular geographical object with or without a connecting vowel, then a dash is also put in this case. Examples: Alsace-Lorraine, Austria-Hungary. Exception - Czechoslovakia.

Separate spelling of geographical names

However, geographical names in some cases should be written separately. This applies primarily to words consisting of an adjective followed by a noun; or if the noun follows the numeral. Examples: Nizhny Tagil, Belaya Tserkov, Seven Brothers, Yasnaya Polyana.

You also need to write separately nouns if they are surnames. Examples: Erofey Pavlovich station, Lev Tolstoy settlement.

Names of cities with the second part - city or - city

The names of cities are written together if they are the second component -city or -grad. Examples: Ivangorod, Uzhgorod, Belgorod, Kaliningrad, Leningrad.

Variants of spelling

It should be noted that there are fluctuations in the spelling of some compound words that have appeared in the language recently. Examples: parking place and parking place, ton-kilometer and ton-kilometer, tonnage-day and tonnage-day. These orthographic variants are explained by the presence of connecting vowels in them ( tons-about-mileage, cars-about-place). Thus, they are affected by general spelling rules. It is preferable to write them together.

So, we have considered the continuous and hyphenated spelling of compound nouns. Of course, we have analyzed only the main cases. There are many nuances in this topic, so you can improve in it for a long time. However, we have presented the basic information, and in most cases it is quite enough to write competently complex nouns.

1. The complex names of beings are written together

1) with elements of auto-, agro-, aero; bio-, bicycle-, hydro;

zoo-, cinema-, macro-, micro-, meteo; moto, neo: radio,

body; stereo-, photo-, electro-regardless of the number of

the quality of the named elements: tire cover, agricultural

nickname, aerial photography, biosphere, microorganism, meteorological

summary, neo-fascism, radio station, TV show, photo

studio, electric shaver, car and bike racing, hydro-

energy resources;

2) with the first part of the verb in -i: verticek,

daredevil. Exception: tumbleweed;

S) compound words: trade union committee, city council.

2. They are written with a hyphen:

1) complex names of mechanisms, scientific, technical

scientific and socio-political terms: stop-

crane, vacuum dryer, dynamo, raincoat,

major general, prime minister;

2) complex units of measurement: watt-hour. Human

co-day. Exceptions: workday, labor hour;

3) complex names of political parties and

boards, as well as their supporters: the social democrats

tiya. radical socialist;

4) names of intermediate countries of the world: southwest,

northeast, northeast;

5) complex plant names that have in their

composition of the verb in the personal form or union: love-not-

love, ivan-da-marya, coltsfoot;

6) words with foreign elements vice-, leib;

ober; non-commissioned, headquarters; ex-: Vice-President, Life Guards-

Diya, Lieutenant. non-commissioned officer, headquarters,

ex-champion.

§ 48. Spelling of compound adjectives

It is written fluently:

nouns that are written together: iron-bearing

ton (reinforced concrete), forest-steppe (forest-steppe);

2) adjectives formed from two words, one

of which is subordinated to another: national economic

(national economy), machine-building (construction

machinery), the above (the above

3) adjectives, the first part of which is -

the adverbs are high; low; acute, little; deep-, chalk-

co-, hard-, forever-: highly educated, low-paid

chivalable, acutely scarce, little used,

easily soluble. These compound words are used

as terms. They must be distinguished from phrases

in which adverbs are a separate member

sentences and have independent stress. On the-

example: underdeveloped countries - underdeveloped in

economic relation of the country.

Adverbs in -ski, -more, -more are written separately from

adjectives: practically pure oxygen,

teasingly black;

4) adjectives formed from two heterogeneous

native adjectives between which it is impossible to

put a coordinating union: High German (Upper

German) dialect, Old Church Slavonic (ancient

Church Slavonic) language, compound

(complex composed) sentence;

5) adjectives, one of the parts of which is self-

not used properly: empty-headed, fast-

Write with a hyphen:

1) adjectives formed from complex su-

nouns that are written with a hyphen: north-

eastern (northeast), social democratic

(Social Democrat), Alma-Ata (Alma-Ata):

2) adjectives formed from two one-

native adjectives, between which you can

put a coordinating union: English-Russian, report-

elective, educational and auxiliary;

3) adjectives denoting a combination of colors

or color with a tint: gray-blue, yellow-red,

pale green, deep purple;

4) adjectives denoting quality with additional

nuance: bitter-salty, good-natured

cunning ^ piercingly sharp;

5) adjectives starting with north- (se-

vero-), south- (south-), east; western and included in

composition of geographical or administrative names

ny: East European Plain. North Ossetian

kaya ASSR. In a nominal sense, these pralaga-

bodies are written together: Eastern European rivers,

decade of North Ossetian art;

6) adjectives formed from two or more

adjectives indicating heterogeneous prizes

naki, which characterize the subject from different angles.

These words are part of the terms: officially-

business style, financial and economic department, compare-

nitelno-historical method. adjectives of this

types often begin with the basis of the military (military

aviation), mass- (mass-sports), on-

native (people's democratic), scientific (scientific)

technical). educational (training and auxiliary);

7) adjectives, the first part of which ends

waetsya on -iko (except for great-): dialectical-material-

leafy. historical and archival (Yao: Great Russian,

overgrown);

8) adjectives formed from a combination of ad-

noun and noun, but with a rearrangement

these elements: literary and artistic (artistic

literary literature), vocabulary and technical (technical

technical dictionary).

The spelling of compound nouns and especially adjectives is one of the tense points of modern orthography. This guide in this matter is based on the "Rules of Russian Spelling and Punctuation of 1956", as well as on the normative "Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language". There is a slightly different approach to writing these words, for example, in the book “Together or Separate?” (experience of the reference dictionary) B.3. Bukchina and L.P. Kalakutskaya (see appendix at the end of the book).

Consolidated spelling

1. Complex nouns are written together with elements of auto-, agro-, aero-, bio-, bicycle-, helio-, geo-, hydro-, zoo-, iso-, cinema-, macro-, meteo-, micro- , mono-, moto-, neo-, paleo-, radio-, stereo-, tele-, photo-, electro-, etc. regardless of the number of named elements or other words in the stem. For example: car business, automotobicycle racing, agricultural technology, snowmobiles, biostation, cycling, heliotherapy, geobotany, hydromechanics, hydropower resources, zoo veterinary center, zoohygiene, isophoto reportage, film script, macrocosm, weather report, microradio waves, monoculture, motor parts, neopositivism, Paleo-Asians, radio show, stereo cinema, TV movie, combined heat and power plant, thermohydrodynamics, photographic art, electrical wire, electric light therapy facility.

Note 1. When fluctuating between hyphenated and continuous spelling of words of foreign origin, the second is preferred, if in the Russian language the components with their inherent meaning are not distinguished in the word, for example: blitz krieg - blitzkrieg, water machine - water machine, water polo - water polo, gummi- arabic - gum arabic, maitre "o-tel - maitre d', tabld" from - tabldot. Wed also: crepe de chine, fide chine, fildekos, fildepers (two components with a French preposition between them are not distinguished in the words) - crepe georgette, crepe maroquin, crepe satin, crepe chiffon. Or the continuous spelling of inflected words padegras, padekatre, padepatiner, padespan and hyphenated spelling of non-inclined words of the same semantic group pas de deux, pas de trois.

2. Complex nouns are written together with the verb first part on -and, for example: spinner, adonis, dzhimorda, hoarder, daredevil, noise head. Exception: tumbleweed.

3. Compound abbreviated words of all types are written together, for example, state committee, trade union committee, Uralmash, Central Bank.

Hyphen

4. As a rule, complex nouns are written with a hyphen without a connecting vowel, denoting the names of mechanisms, as well as scientific, technical, socio-political terms, for example: automatic stacker, automatic leveler, vacuum apparatus (vacuum pump, vacuum dryer, vacuum shield, etc.), diesel-electric ship, dynamo, cable crane, beam crane, motor generator, stop valve, filter press, syringe machine; chair-bed, raincoat-tent; saw-fish; prime minister, lieutenant general, captain engineer, lord chancellor.

Note 1. Compound words are written together:

• a) with the first part board-: flight engineer, flight mechanic;

b) with the second part -meter: vacuum gauge, dosimeter, millivoltmeter.

Note 2. Words with the first part are written through a hyphen block- and press-: block apparatus, block diagram, block mechanism, block signal, block system (but notepad, blockhouse); press attache, press secretary, press conference, press center; press cliché, press conveyor, paperweight.

5. Complex units of measurement are written with a hyphen, for example: gram-atom (gram-calorie, gram-molecule, etc.), kilogram-hour, ton-kilometer, man-day, man-bed.

Exceptions: workday, labor hour.

6. Compound names of political movements, as well as their supporters, are written with a hyphen, for example: anarcho-syndicalism, national socialism, radical socialist, social revolutionaries, social democrats.

7. The names of intermediate countries of the world are written with a hyphen, for example: southeast, northwest, south-southeast.

8. Hyphenated words with foreign language elements vice-, life-, chief-, non-commissioned, headquarters, ex- in the first part, for example: vice admiral, life guard, chief conductor, non-commissioned officer, staff doctor, ex-champion, ex-deputy prime minister (with two hyphens).

9. Complex plant names are written with a hyphen that have a verb in a personal form or a conjunction, for example: love-don't-love, don't-touch-me, Ivan-da-Marya, mother-and-stepmother.

10. Compound words are written with a hyphen, in which a word with an estimated value is added to the main word, for example: boy-woman, gop-company, unfortunate leader, good boy, miracle fish, cheers-patriotism.

11. Scientific and technical terms are written with a hyphen, which include the names of letters or letters (most often the Greek and Latin alphabets), for example: alpha particle, gamma radiation, x-rays (x-rays), k-particle, pi meson.

12. Adjectives formed from geographical names with hyphenated writing retain a hyphen in their spelling, for example: Alma-Ata - Alma-Ata, Orekhovo-Zuevo - Orekhovo-Zuevsky, Los Angeles - Los Angeles. Puerto Rico is Puerto Rican, and nouns formed from this chain are written together, for example: New York - New York, New Yorkers, Costa Rica - Costa Rican, Costa Ricans, Kurgan-Tube - Kurgan-Tube, Kurgan-Tube . The chain Ku Klux Klan - Ku Klux Klan - Ku Klux Klan is subject to the same rule.

13. When combined with the help of a union and two or more complex nouns with the same second part, this part can only be given with the last word, and with the preceding words, the so-called hanging hyphen is written instead. For example: gas and electric welding (cf. gas welding and electric welding); water and gas supply; radio and television broadcasts; auto, motorcycle and bicycle races (but in the absence of a union and- continuous spelling, see above, paragraph 1).