swung dash
Very Low / TechnicalFormal, Technical, Academic
Definition
Meaning
A typographical character (‸) resembling a tilde but placed centrally, used as a shorthand or placeholder, especially in dictionaries and indexes.
In linguistics and lexicography, it stands in for a repeated word or element to save space. In computing, it can be a shorthand notation in certain contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
It is a specialist typographic and lexicographic tool, not a punctuation mark with syntactic function. Its meaning is entirely context-dependent on the system using it.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or use. The term 'swung dash' is standard in both varieties.
Connotations
Purely technical/functional; no cultural connotations.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general language; frequency is identical and confined to specialist publishing and linguistics contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The swung dash [VERB] for the headword.A swung dash is [VERB] to represent the omitted term.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. It is a technical term.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in linguistics, philology, and lexicography papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Used in dictionary compilation, typesetting manuals, and specific computing notations.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The editor will swung-dash the repeated lemma in the index.
- We need to swung-dash these entries for brevity.
American English
- The compiler swung-dashed the headwords to save space.
- You should swung-dash the recurring term.
adverb
British English
- The headword was replaced swung-dash.
- The entry was written swung-dash.
American English
- The term is represented swung-dash.
- It is formatted swung-dash.
adjective
British English
- The swung-dash notation is common in older glossaries.
- Please check the swung-dash entry.
American English
- Use the swung-dash symbol here.
- The manuscript employs a swung-dash convention.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This is a swung dash: ‸.
- The symbol ‸ is called a swung dash.
- In the dictionary, a swung dash often replaces the main word.
- The swung dash ‸ saves space on the page.
- Lexicographers employ the swung dash as a space-saving device in crowded entries.
- The index uses a swung dash to indicate where the base form of the word should be reinserted.
- The typographic convention of the swung dash, distinct from the tilde, evolved from the need for concise lexicographic notation.
- One must carefully define the referent for the swung dash to avoid ambiguity in the compiled concordance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a hammock (swung) made from a dash; it's a dash that's swung into a curved shape to hold the place of a repeated word.
Conceptual Metaphor
A STAND-IN / PLACEHOLDER (An understudy on a stage, representing the main actor).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'тильда' (tilde ~), which is similar but has different uses.
- Do not translate as 'качающееся тире'—this is a calque; the established term is 'свингующее тире' or 'волнистое тире' in specialist contexts.
- It is not a punctuation mark and has no direct equivalent in standard Russian punctuation.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as general punctuation.
- Confusing it with the tilde (~), which is similar but used differently (e.g., in Spanish, in approximation).
- Pronouncing 'swung' as /swʊŋg/ (with a hard 'g').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a swung dash in lexicography?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. They are visually similar but distinct characters with different uses. A tilde (~) is used in various contexts (e.g., in Spanish, in approximation, in computing). A swung dash (‸) is specifically a lexicographic placeholder.
Almost exclusively in the front matter, appendices, or entries of printed dictionaries, glossaries, and indices, where it explains the notation used to condense information.
It is not a standard keyboard character. You would typically insert it using a word processor's 'Insert Symbol' function (Unicode U+2038) or a specialist typesetting package like LaTeX.
No, it is a highly specialist term. Most native speakers will never have heard of it or encountered it outside of specific academic or publishing contexts related to lexicography.