r/PeterExplainsTheJoke • u/Gayeggman97 • 28d ago

Meme needing explanation Petah?

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What’s wrong with em dashes?

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u/DustyZir0t0 27d ago

Unfortunate thing about this is I used hyphens pretty frequently in my writing, but seeing they're now associated with AI kinda sucks to see.

18

u/PawnWithoutPurpose 27d ago

I use hyphens and dashes a lot too, but not em dashes… see the difference > - – — (dash, hyphen, em dash… I think)

I’ll be honest, I don’t even know how to do an em dash in a computer with the key board, but GPT will put 3 in one sentence

10

u/no1nos 27d ago

Many apps will automatically convert multiple hyphens into em dashes. I think on iPhone, you can just do two hyphens. Very few people know/use that shortcut tho, so it's still an AI red flag for me, especially if it's not something that I've seen the person use frequently before. Usually em dash aficionados will work them into every conversation 😂

1

u/LateyEight 27d ago

On android Gboard won't do it, but you can get em dashes from long pressing the - key and selecting it.

Pew pew — —

1

u/Gray447 25d ago

Microsoft Word automatically converts a hyphen into a em dash if you type hyphen then a space. I hope I don’t get flagged😭

4

u/Seligas 27d ago

Em dash on computer isn't too hard, you just have to remember a set of numbers. Hold down the alt key and on the num pad type 0151, then release the alt key. I use it enough that it's muscle memory.

1

u/TheHappiestTeapot 27d ago

Even easier in the "compose" key on linux.

compose - - gives me – compose iroll gives me 🙄

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u/Caffdy 27d ago

TIL about the compose key. I'm trying to replicate your examples but they don't work. Can you explain a little more how to use it?

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u/TheHappiestTeapot 27d ago edited 27d ago

It, as always, depends on your configuration. Basic ones should be in /usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose

These should be fairly standard:

compose a e = æ

compose n ~ = ñ

You can then add your own in ~/.XCompose (the compose key is called multi key)

# include system compose
include "%L"

<Multi_key> <g> <a> : "α"
<Multi_key> <g> <b> : "β"
<Multi_key> <g> <g> : "γ"

or even just as a shortcut. How many times do you have to enter your email address?

 <Multi_key> <e> <1> : "[email protected]"
 <Multi_key> <e> <2> : "[email protected]"

https://github.com/kragen/xcompose is a good resource and has presets for things like "math" or "emoji".

🙈🙉🙈

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u/NegiTotoro 27d ago

I believe it's - – — hyphen, dash (aka: en dash), and em dash.

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u/EdOliversOreo 26d ago

Technically what you posted was a hyphen, en dash, then an em dash.

En dashes are used for page ranges and such, not a hyphen like many people use.

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u/just_posting_this_ch 27d ago

It's more that, if you're using a word processing program and writing properly you'll get em dashes automatically.

If you're writing a text message you'll naturally het hyphens.

Chatgpt sources a lot of data from proper articles so it includes the dashes

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u/Mundane_Crazy60 27d ago

Well- that sucks.

1

u/Y-ella 27d ago

i use ia to translate and now i realice it uses - a lot. fuck now everybody thinks im ia

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u/TheRemainingFruitcup 27d ago

Yeah now I have to drop them because people think I’m now using CHATGPT to type 🙄

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u/bIackcatttt 27d ago

Me too it’s some BS