SIM/Procedure: SIM color rule I

May 15, 2003: issue 59

SIM STYLE: Colors of change
The beloved SIM “color rule” (the first subsection under Colors in the SIM Stylebook that addresses hyphenation) has finally changed to something that—we hope—makes a little more sense.

Here’s the essence of the new rule: If a color appears in Webster’s 11th, treat it the same way in text regardless of usage. If it doesn’t, apply standard rules of hyphenation.

Examples:
• “Forest green” appears in Web 10 as two words. (Always use as two words in copy.)
correct: The forest green wall creates a focal point.
correct: The designer painted the wall forest green.

• “Jet-black” appears in Web 11 hyphenated. (Always hyphenate in copy.)
correct: The jet-black wall creates a focal point.
correct: The designer painted the wall jet-black.

• “Pale blue” does not appear in Web 11. (Hyphenation depends on usage.)
correct: The pale-blue wall creates a focal point.
correct: The designer painted the wall pale blue.

Copy editors will receive a copy of the full rule to replace that page in their stylebooks. If anyone else would like one, too, let me know and I’ll get a copy to you.

GRAMMAR: How should I treat numbered items in a list?
Use numbers or letters, either followed by periods or set off typographically—not followed by a single parenthesis. Parens must always come in pairs and cannot be properly used alone.

For more information, see Issue 39.

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