Question

Topic: E-Marketing

Which Is Correct: Email Or E-mail?

Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 12/1/2004 at 12:36 PM ET 250 Points
I know this sounds silly, but I'm torn.

As if we didn't have enough to do here, we've come to the decision that we must pick one version--either "email" or "e-mail"--and stick with it throughout our site and collateral. I agree that a mixed use can appear sloppy, although some have suggested that, from a search engine perspective, a mixed use might be okay.

(We feel that the appearance of uniformity outweighs this, however.)

So--which is it? I can defend "e-mail" because it's an abbreviated form of "electronic mail." Also, I think many people still refer to many things "e" with the hyphen. For example, e-marketing, e-commerce, e-book, etc.

However, I can appreciate the logic that "email" makes more sense because it has become its own word, much like many people say and write "TV" instead of television. Also, any opportunity to remove an unnecessary character should almost always be taken.

MarketingProfs seems to use "email," as does MarketingSherpa. Microsoft, however, uses "e-mail" consistently throughout its software and Web site, and you know that they thought long and hard about it before doing so. So do the print publications B to B and DM News.

I am aware that more people use "email" in their search terms than they do "e-mail," but that doesn't necessarily make it right. Then again, maybe there's no such thing as "right" here, and it's just a matter of preference.

Having said all that, I'm going to decide based on the results of responses to this topic. Majority rules.

And yes, I am aware that I really am spending way too much time thinking about this... :(

Thanks,

Paul
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by SRyan ;] on 12/1/2004 at 12:55 PM Accepted
    I say use "email."

    I use it because I hate hunting for the hyphen key.

    It's always interesting to see how language evolves. God help us if we actually start using txt spelling in normal communication as some of the newer KHE members seem to prefer. cud u pls do my homework?

    If you like words as much as I do, go to wordsmith.org and get the free A.Word.A.Day emails. (I think I enjoy the daily quotes at the end even more than the vocabulary lesson.)

    Shelley ;]
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 12/1/2004 at 1:02 PM Author
    "Wired style says 'email' and Associated Press style says 'e-mail.' Two experts. Two answers."

    [sigh]

    I do see a toin-coss in my future...

    Keep 'em coming!

    Paul
  • Posted by Pepper Blue on 12/1/2004 at 2:12 PM Accepted
    Paul,

    Geez, you had to add this to my day, I debate the same thing everytime I write, except it gets worse:

    is it:

    email or
    Email or
    eMail or
    EMail or
    e-mail or
    E-mail or
    e-Mail or
    E-Mail


    and then it carries over to:

    emarketing or
    Emarketing or
    eMarketing or
    EMarketing or
    e-marketing or
    E-marketing or
    e-Marketing or
    E-Marketing

    So I checked 3 style guides and all say that when in doubt to check the dictionary - you know where this going - so a quick check at Dictionary.com gives "e-mail or email also E-mail" and webopedia.com uses "e-mail".

    This will be interesting.....


  • Posted by telemoxie on 12/1/2004 at 4:02 PM Accepted
    Maybe it's like French pronouns... there is a formal ("vous") and a familiar ("tu") which mean the same thing, they both translate "you"...

    And so you have the formal "e-mail", the friendly and informal "email", and "electronic mail" for legal documents.
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 12/1/2004 at 4:57 PM Author
    No mas! NO MAS!

    I'm really suffering from analysis-paralysis here.

    The ballots have been cast, the chads have been hung, and the decision has been made. And the winner is...

    [drumroll, please]

    "email"

    That is, of course, until we decide to change it.

    Thank you for all of your feedback and for indulging my overanalytical behavior.

    Best,

    Paul
  • Posted on 6/16/2011 at 8:12 PM Member
    It should be "e-mail", and here's why:

    1. It's represented in the dictionary as "e-mail" on both Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster.com.

    2. It's a truncation of electronic mail (e-mail) which helps retain it's proper phonetic pronunciation. The "e" should retain the inflection of the first long-e sound in "electronic." This helps us in other "e-" respects as well. E-marketing and e-zines would be pronounced much differently without the hyphen.

    3. It's not a proper noun, so it shouldn't be capitalized unless it is written in title case or is at the beginning of a sentence. In addition, eMail is also not a proper, recognized noun or brand name, so it's use should be stricken as well.

    4. Gmail actually is a proper noun (it's a brand name) so it should be capitalized. It's important to note the grammatical difference between Gmail and e-mail – even though Gmail is an e-mail provider.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 6/16/2011 at 8:57 PM Moderator
    This reminds me of the debate over whether the word "data" is singular or plural. The answer is both.

    When it means "database" it becomes singular (as in "one database"), so "the collected data IS now available." When it means "lots of numbers" then it's plural ... "the data SHOW that I'm right."

    It doesn't matter that the word really is plural. (Datum is the singular.) It has become so widely misused (as singular) that people look at you strangely when you say, "I believe the data are accurate."

    So now comes e-mail vs. email. It can be either, depending on which style book you use and how contemporary you want to seem. (Email is more recent/contemporary, no longer a shortened form of electronic-mail.)

    There are whole forums (fora?) that deal with usage issues like this, and some smart folks offer really interesting perspectives on them.

    If you want another discussion like this, try "computer." Is it a "machine," even if there are no moving parts or mechanical power? (Literal definition of MACHINE: An apparatus using or applying mechanical power to perform a particular task.)

    Despite the fact that a computer is obviously not a machine, IBM -- before it shortened its name -- made it clear that it made computers that were business "machines." (They used to use punched cards and processed them mechanically.)

    Oh, and by the way, this is IBM's 100th Anniversary. (Off topic, I know.)
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